To my son Joseph and all the good young adults from Gillett High School who are graduating at Gillett tomorrow afternoon. If I was graduating, I would like to hear something like this. Just some thoughts on their future. They are a good group of young adults and I wish them much success in their lives.
My commencement address to the class of 2008
Let me welcome and thank all friends, guests, faculty, distinguished guests, families of our graduates and to you the great class of 2008. It's certainly a pleasure and honor to speak to you today. I first ask the parents of these aspiring adults to remember the day these young men and women were brought into this world. Do you remember the very first time you looked upon your child with great happiness, excitement and joy, I certainly do. I know how proud you must feel today.
To you the graduates. From the days of diapers and Gerber baby food, to Barney to I pods, laptops and text messaging. No, I do not know how to text, so I know it's 2G2BT and please do not LMHO.
You the class of 2008 started 1st grade back in 1995. The top movie was Toy Story,Will Ferrell started on Saturday night live and in August the 95th U.S. Golf Amateur Championship was won by a young man named Tiger Woods.
Since then you all have memories of history, memories of life, memories of winning and losing. Memories of band concerts, track meets, proms and homecoming. You may over many years forget the days of home room, the names but not the faces of your teachers and forget the one day you and your classmates were surprised after graduation practice when Mr Santacroce told you to leave , you were done at Gillett High School.You would enter Gillett High school from that day forward as a spectator, a visitor, or maybe a parent to this school system. You seen your last day at Gillett High School as a student. You all have that one special time in your life, never forget these specials days at Gillett. It is a part of your life you will take with you. You will take it to your future education, to your future jobs and for some to your future family.
I know you all have dreams. Dreams of who you want to be, of what you want to do in life. Hold those dreams near and dear to your heart. You are a part of the American dream and the American dream is why all of you are here. The American dream started with our founding fathers over 230 years ago. It was the American dream that brought people to this part of Oconto County. It was dreams that built the automobiles of today, landed a man on the moon and gave you cell phones and video games. If someone told Thomas Edison that his dream of making a light was a failure we would never have the light bulb today. He believed in his dream so much that after 9,999 failed attempts that it finally worked after just one more try.No one in this great country can suppress your dreams. No one can ever tell you your dreams are crazy or dreams don't come true. Look up, reach your hand to the sky and grab that cloud you see in the heavens. It's yours if you only try, it's yours only if you want it. Never stop dreaming
With those dreams never forget there also comes great responsibility. It is your responsibility to care for the less fortunate then you. To help your neighbor as you would want them to help you. To care for your family, the ones that brought you into this world and to those some of you will bring into this world. It is also your responsibility to take care of your selves. Do the right thing..
Learn something new every day of your life, read books, go to a play, read the newspaper. Keep your mind sharp. Exercise your mind and you will go far. If you tell your mind you want something , your mind will find a way to get it for you. Your mind is a powerful tool. Always have positive thoughts. But remember, with that power always be careful, if you tell your mind negative or bad thoughts your mind will also get you that. So always think positive, the glass is always half full!
You will also have failure in your life. You will make mistakes. Do not fret. Everyone fails at something. No one is perfect. If a batter can hit 400 in baseball they are a star. No one ever talks about the 600 times out of a 1000 they didn't get to base. Learn from your mistakes and do not repeat them. Remember Thomas Edison and 10,00 light bulbs.
You have your dreams and and you have your responsibility, you will fail at times, but do not let it get to you. Everything will be fine. Life is a learned process.You have a great future.
Are you ready to go forward into this world? Will you go forward to further your education, to start new job and some, to start your own business. I know you will.
Before you start your lives today there is one more thing I ask you to consider. Character, I heard this from someone, not really sure who, but they told me the definition.
Character is doing something right or good when no one is looking. No one has to see you doing something good. Have good character.
So when no one is looking, go forward and take your dreams ,your responsibility,your learning, your failures and your good character. Do the best you can . Be the best you can be and you will be successful at what ever you do with your life .
To the Gillett High School class of 2008
As Mr Spock in Star trek said.
Live long and prosper
My commencement address to the class of 2008
Let me welcome and thank all friends, guests, faculty, distinguished guests, families of our graduates and to you the great class of 2008. It's certainly a pleasure and honor to speak to you today. I first ask the parents of these aspiring adults to remember the day these young men and women were brought into this world. Do you remember the very first time you looked upon your child with great happiness, excitement and joy, I certainly do. I know how proud you must feel today.
To you the graduates. From the days of diapers and Gerber baby food, to Barney to I pods, laptops and text messaging. No, I do not know how to text, so I know it's 2G2BT and please do not LMHO.
You the class of 2008 started 1st grade back in 1995. The top movie was Toy Story,Will Ferrell started on Saturday night live and in August the 95th U.S. Golf Amateur Championship was won by a young man named Tiger Woods.
Since then you all have memories of history, memories of life, memories of winning and losing. Memories of band concerts, track meets, proms and homecoming. You may over many years forget the days of home room, the names but not the faces of your teachers and forget the one day you and your classmates were surprised after graduation practice when Mr Santacroce told you to leave , you were done at Gillett High School.You would enter Gillett High school from that day forward as a spectator, a visitor, or maybe a parent to this school system. You seen your last day at Gillett High School as a student. You all have that one special time in your life, never forget these specials days at Gillett. It is a part of your life you will take with you. You will take it to your future education, to your future jobs and for some to your future family.
I know you all have dreams. Dreams of who you want to be, of what you want to do in life. Hold those dreams near and dear to your heart. You are a part of the American dream and the American dream is why all of you are here. The American dream started with our founding fathers over 230 years ago. It was the American dream that brought people to this part of Oconto County. It was dreams that built the automobiles of today, landed a man on the moon and gave you cell phones and video games. If someone told Thomas Edison that his dream of making a light was a failure we would never have the light bulb today. He believed in his dream so much that after 9,999 failed attempts that it finally worked after just one more try.No one in this great country can suppress your dreams. No one can ever tell you your dreams are crazy or dreams don't come true. Look up, reach your hand to the sky and grab that cloud you see in the heavens. It's yours if you only try, it's yours only if you want it. Never stop dreaming
With those dreams never forget there also comes great responsibility. It is your responsibility to care for the less fortunate then you. To help your neighbor as you would want them to help you. To care for your family, the ones that brought you into this world and to those some of you will bring into this world. It is also your responsibility to take care of your selves. Do the right thing..
Learn something new every day of your life, read books, go to a play, read the newspaper. Keep your mind sharp. Exercise your mind and you will go far. If you tell your mind you want something , your mind will find a way to get it for you. Your mind is a powerful tool. Always have positive thoughts. But remember, with that power always be careful, if you tell your mind negative or bad thoughts your mind will also get you that. So always think positive, the glass is always half full!
You will also have failure in your life. You will make mistakes. Do not fret. Everyone fails at something. No one is perfect. If a batter can hit 400 in baseball they are a star. No one ever talks about the 600 times out of a 1000 they didn't get to base. Learn from your mistakes and do not repeat them. Remember Thomas Edison and 10,00 light bulbs.
You have your dreams and and you have your responsibility, you will fail at times, but do not let it get to you. Everything will be fine. Life is a learned process.You have a great future.
Are you ready to go forward into this world? Will you go forward to further your education, to start new job and some, to start your own business. I know you will.
Before you start your lives today there is one more thing I ask you to consider. Character, I heard this from someone, not really sure who, but they told me the definition.
Character is doing something right or good when no one is looking. No one has to see you doing something good. Have good character.
So when no one is looking, go forward and take your dreams ,your responsibility,your learning, your failures and your good character. Do the best you can . Be the best you can be and you will be successful at what ever you do with your life .
To the Gillett High School class of 2008
As Mr Spock in Star trek said.
Live long and prosper
2 comments:
My congratulations to the Gillett seniors and best wishes for the future.
Steve, thank you for your comment. I made one big mistake, I didn't tell the class of 08 to work hard! If you don't work hard at anything in life you have nothing. I let my son down! P,S. I wanted to correct my post and I couldn't find out how to edit in Word press. Can you give me your e mail and you tell him to work hard in life and he will be rewarded!Berry Laker.
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