By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
With a flip of the tassel, childhood’s end arrived on a warm evening Tuesday for the 449 teenagers who made up the Montgomery High School Class of 2015.
One by one, the seniors strode across the stage in the Montgomery High School gym to receive a diploma and a handshake from school board President Adelle Kirk-Csontos and board Vice President Judy Humza.
The seniors, of course, were excited. Promptly at 6 p.m., school board members, school district administrators and high school faculty members filed into the gym, clad in black robes with colorful academic hoods that denoted their highest degree and the academic area in which they earned it.
Over the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance,” the seniors entered in pairs, wearing green gowns and mortarboards. Camera flashes flickered like fireflies, as family members photographed their graduating seniors.
After the last senior took a seat, class president John L. Chen welcomed his classmates and their families to the ceremony — “the end of a long road.” He smiled and said he did not remember much about high school, except that he was often told that the four years would go by quickly.
“Now that we are graduating, my emotions are mixed,” John said. While he is anxious to leave Montgomery and find out “who I am,” he told his classmates that each one would create his or her own path. Do not be afraid of failure, and “never let anyone tell you that you are not capable” of doing something, he said.
“(Tonight) marks the end of an era, but all endings are the beginning of something new. The best way to say goodbye to the past is to say hello to the future. Today is somewhere between ‘farewell’ and ‘I’ll see you again,’ ” John said.
Relating to his classmates a story about a family vacation many years ago, class salutatorian Andrew J. Jiang reminded them of the importance of family because at the end of the day, “all we have left is family.” Friends come and go, but not family.
Andrew said he was on a vacation trip with his family and suffered an injury to his foot. He had hoped his brother, Eric, would help him, but instead he ran away. While there were many on-lookers, only one person picked him up and took him to see the nurse.
Although Andrew was upset with his brother for abandoning him, Eric had gone in search of their parents. He finally found them, after knocking on several doors. Andrew made a recovery, but on a physical and emotional level, he discovered that family support “is all we have.”
Andrew also told his classmates that there are “malicious” people in the world, but there are also good people like the stranger who picked him up and took him to see the nurse. Someday, “you (may) be the stranger” who helps someone in need, he said.
Class valedictorian Akshay R. Kadhiresan admitted that he did not know many of his peers, but every one has a story to tell. And as the classmates continue to move through life, they will face many obstacles along the way.
“(But) without conflict, your story would be far less interesting. I believe whatever narrative you choose to write, you have to have a purpose. Every time you make a decision, ask yourself, ‘Will it have value.’ Time is wasted by worrying,” he said.
Akshay said he was not standing on the stage as a role model, but rather because he cares about his classmates’ future. Everyone is nervous about what comes next, but “think about the future — what will your legacy be. Continue with your life story and embrace the challenges,” he said.
