SENIOR COMMENCEMENT SPEECHES

ERIN JACOBS

Good morning I have attended quite a few graduations, and I completely understand that feeling of dread as someone walks up to this mic and begins to go on and on about new chapters and experiences in life and all of that stereotypical graduation crap. So, to begin, here are the three things Wikipedia says I need to put in a gradation speech….I’m just kidding; I know the entire GCS humanities department would give me a very disappointing look if I cited Wikipedia in my graduation speech. Let me start with something simple: Class of 2021, we did it. I know there were days when today felt like it would never come. Like, when we received our password to the school computers and Mrs. Dodge told us to type in “dragons21.” I remember asking what the 21 meant and was told it was the year we graduated. June 2021 was so far away. Fast forward to Lower School, and our grade was lectured by Mrs. Wooleyhand about why our behavior at the Goddard Space Center was unacceptable. Apparently climbing on exhibits wasn’t a good look. She said the class of 2021 needed to grow up. Man, 2021 was so far away. Even last year, all of us struggling to somehow complete physics problems and memorize Moby Dick passages, 2020 felt like it would never end, and June 2021 was so far away. But at last, here we are, and here it is.

As I think about my time here, I find myself reminiscing about the small details of my daily life over the years. Weirdly enough, I’ve become increasingly fascinated with my drive to school each morning. There is a lot to learn from that drive. A lot has changed. I drive on my own to school, which is a considerable upgrade to sitting in the back seat while my dad drove me to primary school and my brother to middle school. The speed limit on Folly Quarter went from 45 to 35 and, judging by the speed some of the teachers I follow to school drive on that road; I see you also don’t support that change. But, I would argue the best realization is noticing the consistencies. Bikers always bike on Folly Quarter at the worst time, providing a bonding moment for every poor soul caught behind them. Mr. Ventre’s house has stood as a welcoming landmark in the wee hours of the morning. Even as my feelings when arriving fluctuated from excitement to nervousness to exhaustion, that house stood as a pillar of consistency and a reminder that everything would be there the next day. On that drive, I always knew I would be greeted by teachers that cared. Class of 2021, my point is things have changed in our time here at GCS. People have left. We have grown. Our lives have grown complicated. But, I encourage you to look at the moments that have remained the same. Being grateful for past consistencies helps us become willing to take a leap of faith into change.

Now, this wouldn’t be a graduation speech without a few thank-yous. To Mrs. Prantl, Mrs. Wooleyhand, and Mr. Ventre: like us, your time here is coming to a close, and I could give an entire speech dedicated to your sacrifices to better this school and community. But I don’t think words do it justice, so I just want to say thank you. I hope you each enjoy some lovely and much-deserved time away. To my classmates and friends: thank you for the daily laughs, crying sessions, and moments of joy. You are my family, and I am so proud of us for making it here. We have bonded together, held strong, and come out stronger as a group and as individuals. We will all go our separate ways, but I ask you to cherish our moments together, as I know I will.

So, this is it. June 2021 is here. We graduate today! As we take our diplomas, I ask that you keep in mind a few things. Be grateful for the people who have gotten you this far. Remember the little moments that made the journey that much better. Be thankful for the consistency we have had here at GCS. Go Army beat Navy. And finally, may God look over you if you ever get stuck behind a biker on Folly Quarter Road. Thank you, and congratulations, Class of 2021!

NAWAB MAHMOOD

Welcome families, friends, faculty, and the graduating class of 2021. Thank you, and congratulations to all of us. With the crazy year that has passed, what a tremendous honor it is to be here in the same place as one another.

On Thursday, March 12, 2020, the last regular school day for all of us, GCS was getting ready to go on Spring Break a day early in the wake of the new Covid-19 virus that had just entered the states. Many of us were so excited at the time, thinking about a potential two, maybe even three weeklong spring break. Teachers put in their predictions, some saying we would be back in school after only a week and others going to the extreme saying we wouldn’t be back till near the end of May. But in the future, not one person was able to predict just how much this pandemic would have affected us.

We’ve had to persevere through so many different struggles this year, but we have grown so much being the first ever graduating virtual class. Starting the school year not seeing any of the new students or our old classmates really made it difficult for our class to connect with each other. Taking on the college admissions process without being able to take the SAT’s or the ACT’s and having to apply to fully digitally without being able to visit any campuses had also made it difficult. Our time alone also came with benefits as well. Having so much time to ourselves allowed us to dream about our futures and really plan them out without any outside influence. Many of us will become the next generation of teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, physicians, pilots, astronauts, engineers, and artists. These hardships have made us the strongest, the sincerest, and most independent class to ever graduate.

But today, no matter what paths we have laid out in front of us, no matter where our expectations and imaginations will inevitably take us, I’d like to offer all of us one collective dream. One collective thing to work for in this life. One collective objective. And that is radical joy. Radical joy is the unapologetic choice to seek delight, show gratitude, and prioritize your dreams in the midst of even the most chaotic of times. I dream that for us - that no matter what we strive for in this life, may we always strive for radical joy on our way there. I wish that upon each of us.

Today, perhaps more than anything else we feel and more than we will ever be able to put into words, I know that I speak for the entire class of 2021 when I say we feel radical joy. We are thankful for Glenelg Country School - a place that is more than just a building. It is a home that brought us a family. A family we know we can always come back home to. We are grateful for our faculty and educators because they didn’t just teach us - they nurtured us, they grew us, they inspired us, and they made us better than they found us. Two people whom I’m especially grateful for today are Mr. Ventre and Ms. Prantl. They have been there for us through all our ups and downs, have always had our backs in the toughest of moments, and we are honored to be their last official graduating class. We wish you both a happy next chapter in your lives ahead and hope you as well continue to prioritize radical joy. We are also abundantly grateful for our families - the people who pushed for us to be here. As your children, we know we are the product of great sacrifice, and while our families are all here celebrating our accomplishments, we celebrate our families today too. And perhaps most of all, I know that each student in this room is thankful for every other student in this room. Thank you for making this the time of our lives. Good luck to each of us as we chase the next dream. Glenelg Country School Class of 2021 - Congratulations – let the future be bright because the best is still yet to come!