Today is both an end, and a beginning. After thirteen long years we have finally concluded our Kutztown education. It’s been a bumpy road, filled with defeats, victories, and surprises. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and not just science and math and English, although our teachers have made sure we picked up plenty of that too. Seeing the same people day after day has taught us what friendship is—and isn’t, and we’ve learned that life is not always fair. We’ve also developed some interesting skills, like how to dodge buckets—or freshman—in a crowded hallway on a rainy day. Or how to fight off heat stoke in the sweltering science wing and hypothermia in the over air-conditioned English classrooms. Even so, we still managed to scream the loudest of any class at every pep rally since our freshman year. We’ve survived social dramas and standardized tests and finals. And now, after all the homework and the late nights studying and the 14,580 hours of sitting in class, yes I did the math, we’re here to celebrate the fact that we’ve made it.

When we started kindergarten this moment seemed so terribly far away. We were only five years old ourselves, and thirteen years might as well have been an eternity. By the time we reached junior high we were too busy worrying about whether or not we would be able to open our lockers or remember where our classes were to give the passage of time much thought. By 9th grade there was the stigma of being freshmen, and then in the blink of an eye three years had passed and our senior year had snuck up on us. Suddenly everything we did was a milestone; our last concert, our last assembly, our last test, even our last day of classes. By this point senoritis had set in, and we were ready to leave and move on to new things. We didn’t shed a tear in our last physics class or after our last final.

But we mustn’t dwell on all the things that we are sad to leave behind, and there are many. As unappreciative as we sometimes were, for the most part these have been good years, and it is now time to leave behind the routine we have fallen into. But have courage, because tonight is not just an ending, it is also a beginning. The beginning of the rest of our lives.

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Where will you be in twenty years? We don’t know that now of course, we can’t see the future. But I’m sure many of you have some idea of where you’d like to be, in a dream career perhaps or a stable, loving family. Or maybe you don’t know what you want to be, but you know who you want to be; a compassionate friend, someone who helps others and gives back to the community, a person who’s always willing to try something new. There’s still time to get specific, so don’t worry if you haven’t got your entire future mapped out just yet. We are a class filled with enormous potential; artistic and musical talent, athletic ability, academic prowess, skills and interests in a whole plethora of subjects. Every single one of us has the capability to do great things, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t. As we embark on our future the greatest thing standing between us and success is ourselves. It’s easy enough to become discouraged, to underestimate our talents and put off our desires as impossible. By doing this, we condemn ourselves to failure. If something is not tried, it can never be accomplished. There will always be obstacles in our path, this is the nature of life, but if we have the courage and perseverance to push them aside then they cannot stop us. We’ve survived high school after all, and that entailed plenty of obstacles.

But it’s equally important that the dreams we follow are our own. Friends and family want what’s best for us, but only we can know what is truly in our hearts. The best path is not always the one that leads to wealth and fame, or to someone else’s expectations. The best path will lead you to happiness, and can be taken by working hard at something you enjoy. Do not strive for success solely for success’s sake. Discover what you truly want to do and then pursue it with all you have, and if your dream changes then so be it, don’t be afraid to change with it. Sometimes life may force you to take another path, out of necessity, but do not forget your dreams and don’t stop looking for that opportunity to follow them.

It’s time, tonight, to let out the sails. This harbor is closing, and the whole ocean lies before us. I challenge you to live your life to the fullest like Mark Twain suggested. Try new things and make the journey exciting. Work towards a goal. Don’t forsake opportunities just because they may be new and a bit uncomfortable. But always be true to yourself. If you do this, you can look back in twenty years with more memories and fewer regrets.

To our friends and family in the audience, we thank you for putting up with us through all these trying years, for listening to us complain about anything and everything, and for giving us advice even when we didn’t want it. To the faculty, you taught us a lot, even if sometimes we tried hard not to listen. Without your dedication we would not be where we are today, and I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I count many of you as friends, and not just teachers. To the band and the stage crew, thanks for helping out on our special night. And to the class of 2004: sail. Sail from this place into the vast and unchartered future, but don’t forget to look back every once and a while and remember where you came from. High school is over, but you can take the memories made here with you wherever you go. Pack them away in your heart, and when you’re feeling afraid or discouraged remember the thrill of winning that football game, or the warmth of your best friend’s smile, or the security of simpler times. But do not dwell in the past forever, for it is time to move on. Follow your heart, reach for your dreams. The world awaits us, and it’s time to make it ours.

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