Graduation Speeches

Valedictory Message by Katherine Kulik (attending Harvard University)

In the past four years at Medford High School we have lived together through seven hundred five days of school, countless athletic events, scores of musical performances, a dozen drama club productions, and, after today, one graduation. Congratulations! We have made it. However, while today is an end to our time in high school, it is also a beginning. Today marks the beginning of our futures. When we receive our diplomas and walk out of this room we will look the same, but we will be changed. We will be high school graduates, ready to take the first step on this new leg of our life journey.

The wise Wolfgang von Goerte once said, “Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” This quote reminds us to embrace activities with gusto, take advantage of the opportunities we have been given, keep our minds open to different perspectives, and not shy away from the chance to try something new. There is no reason to be scared of change. Embrace it.

During our high school experience, our country celebrated the inauguration of President Barrack Obama, and in Medford, we elected new members to the school committee. Now that many of us are old enough to vote, we have the power not only to watch these elections, but also to take part in them and even help shape the world as future leaders.

We have the power to be the next generation of doctors, nurses, engineers, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, secretaries, executives, and teachers – just to name a few of the possibilities. Medford High School graduates will be entrepreneurs and workers in every sector of the workforce, including education, science, business, entertainment, and other developing fields. The people sitting in this room will be the ones that have the power to help find a cure for cancer, put an end to world hunger, and develop new sources of green energy. That being said, it is up to our class, our generation, to make this happen.

Each moment has the potential to be great. As Abraham Lincoln said, “The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” So whether you will be attending college, entering the workforce, joining the military, or are still deciding what life path you want to follow, remember to make the most of every experience and every day. Don’t be afraid to dream big. As the sensible Pope John XXIII said, “Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

Thomas Edison never wavered in his quest to invent the light bulb. In fact, despite finding 10,000 ways that did not work, he persevered. Hard work, time, and effort can help us reach our goals. Yet, it is also important to understand that sometimes it is not the end goal that is important, but rather the journey. It is important to enjoy life and learn from the world around us. Carpe diem! Seize the day! Medford High School, this is our time.

Salutatory Message by Daniel Beemon (attending Tufts University)

Let me start with a cliché. Today is very bittersweet. This is the part where you all tune out everything I’m saying, there is a collective, but politely quiet groan, and everyone thinks, “Oh boy, here we go again.” Bear with me, I promise this is not one of those “Yay! No more homework! Oh, wait, the real world!” speeches. No, today is bittersweet for some very specific reasons. There are obvious ones like getting to meet new friends but having to leave old ones behind, leaving our work behind but getting new work, or never having to but also never getting to see our teachers, submasters, and especially our headmaster again. But let’s be honest. Facebook makes it all but impossible to actually leave any friends behind; the future is going to be awesome regardless; and our teachers, submasters, and headmaster, well, we will probably see them again whether we want to or not. So, what is it that really makes this occasion bittersweet?

Is it running out of assemblies to attend? Is it leaving behind pizza sticks for lunch? Is it saying goodbye to inexplicably opaque red and white windows? No, what really makes it difficult to feel completely happy or sad about this moment is the uncertainty of it. None of us really know what the future holds for us, and that is a scary thought. However, we all know what it is we’re leaving behind. We are leaving a lot of work, a tough academic year, and mornings that begin way too early, but we are also leaving great teachers, hardworking submasters, a fantastic headmaster, and a truly wonderful high school experience.

We know that we hated writing twenty-page lab reports, sitting in uniformly uncomfortable desks for 180 days, and waking up before seven. And yet we’re going to miss those teachers that know everything about everything, that greet us everyday with bright smiles and a vibrancy that makes us wonder if they know they’re at work, and that delve into discussions that make us wonder what we were talking about to begin with. We know we will miss throwing water balloons at Dr. Krueger, and being reminded that “although we have graduated all school rules still apply.” We know we will miss our sports teams and coaches, our lunches in the courtyard, our psychological analysis of Nell (A few of you out there? All right…) and a colorful, interesting, and stimulating learning environment.

I know that, despite the various challenges Medford High has presented, I have loved my time here. I have really received a great education from wonderful teachers. I have made a lot of really good friends whom I will miss. I have enjoyed my time here to the fullest. But would I do it all over again? No. While I may sound awfully nostalgic, I find the uncertainty of the future exciting. To use another, irresistible cliché: The world is our oyster. With long lives ahead of us, our futures will be what we make of them. I, for one, am ready to take the next step and see what’s there for me, good or bad.

All that being said, and the bitter sweetness aside, we can all stop to enjoy this moment. The past is behind us, and the future is still a ways ahead. We all have at least a month, thanks to some perfectly-timed snow storms, where we can say, “Ha ha, juniors, I’m on vacation early!” Now that is bittersweet! Thank you.

Class President David McKillop’s Address of Welcome

Thank You Mayor McGlynn, Superintendent Belson, Dr. Krueger, Mr. Mahoney, Honored Guests, Families, Friends, and the Class of 2011. We are finally here. This moment is real. It is no longer a hope or a dream; it is happening now. This graduation ceremony is the final step we must take in our public school journey. We entered Medford High School not knowing what to expect. We did not know what was going to happen in these last four years, but what we did know was that one day our time at Medford High School would eventually end here. Graduation is going to be one of our greatest memories. So, let’s pause a moment to take it all in. Look around and remember all of these faces. These are the people you have grown up with, played with, fought with, forgiven with, laughed with, and loved with. In the end, we are just one huge family, and, in my eyes, we will always be a family.

Looking into the future, I have no words of advice for you all, no wise knowledge that I can share, because honestly I do not know what the future holds. I am as nervous, excited, anxious, and happy as everyone else. We cannot begin to foresee what waits for us this summer, at college, or for the rest of our lives, but what we do know is that we will always be together in spirit. We will always share the memories that Medford High School has provided for us. Some of these memories include Ms. Smith trying to learn how to Dougie, Joyce the Voice dancing at the spirit day assembly, and Ms. Trainor golfing at Kimball Farm.

It is moments like these that will be forever engraved in our minds. As much as some of you might like to forget Joyce the Voice dancing, Ms. Smith doing The Dougie, or Ms. Trainor swinging that gold club, you won’t. Memories such as these are what we can hold on to. Yes, of course, we can remember MHS by our diplomas or these caps and gowns, but our memories of what happened at high school will be with us forever.

So, when I contact everyone five years from now for our first “family” reunion, do not ignore the nostalgic feeling you get when I tell that it is time to reunite. That feeling represents the bond we all share, the love that holds us together. I love you all and I thank you for making my high school career so much more than I expected. MHS will forever live on in my heart.

Dr. Krueger’s Headmaster’s Message

With the leadership of an exceptional senior class, the dedication of a talented faculty, the tirelessness of my fellow administrators, and the hard work of devoted parents, Medford High School has enjoyed an exceptional year.

Tonight I’m going to refrain from stating that we’re incredibly proud of your success on Advanced Placement tests and on the MCAS. Tonight, I will say nothing about your exemplary commitment to community service learning. And tonight I’m certainly going to pass over in silence the fact that you have gained admission to a wide range of colleges and universities, a range unsurpassed by any MHS graduating class or by students at any private or parochial school in the area.

I won’t be mentioning any array of statistics, albeit impressive statistics like your breaking the fundraising record for Earth Week. My memories of the Class of 2011 transcend statistics because my memories of you are of the individual personalities and quirks and potentials that you have exhibited.

Who could forget solos by Emory, Gia, Stephen and Katelyn, Maddie’s leadership of the spirit rally, Mitaly’s speech that was finer than the Governor’s, Sarah’s hug, Jean’s speed, Alyssa’s ambition to be Student of the Month, Jasmine’s work as a YMCA Teen Ambassador, or lingering questions about which of the Bandoian triplets is the fairest of them all?

We’ll always recall the individual performances at Bandfest, the GSA Coffee Houses, the fall play, the one-acts, Hairspray, Emily’s stellar stint as an emcee, Alec’s and Nick’s string of touchdowns, Danny’s domination at the faculty-senior basketball game, and Kasey’s earning the first Boston Globe Scholar-Athlete Award in this school’s history.

There was the romantic comedy called the “The Love Story of Rob and Katie,” the good sportsmanship of Michael, Deanna, Sarah and Cam and so many others, the outstanding mural designed and executed by Jemima. And all of us will fondly remember, not only steak and cheese subs and ham sandwiches, but also Zack Bears and his Salad Revolution, a revolution that his classmates refer to, not as a coup d’etat but as a food d’etat.

And then there’s the senior who last week wrote a detailed, sincere thank you note to a teacher who failed him for the year and earlier in the year had given him a grade that made him ineligible for athletics. The note was the finest the teacher had ever received.

Because of your character, unique contributions to school culture, and what became my highly positive relationship with the Class of 2011, something seemed different. I could tell that something had changed when Chris, Joe and Alec casually referred to me as dude. And I didn’t give them detention. I could tell that something had changed when Jack unthinkingly called me bro and Dan began calling me K-dog. And I didn’t suspend them. And I could tell that something had definitely changed the day of a team celebration when my wife and I asked Evan to call in an order for ten pizzas, and he phoned in the order “ten pizzas for Paul.” And I didn’t place him on social probation…but there’s still time.

While the familiarity did not breed contempt, it did lead to the creation of certain interesting myths. For example, John claimed that I had miraculously saved his life, and then he became known as John “The Survivor” Ibrahim. In Joao’s comedy sketch, he told the story of how I gave blood from both arms and both legs at the same time – while standing up. And in the Q and A part of the Mr. MHS Pageant, when Thomas was asked if he would give up his girlfriend to have a date with the headmaster, he turned to her and said somewhat coldly, “Maggie, our relationship isn’t going to work.”

Although it’s fun to create heroes where they clearly don’t exist, it’s helpful to learn from the real heroes in our world. Now please keep in mind that we don’t live in the Age of Washington and Jefferson, we don’t live in the Age of Amelia Earhart, and we don’t live in the Age of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King.

But this is also a special time in history. While it might sound funny to you, I’m being totally serious. It’s a special time – because we live in the Age of Wes Welker. Always shorter than his peers, he was initially thought to be too short to play high school football. Then, college football came close to shunning him, the NFL did their best not to draft him, and the San Diego Chargers cut him. Of course, as you know, he has gone on to be one of the greatest athletes of our time.

In a world of seven-foot tall, 300-pound competitors, little Wes Welker has demonstrated extraordinary determination and a rare ability to overcome what some perceived as his limitations. He has taught lessons valuable for all of us – but especially for those of you who are entering the strange, new world called Life after High School. During this next year and throughout your life, I challenge you to ask the question: WWWWD? What would Wes Welker Do?

To those without the financial means to pursue your dreams, to create the big picture, or to end up being the most likely to succeed, I ask, “What would Wes Welker do?”

To those who tell yourselves that the traumas you’ve experienced and the anger you feel won’t let you move on, I ask, “What would Wes Welker do?”

And to those who have been told that you’re not bright enough for college, not tough enough for the Marines, or not worthy of being loved, I ask, “What would Wes Welker do?”

He would view this day as a commencement, a beginning, just as you do, as a book consisting of blank pages – a book that you will start filling today with all of the wonders and joys of young adulthood, a book that will show that you are meant to do great things or kind things and teach the world, by example, how to live a wonderful, happy life.

My very best wishes to each and every one of you. I will miss you more than I can say.

Remarks by School Superintendent Roy Belson

Congratulations to the M.H.S. Class of 2011. The attainment of your high school diploma is an important achievement in your young lives. You have a right to be proud, but you do not have a license to be complacent.

The challenges that lay ahead for you will require continuous learning. Your high school diploma is a solid foundation but you must continue to build if you want to live well in the years ahead. That is why another name for “graduation” is “commencement.” You are expected to move on to a new level of learning and living and to begin a new phase of your life.

The 21st century is bringing us a rapidly changing world. New innovations seem to emerge every year that alter what we know and how we interact. You should not fall behind. However it is vital that you do more than master the technology of the day. You must understand the substance of the issues and the ethics of behavior. With new capacity there is a compelling need to use it well and appropriately. While you must devote time to master new technical knowledge, you must devote even more time to the development of your humanity. Your career goals are important but the development of family, community and citizenship values deserves even greater attention.

Become a contributor to the community and world in which you live. Inspire others. Don’t forget who helped you along the way. They deserve your thanks. You can repay them best by passing on strong values to the next generation.

Award winning journalist Tom Brokaw wrote about the challenges of the 21st century. He said,

“It is not enough to wire the world if you short-circuit the soul.
It is not enough to probe the hostile environments of distant galaxies if we fail to resolve the mindless violence, ethnic and racial hate here in the bosom of Mother Earth. It is not enough to identify the gene that predetermines Alzheimer’s disease if we go through life with a closed mind.”

I am confident that your Medford High School preparation is a good start. Travel well! Share your best! Contribute and reap the reward of a life well lived!

All the best to you, your family, and friends.

Remarks by Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn

Before I begin my remarks, I must mention all those affected by the terrible tornados that hit the western and central part of our state yesterday. We, in Medford were lucky, but so many fellow Massachusetts residents have lost homes, businesses and some lost their lives. I would ask that we take a moment in silent remembrance for our fellow Massachusetts citizens. Thank you.

Superintendent Belson, Dr. Krueger, Vocational Director Mahoney, fellow School Committee members, faculty, family members and the class of 2011. For all of you this is a day of celebration! I am pleased to be with you today and offer congratulations on the occasion of your graduation from Medford High School!

You should feel a great sense of accomplishment today, for you have attained an important goal in your life. You are now looked upon as role models for those following you. As graduates, you are an inspiration to our entire community. This is your day and you have achieved success. Some of you had struggles to overcome and for some the challenges were easier to conquer, but in the end it was your determination and character that carried you forward. Your willingness to work hard coupled with great support from your family, friends, and teachers who stood by you, encouraged you and most of all, believed in you. You should cherish their direction and guidance.

You are now a citizen of a world. As president John F. Kennedy once said; “for time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present, are certain to miss the future”. We look to your generation to help address many of the world’s issues. I have faith that you will take a leadership role and stand up for those who can not stand up for themselves.

Our world today presents many different and difficult challenges. They should be looked upon as an opportunity to become an active participant in helping to improve the quality of life for all. I am confident that Medford high school has prepared you to handle some of our world’s most important issues. By utilizing your expertise, energy and knowledge, you can help make the world a better place. As Americans, we are blessed with much, and therefore, much is expected of us.

Today, you will leave behind a life that you have grown to know and begin a new phase filled with opportunities and much promise. Use your diploma as a stepping stone to your future. This is your time to add new chapters to the story of your life. Remember so many young people around the world, do not have the opportunity to go to school to help to make a better life for themselves. Never forget it allows you to achieve your goals. Reach for the stars and dig deep within yourself and success will follow.

Step confidently into this new phase of your life; whether it is college, the military, or the work force. Medford High has prepared you to make the right choices for your future endeavors. As the writer, Anna Quindlen said: “acts of bravery don’t always happen on battlefields. They take place in your heart when you have the courage to honor your character, intellect and your soul. So carry your courage in an easily accessible place, the way you do your cell phone or wallet. You may still falter or fail, but you will always know that you pushed hard and aimed high.”

Never forget the Mustang blue and white that runs through your veins…it is called “Mustang pride”. Always keep that pride alive. Take the time to volunteer, to coach, or to mentor…find the time to give back, for it will enrich your life and the lives of those you touch.

You are off to a great start! May the future bring you much success and happiness in your chosen field. Thank you and God bless America!

– InsideMedford.com