I want to first start this speech with a few thank-yous: Thank you to my lovely class, who we have the honor of celebrating today. I could not have asked for better girls to walk the stage with. Thank you to all the teachers and administrative staff who helped me and many other girls get where we are today. Thank you to my friends who have helped me stay sane through these past four years. Finally, thank you to my family who have supported me through every accomplishment and defeat and balanced my busy schedule along with theirs. A special shoutout to my sister, Gabby Memory, DSHA '19, who continues to be one of my biggest inspirations to this day.

 

When tasked to talk about the class of 2026, I could talk for hours about the courageous, adaptable, and determined women in front of me. Over the past four years, this class has faced the challenges of a lot of changes. And most of the time, change was hard. However, every time, this class found a way to make it work. We asked questions, we voiced our opinions (more than once), and worked together to make every year better than the last. It is also bigger than that, though. Adapting is not always a huge feat; adapting is also knowing not to wear sweatpants on the second floor, perfectly finishing your homework in the study hall before class, or rushing out of the building at exactly 3:05 to beat the parking lot traffic. Regardless, every change and new obstacle that got in our way, we persevered and displayed the grit this class holds.

 

But do not just take it from me, you all described our class as friendly, funny, inclusive, outgoing, outspoken, hard working, and supportive, and I could not have said it better myself. This class, though they have seen their fair share of rough first-hour classes, has continued to be the compassionate, uplifting, and driven set of girls I have come to know. This community was built on more than just proximity; it was born on the shared laughs in the bathroom mirror and the promise of sisterhood. As we move forward, I urge you not to think of this ceremony as a loss of that community, but a setup to create more of those same close-knit relationships we discovered here. Many of you will not feel closure today, and that's okay; just remember, some things never change, and that safe, connected feeling found in the halls of DSHA will continue to be dormant in your soul until you reach out and share that love with the rest of the world.

 

Anyone who has ever had [Theology Faculty Mary] Duffy as a teacher knows that after tests, she pulls out not mints, not candy, but a giant box of fortune cookies to take on your way out. Well, after having her for many classes, I have collected my fair share of fortunes, and a few have stuck out to me. So much so that I have kept them in my phone case ever since. Today, I want to share three fortunes I have taken from this class and use them as an outline for my speech.

 

In blue ink on a small slip of paper, it reads, “Everyone is fun; you just have to find their fun side.” Everyone here has different perspectives on everything, that is not me trying to divide and group us, but instead a fact that will remain true as we step into a new world. When we sit next to those who are different from us: we often end up learning more than if we were to sit next to those who are similar. We should take this opportunity of diversity and turn it into a conversation of growth and self-discovery. Why turn away years of experience different from yours simply because it is foreign to you? The beauty of meeting new people is expanding our worldview, our beliefs, and our way of life. Never are you truly finished learning when there is so much of the world that you do not see. Something that is fun for you might not be fun for me. I have some friends who enjoy running on the weekends. I will tell you one thing: I will never find running fun. We can meet people and not quite understand them at first, but still, acknowledge that light, that spark, inside of everyone that flourishes when we grant them an open mind and open up to their “fun” side.

Sometimes it's taking a risk, which brings me to fortune number two: “Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where all the fruit is?” Show of hands, who here chose not to participate in something at DSHA and regretted it later? Anything: Sports, co-curricular, talent show, great lengths. I’m sure there are a few hidden as well. Let me ask you, why didn’t you go for it? Everyone knows the saying: high risk, high reward, right? So, when you think of the regret that is inevitable with missing out, I ask you not to wallow in your own self-pity but instead use it as motivation to push you towards taking that step next time. Take the risk, go against the odds, walk in blindly. And if it fails, then what you gained was a great lesson for the future. But anything gained is moving you towards change and development. The greatest mistake we can make is to stay stagnant.  Some of the best inventions, ideas, and lessons come from trial and error and growing from it. And if you're thinking, “No, I know exactly who I am, and that is me right now." Well, I am sure that freshman year you thought that as well, and look at how much you have grown since then. We all took risks at DSHA, like going to a random teacher during Dasher Time and hoping they would add you to their attendance. Special shoutout to [Social Studies Faculty Chris Weiss, DS '70] for adding the same 11 girls every single day. But still taking that risk will allow you to earn more than if you were to stay still.

The third and final fortune is my favorite. It reads: “To do nothing is to be nothing." This is not to say that taking a break for a moment is “being nothing”, but instead, if you do nothing to help yourself or work for your life now, it is to be nothing. We are all paving our own path soon, we are all going to have different experiences and different lessons learned. Maybe a year into college, you hate it, maybe your new friend group is not what it was anymore, or maybe the classes you got last pick for are too difficult; all of these experiences are normal and okay, but if you do nothing to fix them, that is when you fail. You must do what you need to do to make sure you are where you want to be. Now, do not boil this down into being selfish; still carry that empathetic, self-sacrificing, generous breath inside of you, but if we spend too much time in an environment that limits us instead of challenges us, we are not reaching our full potential. Everyone here, every single graduate sitting in these seats, has the potential to make a difference wherever they go, but you must keep going. You only fall behind when you give up. There is no better time to try, try, and then keep trying. Do not be afraid to start over, even when you're almost done. Do not be afraid to change courses if the one you are on only causes pain; do not hold yourself back in the pursuit of stubbornness. There is freedom and strength in allowing yourself to fail. There is a choice: when you falter, do you let the ground consume you or allow yourself the liberty of rising? Success is not one thing, but the pride to march forward and knowing there are no limits.

 

As I wrap up this speech, I want to look back on the many unspoken shared memories we all created at DSHA. Like how we would sit in our cars in the front lot until exactly 7:44 to maximize car time, how we would yell at underclassmen who did not follow the zipper rule when managing staircase traffic, how we would “go to the bathroom” for 25 minutes and walk the entire map of the school, (this is all alleged of course), or finally, how we are one of the last classes that will ever know the treacherous hike we had to take from the neighborhood in two-degree weather. It was rough.

 

Some of you might be sad to leave, some may be eager to have me stop talking so they can jump out of their seats quicker, but whether you want to admit it or not, DSHA and the girls surrounding you have made an impact. An impact that will not be forgotten, even if it only becomes recognizable by a feeling. Dashers, I am so proud of everyone in front of me, and I cannot wait to see the success you all achieve, whatever that may mean for you! Go out and do good, Lord knows we have enough hate in this world, so be the outlier. Congratulations, class of 2026! We did it!