Commencement Speech 2023

Good morning Kennedy Family. It is with joy that I address you, the graduating class of 2023.

It is also with sadness, hope, love, and respect that I address you because, as Mr. Codispoti tells me, “you get too attached to the seniors.” and honestly it’s never been more true than this year. As Winnie the Pooh said, How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

I’d like to start by sharing a story from the late 1900s. I was in middle school and we had the same English teacher for 3 years in a row. At the end of 7th grade, our final year in the building, she would write a poem about the students in the class; funny stories she would remember or things she admired about us. This was a big deal to the students and we could not wait to hear it. What I didn’t realize was that it was probably a big deal for her too. To grow close with a group of kids for a few years and see them leave is hard– and the better the students, the harder the ending. The pressure of a poem I’m sure balanced the sadness with hope, wrapped up in love.

Now, my personal library is chock-full of easy beach reads and reality star memoirs, so poetry really isn’t on my radar…sorry English department. But I did some real good googling about poetry and I found a quote by Oscar Wilde that said “All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling.” 

If you could just ignore the clunky rhyming schemes and indulge me for a moment as I give you a gift that my 7th grade English teacher once gave me. What I can only imagine is badly written poetry through the lens of scholars, I promise I wrote it with love and affection for each one of you. 

This class is mighty even though they are so small

And each one of them seems to be able to do it all.

The Class of 2023 is really miraculous

Jocelyn would actually refuse to skip Calculus.

Romero wanted to take a taxi during our Amazing Race

and Ava managed to finish these four years in first place.

Rahn and Coach fought daily about giving his beard a trim

Abe is a good Catholic boy but don't try to dunk on him

Leah somehow still types with her perfectly manicured nails

while Anthony has an entertaining opinion on any and all details.

If David's bowling intro never failed to make me laugh

Then Joey's performance as a lifeguard almost split me in half.

Katie has my heart as a former volleyball setter.

Sarina and I both live by the phrase "The tanner, the better"

Ella's fashion sense always makes her look like a star

A quick round of applause for Emiliee joining the National Guard.

Giorgio will do any service you ask besides maybe organ donation

And it will only be a year or so until Mark starts his cardiology rotation

Lucy shined on the court and slayed as Miss Hannigan

Aubree has the best shoes no matter what the shenanigans

Sarosh excels on the pitch, the field, the soundboard and in front of a crowd

Bethany is a future penguin- we are both "Y and Proud"

Matt takes no hostages when it comes to speech and debate

We're hoping Jake's pitching takes us all the way to state

Samantha,at home on the green, made districts twice with her golf swing

Sam Bolino always has a smart remark but still voted Homecoming king.

Thomas, our best hope for a future priest, is known for being nice.

And Patrick, his twin, is well-known for saying he is going to....eat wings. What?

Abby, my girl that always has the piping hot tea

Ambrose will play the piano when Miss DiSalvatore asks, GUARANTEED.

Aidan, assistant to the principal, is giving up his office chair

And all 28 of you go forth with my love and my prayers.

I traditionally take this time to give a small piece of advice about changing the world, but this class doesn’t need that. You’re going to change the world. So I’ll leave you with a quote by a famous poet, one I heard and loved before I started googling anything about poetry.  It’s by Ralph Waldo Emerson

What is success?

To laugh often and much; 

to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; 

to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; 

to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch 

Or a redeemed social condition; 

to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. 

This is to have succeeded!

May God Bless you and keep you. Blue Pride Forever.

**My 7th grade English teacher was Mrs. Barb Graeser at Lakeview Middle School. Thanks for loving us so much Mrs. Graeser. All these years later, it made a difference.