Commencement Address 2018




It is with great joy that I address the Class of 2018 today, at your graduation. It has been quite a journey this year, but now it is at an end. And I’m just a mom, standing here, trying to yell last minute directions to you as you walk out the door and get in the car to leave.

My favorite quote is:

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."
Hatch or Go Bad. Those are your choices. You can’t simply stay the same. So I have just a few things to remind you what you’ve learned over the years at Kennedy, to help you hatch.

The first is: show up. It sounds easy, right? It’s not as obvious as you think, which is why I had to invent the “Tardy Party” for excessive late arrivals. Show up to class, show up to work and be there on time. Have the right things with you. You know, like the right uniform, or your iPad, or money for your lunch account. Have the courage to introduce yourself to your professors, to be known, and therefore, be missed if you didn’t show up.

Next: set goals. Set them high and crush them. Live by the motto “Good enough isn’t.” I know the last few weeks….months?....have felt like checking items off a list. Push yourself to go above and beyond, especially now that many of you will be on your own. Dedication to accomplishing your long-term goals will pay off.

Lastly: Do the right thing. Martin Luther King Jr said:
“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”
You will be in situations that taking the safe route will be more comfortable. You may have to be the voice of reason in a group of friends making poor decisions. You may need to choose to be Christ-like instead of worldly. Your integrity will help you do the right thing, even when it’s not the easy thing.

So courage, integrity, and dedication have been the keys all along. It’s not a secret formula; we put it right on the seal of the school. These pillars of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School will take you far in life if you follow their direction.

I am hoping you remember those lessons because your success matters to me. We may have only spent a year together, but you will forever be my “first” graduating class and hold a special place in my heart. Remember that I care about you, which is why I have to care about all the little things. Very soon, you’ll walk out of these doors, alumni of John F. Kennedy Catholic School. Hatch and soar like an Eagle.


With love,

Mrs. Consiglio

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