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TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY CELEBRATING OUR GRADUATES, THEIR SPECIAL GROUP.
UH, AND I'M EXCITED FOR YOU TO HEAR FROM THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THEIR SPEECHES AND FROM WHAT MR. ALGI HAS TOLD ME, UH, THEY HAVE SO NICELY CAPTURED THEMSELVES IN WHAT THEY'LL SAY.
BUT BEFORE MR. SMITH COMES UP TO SERVE AS OUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES, FOR THAT, UH, I WANT TO INTRODUCE STEVE SULLIVAN.
UM, AS, UH, YOU MAY KNOW, THIS IS MY LAST YEAR AS THE DIRECTOR OF HASP AS A TEACHER IN THE PROGRAM AND AS A TEACHER AT HASTINGS.
UH, I'LL BE RETIRING IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, UM, AND HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN HASP, UH, FOR MY 22 YEARS HERE.
UH, I WISH I COULD ARTICULATE WHAT HASP MEANS TO ME, BUT I KNOW THAT ANYTHING I WOULD COME UP WITH WOULD SOUND TRITE.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THERE HAS, UH, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT HA THAT, SORRY.
THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN HASTINGS THAT FEELS SO AUTHENTIC OR VITAL.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO SAY THOUGH THAT HASP IS IN VERY GOOD HANDS.
MR. SULLIVAN WILL BE TAKING OVER AND HIS PASSION FOR AND CONCERN ABOUT STUDENTS GIVE ME CONFIDENCE.
I KNOW THAT UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, HASP WILL NOT ONLY TRANSITION TO THIS NEXT CHAPTER, BUT ALSO GROW AND BECOME EVEN MORE IMPACTFUL.
SO, MR. SULLIVAN, HELLO EVERYBODY.
UM, I WANNA START OUT JUST WITH SOME THANK YOUS.
UM, FIRST THANK YOU TO YOU ALL AS THE COMMUNITY HERE, UM, FOR COMING TO CELEBRATE.
WE SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN TO CELEBRATE, UM, TO APPRECIATE, TO PRAISE, TO SOAK UP THE JOY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
COMMUNITIES OWE IT TO OURSELVES TO LOOK AROUND AS A COLLECTIVE ONCE IN A WHILE AND SAY, WELL DONE.
IN THIS CASE, NOT ONLY TO OUR GRADUATES, BUT TO US AS A VILLAGE.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE HAS STUDENTS THAT ARE NON-GRADUATES TODAY, ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK ROW.
UM, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THE HAS COMMUNITY THIS COMING YEAR, AND I HOPE FOR YEARS TO COME.
WE RARELY GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PURPOSEFUL ABOUT THE THINGS WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT BUILDING COMMUNITY AND CONNECTING PEOPLE.
UM, AND THAT IS WHAT HASP IS TO ME.
I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE BUILDING HASP WITH YOU GUYS, UM, THE STUDENTS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY YOU LOVE AND FEEL INVESTED IN.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE FOR THE KINDNESS AND MENTORSHIP YOU HAVE GIVEN ME OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE CONVERSATIONS AND ADVICE ARE SOMETHING THAT HAVE GIVEN ME GREAT VALUE AND APPRECIATION OF THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND ALSO GREAT REMINDERS OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AS TEACHERS AND HOW TO APPROACH THAT IN A REFLECTIVE AND PURPOSEFUL WAY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR HASP AND FOR THIS COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
YOUR NEXT JOURNEY INTO THE BEYOND IS GONNA BE EXCITING AND DYNAMIC, BUT I KNOW YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK WITH PRIDE AND OPTIMISM ABOUT THE MARK AND THE LEGACY YOU'VE LEFT HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND ESPECIALLY HASP TEACHING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
AND YOU CHOSE A PATH THAT IS ONE THAT IS FILLED WITH CHALLENGES, STRUGGLES, FRUSTRATIONS AND DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT ULTIMATELY ONE OF SERVICE AND HOPE.
KNOW THAT THE DECISION HAS BEEN REWARDED FOR THE IMPACT YOU HAVE LEFT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WELCOMING ME INTO THE HAS COMMUNITY.
UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS FORCED OR REQUIRED, BUT GENUINELY UNIQUE.
WHEN I FIRST WAS INTRODUCED, YOU GUYS BROUGHT ME INTO THE CLASS AND KIND OF INTRODUCED ME TO WHAT HASP WAS AND WHAT IT COULD BE AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.
UM, THAT DISCUSSION, COLLABORATION WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS UNIQUE TO YOU GUYS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALSO BROUGHT TO HASP AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND IT'S THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU CREATED THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO LEAD HASP WITH AND I HOPE IS SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO GROW FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
IT IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY MONTH WHEN YOU'RE ENGAGING ME IN YOUR CONVERSATION ABOUT GETTING A GOOD NIGHT OF SLEEP, IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOU TO REALIZE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, ENTHUSIA YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND ENERGY FOR THINGS YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT IS INCREDIBLE AND IS EASY TO SEE.
THAT WHEN YOUR FACE LIGHTS UP ABOUT SOMETHING YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU LOVE.
LET THAT PASSION GUIDE YOU WHEREVER IT TAKES YOU.
JAKE, HAVE YOU FINISHED YOUR SPEECH YET?
YOUR STEADFAST DEMEANOR AND HONESTY IS LEGENDARY.
YOU PULL NO POINT PUNCHES FOR YOUR OPINION OR FEELINGS ABOUT ISSUES.
AND I THINK THIS IS SO REFRESHING.
CONTINUE BRINGING THAT HONESTY TO ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE AND CELEBRATING YOUR ABILITY AND STRENGTH TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS.
THESE PILLARS WILL ALLOW YOU TO CREATE A FUTURE OF YOUR OWN UNIQUE
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MAKING.NICK, I ADMIRE YOUR COOL, CALM APPROACH TO THE HIGHS AND LOWS AND LIFE.
AND IT IS THIS MINDSET THAT WILL TAKE YOU FAR.
YOUR KNOWING SMILE AND ABILITY TO CHECK WITH THE LAUGHTER, TO BE QUICK WITH LAUGHTER IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED MORE IN OUR LIVES.
SHARE THIS GIFT WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU'LL GAIN A LOT OF HAPPINESS FROM IT.
NICO, YOU'RE
BUT IT IS APPARENT THAT YOU'VE USED THIS SKILL OF PERCEPTION AS A WAY FOR YOU TO HELP CONNECT WITH OTHERS.
YOU ARE QUICK WITH A RETORT, BUT YOU ARE ALSO QUICK TO LISTEN TO OTHERS IN VERY GENUINE WAYS.
THIS HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS, AND YOU'VE BECOME A GREAT LEADER THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF IT.
SO I GUESS AS A GRADUATION, I SHOULD GIVE A LITTLE ADVICE, OLD, BALDING AND POSSIBLY OUT OF TOUCH.
I AM, BUT TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.
WHEN I ASKED YOU TO MA TELL ME WHAT MADE HAS PASS AND WHAT MADE IT SPECIAL TO YOU, YOU GUYS HAD A LOT OF THINGS.
YOU SAID CHILL TWICE, I THINK.
UH, YOU ALSO SAID COMMUNITY ADAPTIVE.
UM, COMMUNITY, ADAPTIVE, SMALL, EASY TO PARTICIPATE, COMFORTABLE, CONVERSATIONAL, INTERESTING, INTIMATE, FULL OF CHOICE TEACHERS THAT UNDERSTAND RELATIONSHIPS.
THESE ARE ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
I THINK THESE ARE VERY REVEALING WORDS.
TAKE HASP WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.
HASP IS HASTINGS, AND IT IS EVERYTHING WE LOVE ABOUT HASTINGS AND EDUCATION ITSELF.
SMALL COMMUNITIES AREN'T ONE SPECIFIC PACE PLACE, BUT IT CAN BE MADE ANYWHERE.
BRING HAS WHEREVER YOU CAN GO BUILD HAS IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND GROW TOGETHER AND BE BETTER OFF AND HAPPIER FOR IT.
UH, THE LEGENDARY, THE LEGEND HIMSELF.
UH, I'M THE LAST OPENING ACT, I PROMISE, UH, BEFORE THE MAIN EVENT.
MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, LIKE I ALWAYS SAY DISCLAIMER TO START, UH, THE SPEECH HAS NOT BEEN CENSORED.
THEY'RE NOT THE VIEWS OF HASP, THEY'RE THE VIEWS OF THE INDIVIDUAL
SO BEFORE WE JUMP INTO SPEECHES, I ALWAYS LIKE TO GIVE ONE QUICK ANECDOTE OR OBSERVATION.
SO, UH, THE ANECDOTE I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY IS I, I TRIED TO CALCULATE HOW MANY TIMES I'VE EXPLAINED TO PEOPLE AND IT QUICKLY GOT INTO THE HUNDREDS AND I STOPPED TRYING TO CALCULATE.
UM, AND ANYTIME SOMEONE ASKS ME LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S TASK? HOW DOES IT MAKE IT DIFFERENT? I, IT'S LIKE HITTING THE PLAY BUTTON.
UH, AND I'M LIKE, COMMUNITY ATMOSPHERE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, SMALL CLASS SIZE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, FIELD TRIPS, YOU KNOW, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
ANYWAY, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, A STUDENT ASKED ME, UM, ABOUT IT AND I STARTED TO GO HIT THE PLAY BUTTON, STARTED TO GO INTO IT, AND THEN IT TOOK THIS EXISTENTIAL TURN.
UM, AND I STARTED TO REALLY TALK ABOUT SOCIAL CONNECTIONS.
AND THE HISTORIAN IN ME, THE SOCIAL SCIENTIST IN ME COMES OUT AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, YOU KNOW, EVOLUTIONARY WISE, WE NEED SOCIAL CONNECTION.
IT'S WE NEED IT LIKE FOOD AND WATER AND SHELTER, UM, SOCIAL CONNECTION'S.
SO IMPORTANT TO US AS HUMAN BEINGS.
I STARTED, THEN I STARTED TO MAKE PARALLELS BETWEEN HASP AND THIS EVOLUTIONARY NEED THAT WE HAVE.
AND WHEN YOU STRIP IT DOWN, THAT'S REALLY WHAT HASP IS.
WE ALL KNOW COMMUNITY AS WE KEEP HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, LAYS AT THE HEART OF HASP.
AND WE CAN ONLY FOCUS ON OUR ACADEMICS IF OUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING ARE NURTURED.
WHAT HASS HAS ALWAYS OFFERED IS A SAFE HAVEN EMBRACING IDEAS AND VALUES, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, REDEMPTION, VALIDATION, ENCOURAGEMENT, BELONGING, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
AND IF YOU LOOK AROUND TODAY, TODAY IS ALWAYS SUCH A TESTAMENT TO THAT EVERYONE HERE IS PART OF HASP.
THERE ARE NO OBSERVERS, NO ONLOOKERS.
YOU'RE ALL PARTICIPANTS, RIGHT? YOU'RE ALL HERE TO SUPPORT THEM AND TO SUPPORT THE PRO PROGRAM.
SO I GO ON THIS EXISTENTIAL DIATRIBE WITH THE STUDENT.
UM, AND AT THE END OF IT, THE STUDENT SAYS, SO HOW MANY TRIPS ARE THERE AGAIN IN THE PROGRAM?
IN ANY EVENT, ONTO THE MAIN EVENT WE'RE ABOUT
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TO WITNESS, CANNOT BE QUANTIFIED AS I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY.AND I ASK ALL OF YOU AS SOCIAL ANIMALS TAKEN WHAT YOUR SENSES ARE SIGNALING TO YOUR BRAIN.
LET IT INFORM YOUR INTELLECT AND LEAN INTO THAT EMOTION AND EMBRACE THE FEELINGS THAT THESE FOUR GENTLEMEN WILL STARE INSIDE ALL OF US.
UH, WITH THAT, THE FIRST STUDENT I'D LIKE TO CALL UP, UM, I WISH WE HAD AN AWARD FOR MOST IMPROVED IN HASP.
UM, HE'S PERHAPS THE MOST LIKABLE AND HONEST STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOL, AND HE HAS A SMILE THAT WILL DISARM ANYONE IN THE ROOM.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE NICK PODY.
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOU ALL WHO COULD BE HERE TODAY.
AND FOR THOSE WHO CAN MAKE IT, I KNOW THEY ARE STILL WISHING US THE BEST OF LUCK.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND LOVE THEY HAVE SHOWN ME OVER THESE 18 YEARS OF MY LIFE.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK MY SIBLINGS FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME, WHETHER IT'S HELPING ME WITH MY HOMEWORK OR GIVING ME ADVICE ABOUT SPORTS.
EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ALWAYS ARGUING ABOUT SOMETHING, I REALIZE NOW THAT THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO GIMME ADVICE ABOUT LIFE AND TRYING TO STEER ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
NOW FOR MY PARENTS, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT LIKE GOING TO THE SAME SCHOOL WHERE THEIR MOM WORKS, BUT FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE.
I WILL MISS BEING ABLE TO STOP BY OUR OFFICE AND SAY HELLO DURING THE DAY, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF THE TIME I WOULD JUST POP IN AND SAY HI.
I WOULD ALSO GO IN THERE IF I NEEDED ANY HELP WITH AN ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS LATE OR I DIDN'T EVEN START
MY MOM ALWAYS SEES THE BEST IN ME, EVEN WHEN I HAVEN'T BEEN PERFECT.
SHE'S SOMEONE I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON.
NOW FOR MY DAD, MY DAD ALWAYS PUSHES ME TO BE ACTIVE AND ALWAYS MAKES AN EFFORT TO COME TO MY GAMES.
HE'S THE MAIN REASON I GOT INTO SPORTS BECAUSE WE WOULD EITHER BE PLAYING CATCH OR WATCHING THE YANKEES OR THE COWBOYS.
DEPENDING ON IF I'M PLAYING BASEBALL OR FOOTBALL, I WILL EITHER TELL HIM TO DEFINITELY COME TO MY GAME OR DEFINITELY NOT
UH, BUT I STILL DO APPRECIATE THAT HE CARES ABOUT MY INTERESTS.
EVEN THOUGH I ENJOYED MY TIME ON THE HASTINGS FOOTBALL TEAM, I CAN ADMIT WE WERE NOT THE BEST.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY DAD FOR ALSO PUSHING ME TO HELP WHILE BUILDING SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE OR MAKING NEW RENOVATIONS EVERY WEEK.
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM BY HELPING HIM OUT WITH THOSE PROJECTS.
I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT ABOUT TAKING CARE OF MY HOUSE ONE DAY.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING IN LIFE WITHOUT YOU TWO.
NOW FOR HASP, ALTHOUGH MOST PEOPLE REMEMBER HOW THEY JOINED HASS, I CAN'T REMEMBER A SINGLE THING FROM THE DAY I JOINED
I FIND IT WEIRD THAT A DECISION THAT HAS HELPED ME SO MUCH WAS JUST FORGOTTEN SO EASILY.
BUT I GUESS AT THE TIME I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH HASS WAS GONNA IMPACT MY LIFE.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD OF HESS, I DIDN'T FEEL INTERESTED BECAUSE I FELT LIKE PEOPLE WOULD'VE MADE FUN OF ME FOR BEING IN SMALLER CLASSES AND THAT PEOPLE WOULD JUST SAY THAT MY CLASSES ARE SO MUCH EASIER THAN THEIRS.
BUT I REALIZED I HAD TO PUT THAT ASIDE AND DO WHAT WAS BEST FOR ME ACADEMICALLY.
BEFORE HASP, I WAS STRUGGLING A LOT IN, IN THE BIGGER CLASSES AND WAS GETTING SUPER STRESSED EVERY DAY BECAUSE I WAS TOO EMBARRASSED TO RAISE MY HAND AND ASK QUESTIONS.
IN MY FIRST YEAR AS A HASP STUDENT, I COULD IMMEDIATELY TELL THAT I WOULD FIT IN MUCH BETTER.
IN THE SMALLER CLASSES, I KNEW I COULD RAISE MY HAND CONFIDENTLY FOR HELP AND GET MORE ATTENTION THAN I WOULD'VE GOTTEN IN A CLASS WITH 20 OTHER STUDENTS.
AFTER MY FIRST YEAR IN HASP, IT JUST STARTED TO FEEL NORMAL TO BE IN SMALL CLASSES AND I THEN REALIZED THAT NO ONE ACTUALLY CARED THAT I JOINED HASP AND THAT IT WAS JUST ALL IN MY HEAD.
EVEN THOUGH OVER THE YEARS KIDS HAVE JOINED HASP AND LEFT HAS, I WAS STILL ABLE TO START WITH CONVERSATIONS WITH MY CLASS CLASSMATES MORE EASILY 'CAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE CLASS.
THIS HAS LED ME TO BE MORE CONVERSATIONAL WITH PEOPLE THAT I JUST MET EVEN OUTSIDE OF HASP AND HAS REALLY HELPED ME BECOME A MUCH MORE CONFIDENT PERSON OVERALL.
UH, NOW I WANT TO USE THE REST OF MY TIME TO THANK ALL OF THE TEACHERS WHO HAD AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.
FIRST, I WANTED TO THANK MS. CIO AND MS. RUDOLPH FOR A VERY FUN AND AMAZING FIRST YEAR HASP EXPERIENCE.
YOU WERE THE FIRST TEACHERS I THAT I HAD IN HASP, AND
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YOU SET THE TONE FOR HOW MY EXPERIENCE WOULD BE FOR YEARS TO COME.NOW FOR MY JUNIOR YEAR, I WANT TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO MR. SCOTCH AND MR. BUCHANAN.
YOU GUYS ARE THE TEACHERS WHO WERE ALWAYS ON TOP OF ME TO FINISH MY WORK AND MADE READING BOOKS AND LEARNING ABOUT HISTORY SOMEWHAT INTERESTING FOR ME,
FINALLY, I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE, TO THANK THE THREE TEACHERS WHO HAVE HELPED ME THROUGH THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER MY SENIOR YEAR.
THANK YOU MR. SCOTCH, MR. SMITH AND MR. CAG.
YOU THREE WERE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME AND WOULD ALWAYS CHECK HOW I WAS DOING DURING CLASS.
YOUR CHECK-INS ALSO HELPED ME HELP KEEP ME IN LINE EVEN WHEN THE SENIOR RIDER IS KICKED IN.
THANK YOU MR. SCOTCH AND MR. CAG FOR MAKING LEARNING ABOUT ENGLISH.
MANAGEABLE AND THANK YOU MR. SMITH FOR PREPARING ME FOR MY FUTURE, ESPECIALLY REGARDING MY RIGHTS LAWS AND HOW TO MANAGE MY FINANCES.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I WANT TO THANK MY HASP CLASSMATES.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAD STUPID DEBATES OR THE MOST RANDOM CONVERSATIONS IN EVERY CLASS, WE STILL PUSHED EACH OTHER TO BECOME BETTER PEOPLE AND GIVE EACH OTHER A GOOD AND GAVE EACH OTHER GOOD ADVICE SO WE COULD ALL BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTERS OF OUR LIVES.
I'M SO THANKFUL FOR GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN HASP AND I'M GONNA MISS EVERYONE, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE AND WISH EVERYONE THE BEST.
GLAD TO HEAR THAT ENGLISH WAS MANAGEABLE,
UM, THE NEXT YOUNG MAN, MAN I'D LIKE TO CALL UP IS, UH, SOMEONE WHO TRANSFERRED TO OUR SCHOOL, UH, JUST RECENTLY ACTUALLY.
UM, AND WHAT I'M GONNA MISS MOST ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR STUDENT IS THE RANDOM COMMENTS IN CLASS
THE BRAIN IS ALWAYS WORKING AS YOU'LL SEE IN JUST A MINUTE.
AND THE HYPOTHETICALS AND THE TANGENTS HAVE TAKEN OUR DISCUSSION TO WONDERFUL PLACES.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE JOE CLARK.
GOSH, THIS, THIS MY TURN CAME SO QUICK.
GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
UH, MOST PEOPLE THAT KNOW ME KNOW THAT I WOULD RATHER BE PLAYING BRAWL STARS RIGHT NOW THAN DOING THE SPEECH, BUT THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY DAILY BRAWLER PROGRESSION.
UH, OKAY, NOW WHY I JOINED HASP.
UH, MS. STERN ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED HASS TO, TO ME FOR A FEW DIFFERENT REASONS.
UH, SINCE I WAS NEW TO THE SCHOOL AS A SENIOR, THE TRANSITION TO THE SCHOOL WAS DIFFICULT, WAS MISSING MY FRIENDS AND OLD TEACHERS, AND THERE WERE FRIENDSHIPS ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN THE SCHOOL FROM THE EARLIER SCHOOL YEARS.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, SHE THOUGHT THAT HASS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW A CORE GROUP OF STUDENTS IN A KIND AND SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT.
SHE THOUGHT HOW MR. SCOTCH AND MR. SMITH WOULD HELP GIVE ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION WITH THE RESPECT OF THINKING AND WRITING.
SHE ALSO THOUGHT OF HOW CREATIVE STUDENTS WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE PROGRAM AND BELIEVED I FIT THE BILL.
I AM SINCERE, ASK QUESTIONS AND SHOW A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND GROW AND AM BE CREATIVE.
WHILE MS. STERN WOULD HAVE LOVED ME TO CONTINUE IN HER ENGLISH CLASS, SHE THINKS THAT RECOMMENDING ME TO HAS WAS THE RIGHT CHOICE.
AND I AGREE WITH HER AND AM REALLY GRATEFUL.
SHE GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, FOR THE TIME I HAVE LEFT IN HIGH SCHOOL.
ALRIGHT, NOW, UH, AT THE START OF HIGH SCHOOL IN NINTH GRADE, UH, I WAS VERY SHY AND QUIET AND TALK TO ALMOST NOBODY.
I WOULD AVOID BEING NEXT TO PEOPLE WHENEVER I DIDN'T HAVE TO AVOID A GROUP WORK AND PARTICIPATE IN ANYTHING LIKE RAISING MY HAND TO ANSWER A QUESTION.
THIS WAS BECAUSE OF ME NOT BEING USED TO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AFTER NOT BEING THERE FOR SOME TIME BECAUSE OF THE 20 20 20 21 COVID PANDEMIC WHERE WE HAD TO DO OUR CLASSES ONLINE.
BUT THEN OUR SOCIAL WORKER IN THE SCHOOL TALKED TO ME IN HER OFFICE AND ASKED IF SHE WANTED TO, IF SHE WANTED ME TO BRING HER, IF SHE WANTED ME TO BRING HER, IF SHE WANTED, WAIT, WAIT, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
IF SHE WANTED, WAIT IF SHE WANTED ME TO.
IF SHE WANTED, WAIT, HOLD ON, WAIT.
IF SHE WANTED TO BRING, IF SHE WANTED TO BRING ME TO THIS GROUP IN THE LUNCHROOM TO BE WITH THEM, SHE WAS SAYING HOW THEY WERE FRIENDLY AND SHE DIE WILL FIT IN THE GROUP.
SHE WAS RIGHT AND I STUCK WITH THEM FOR THE REST OF MY TIME BEING THERE.
WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD LAUGHS TOGETHER AND I DO MISS BEING IN THE SAME SCHOOL AS THEM, BUT WE STILL KEEP IN TOUCH AND EVEN HAVE TIMES WHERE WE HANG OUT IN PERSON.
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LIKE WHEN WE SAW THE MINECRAFT MOVIES TOGETHER IN APRIL.AND DON'T WORRY, OUR DEALER WAS SAFE DURING THE CHICKEN JOCKEY SCENE.
WE DIDN'T THROW FOOD OR ANYTHING, BUT WE WERE PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE DEALER SAYING THE MEME QUOTES WHEN THEY HAPPENED, LIKE FLINT AND STEEL AND THE NEVER.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK SOME PEOPLE NOW, UH, STARTING WITH MY FAMILY.
UH, THEY HELPED ME THROUGH MY TOUGH TIMES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEM TO BE IN MY LIFE.
UH, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY FRIENDS FROM HASTINGS THAT I'VE CONNECTED WITH A TON.
IT HELPED ME FEEL LIKE I BELONG HERE, EVEN WITH ME BEING A NEW STUDENT SENIOR.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE MY FRIENDS FROM MY OLD SCHOOL BRONX LEGACY, JORDY ULLO AND GENESIS FOR STILL SUPPORTING ME AND HELPING ME WITH MY STRUGGLES.
EVEN WHEN WE ARE FAR APART FROM EACH OTHER.
I'M HAPPY WE CAN STILL CHAT, GAME AND HANG OUT JUST LIKE OLD DAYS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY HALF TEACHERS, MR. SCOTCH, MR. SMITH, MR. KGI, THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE PERSONALITIES THAT I REALLY ENJOY.
AND OVERALL THEY'RE GREAT TEACHERS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY ART TEACHERS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY ART TEACHERS, MR. MORGAN, MS. KLOWSKI AND MS. BROWN FOR JUST ME LIKING ART.
THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY WERE GOOD ART TEACHERS.
UM, ALRIGHT, COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WENT TO THE CAMPUS TOUR FOR UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY AND I'M VERY EXCITED FOR MY LIFE IN COLLEGE.
THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS SOMETHING VERY NEW TO ME AND I'M MORE EXCITED AND NERVOUS FOR MY LIFE AS A COLLEGE STUDENT.
MY MOM THINKS THAT I BELONG THERE AND I'D HAVE TO AGREE FROM SEEING HOW THE PLACE IS.
AND THE OTHER SENIORS WE SAW JOIN US IN THE TOUR.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD ADULTHOOD.
IT'S GONNA BE MY FIRST TIME LIVING AWAY FROM HOME WAS NOT JUST BEING A TRIP OR VISIT.
I AM EXCITED TO FEEL LIKE AN ADULT BEING IN MY OWN PLACE, BUT I AM GOING TO MISS MY SISTERS SINCE WE ARE GOING TO BE FAR AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.
BUT THIS IS BECAUSE WHAT, THIS IS A VERY NORMAL FEELING AND WHAT'S BOUND TO HAPPEN WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE.
BUT WE COULD STILL CALL EACH OTHER, TEXT EACH OTHER, AND THERE WILL BE TIMES WHERE I CAN COME BACK HOME FOR HOLIDAYS AND BREAKS.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE I'M AWAY FROM HOME FOREVER.
UM, HAVE A LITTLE LIKE SURPRISE I HAVE.
OKAY? I LIKE TO DRAW, RIGHT? AND I MADE THIS DRAWING YESTERDAY THAT'S BASED OFF OF THE OTHER SENIOR, UM, HASH STUDENTS.
THEY DIDN'T SEE IT YET, SO IT'S GONNA BE A FIRST
SEE, LOOK, THAT'S JAKE, THAT'S NICO, AND THAT'S, NO, NO, NO, NO.
UM, FINALLY, UM, HASP HAS BEEN A HUGE SUPPORT FOR ME TO FIND OUT WHO I REALLY AM AND WHAT I WANNA BE.
AND I HAVE BEEN PRACTICING FOR THE HISTORY REASONS AND WHEN I PASS IT, IT'S ALL I NEED TO LEFT TO GRADUATE, AND THEN I CAN FINALLY GO TO ALBANY NEXT SEPTEMBER.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR COMING TO THE GRADUATION AND LISTENING TO MY SPEECH.
I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO A TANGENT TO SHOW THAT'S OKAY.
UM, SO MOST STUDENTS TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
THIS GUY ACTUALLY DOES IT, WHETHER IT'S EMT, FIRE EXAM, POLICE EXAM, UM,
UM, HE IS CERTAINLY THE CITIZEN EXTRAORDINAIRE.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE JAKE SCHREY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL'S NEVER REALLY BEEN MY THING, HONESTLY, I'D RATHER BE ANYWHERE ELSE BUT STANDING UP HERE RIGHT NOW,
AND THAT'S A BIG PART OR A BIG PART OF THAT IS 'CAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND ME.
THERE WERE DAYS I DIDN'T FEEL MOTIVATED AND MOMENTS WHEN IT FELT LIKE I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS, BUT SOMEHOW I KEPT
[00:25:01]
GOING AND LOOKING BACK NOW I CAN SEE THAT EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T REALIZE IT, I WAS LEARNING HOW TO PUSH THROUGH FINISHING THIS PROGRAM SHOWING ME THAT GROWTH DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE.SOMETIMES IT'S SLOW, BUT IT'S REAL TO BE REAL WITH YOU, THE REAL REASON I JOINED HAS WASN'T PART OF SOME BIG PLAN OR ANYTHING.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A DEAL I MADE WITH MY WORLD HISTORY.
ONE TEACHER IN FRESHMAN YEAR, I WAS FAILING.
AND HE SAID, PRETTY MUCH IF YOU JOIN HAS I'LL PASS YOU.
SO I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO AT THE TIME, IT FELT LIKE A QUICK FIX TO A BAD SITUATION, BUT I CAN SEE IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME.
HASS GAVE ME A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOOK AT SCHOOL AND HONESTLY, IT GAVE ME A SECOND CHANCE.
TODAY I WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK PEOPLE WHO GOT ME THROUGH FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BELIEVING IN ME, EVEN WHEN I DIDN'T EXACTLY MAKE IT EASY.
YOU WERE THROUGH ME EVERY BAD GRADE, EVERY LATE NIGHT AND EVERY TIME I SAT, I'M DONE WITH THIS S**T
YOU NEVER LET ME QUIT ON MYSELF EVEN WHEN I WANTED TO.
I OWE A LOT OF THIS MOMENT TO YOU, TO MY BROTHER, THANK YOU FOR BEING A ROLE MODEL.
YOU SHOWED ME THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU WORK FOR IT.
WATCHING YOU CHASE YOUR GOALS MADE ME WANT TO CHASE MINE TOO.
TO MY TEACHERS, MR. SCOTCH AND MR. SMITH, MR. SCOTCH, I'M NOT GONNA LIE.
FOR A LONG TIME I THOUGHT YOU WERE JUST PAIN IN THE ASS, BUT YOU WERE ALWAYS ON ME ABOUT MY WORK, ALWAYS PUSHING ME HARDER THAN I WANTED.
BUT LOOKING BACK, YOU TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST TEACHERS I EVER HAD.
YOU DIDN'T LET ME SETTLE EVEN WHEN THE TRUTH WAS HARD TO HEAR.
ANYWAY, I RESPECT THAT NOW MORE THAN YOU KNOW.
MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR NEVER HOLDING BACK WHAT YOU THOUGHT.
YOU SAID SOME OF THOSE FUNNIEST THINGS I'VE EVER HEARD IN A CLASSROOM.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE OUT THERE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING IN MY CORNER FOR LISTENING, FOR HELPING ME FIGURE OUT A PLAN WHEN I FELT LIKE I DIDN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, I DON'T KNOW IF I'D BE STANDING HERE TODAY TO THE HASTINGS POLICE OFFICERS AND POWELL, THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, YOUR TIME AND YOUR EXAMPLE, I DIDN'T THINK I'D HAVE A CLUE WHAT DIRECTION I WAS I WAS HEADING IN.
YOU INSPIRED ME AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.
AS FOR WHAT'S NEXT, I'VE ALREADY, I'VE ALREADY TAKEN THE POLICE CIVIL SERVICE TEST THIS FALL.
I'M GOING TO WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO STUDY CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND WORK TOWARD MY EMT CERTIFICATION.
THE GOAL IS TO COME BACK HERE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY AS A HASTINGS POLICE OFFICER AND TO ACTUALLY GIVE BACK TO THE PLACE THAT HELPED ME GET STARTED.
IT'S CRAZY HOW FAST IT ALL WENT BY.
EVEN THE PARTS I THOUGHT WOULD NEVER END.
SO IF ANYONE OUT THERE IS STRUGGLING OR FEELING LIKE THEY'RE BARELY HANGING ON, JUST KNOW IT'S POSSIBLE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THE BEST STUDENT, THE SMARTEST OR THE MOST PERFECT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP SHOWING UP.
THANKS AGAIN FOR THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED ME.
I'M PROUD TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY.
UM, VALIDATION SCOTCH IS A PAIN IN THE ASS.
UM, DON'T LET HIS FLAMBOYANCE AND ENTHUSIASM FOOL YOU INTO THINKING.
HE'S ALL ABOUT BOTH STYLE AND SUBSTANCE, ABOUT IMAGE AND ART, AND HE'S ALWAYS ENGAGED NO MATTER WHAT HE'S DOING.
AND HE'S THE TYPE OF STUDENT, JUST ANY SHORT CONVERSATION WILL JUST BRIGHTEN YOUR DAY.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME NICO DIRIA.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THERE IS A FISH TANK HERE, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING HERE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF FUNNY TO IMAGINE THIS IS A DAY THAT FOR US, FOR ME, HAS FELT SO FAR AWAY YET IN DUE TIME WILL BE NOTHING BUT A DISTANT MEMORY.
I JOINED HASS DURING MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, BUT DURING MY FRESHMAN YEAR ON ACADEMIC PROBATION, I WAS APPROACHED BY THE LIKES OF MR. SCOTCH AND MS. COKER, BUT I WAS FAILING MATH, NOT ENGLISH, AND SURELY NOT HISTORY.
NOW OF COURSE, THAT ENDED UP BITING ME IN THE ASS AND I ENDED UP FAILING MOST OF MY CLASSES.
AND DURING THE START OF MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I SAW THE SAME FAMILIAR SIGHT.
THE PERSISTENT ONE KEPT PUSHING ME TO JOIN HASP IN SACRIFICING.
ONE OF THE LAST TIMES I'D SEE A GOOD FRIEND IN AN ACTUAL CLASS WE HAD TOGETHER.
I JOINED AND THANK GOD, UM, IT WAS A BIT ROCKY FOR ME.
MY FIRST FEW MONTHS OR SO AT HASP, BESIDES ONE FRIEND WHO'S NO LONGER AT THIS SCHOOL, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYONE TO TALK TO.
I FELT LIKE I WAS PEERING IN THE OUTERMOST RING OF A FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE AND I FELT LOST A BIT.
BUT
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I'M NOT AN ANTISOCIAL PERSON, I'M NOT AN INTROVERT.I THINK MY FRIENDS WOULD KILL ME IF I TRIED TO SAY SO.
UM, YEAH, SEE, BUT HAVING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY TALK TO, EVEN THOUGH THESE WEREN'T THE PEOPLE I EVER THOUGHT I'D BE FRIENDS WITH, WASN'T EXACTLY THE WORST IDEA.
UM, AGAIN, I WASN'T AN INTROVERT, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO CLASS, I WAS THE QUIET KID.
I'D FIND THE CORNER SEAT TO TRY AND DISAPPEAR.
I WOULD NEVER RAISE MY HAND OR TALK UNLESS A GRADE WAS ON THE LINE OR I'D BE GETTING YELLED AT BY MY TEACHERS.
BUT FOR SOME REASON IN HASP, WHETHER IT'S THE SMALLER CLASSES, THE CARING TEACHERS, THE FACT THAT I ACTUALLY KNEW THE ANSWERS AND THE REST OF THEM DIDN'T, I ACTUALLY FOUND MYSELF RAISING MY HAND.
I WANTED TO ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE TO THE DISMAY OF MY UNENTHUSIASTIC CLASSMATES.
I BECAME CONFIDENT IN MYSELF AS A LEARNER, AND MY GRADES SOON BEGAN TO REFLECT THAT.
THERE WAS ONCE UPON A TIME WHERE I WENT ALONG THE MINDSET OF AS LONG AS I PASSED, IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH.
BUT AS MY CONFIDENCE GREW AND MY GRADES REFLECTED THAT I GAINED A SENSE OF PRIDE, Y BECAUSE I'M DEHYDRATED.
UM, AND NO LONGER WOULD JUST PASSING SUFFICE.
I REALLY WANTED TO KEEP MY GRADES AND THE LOWEST I'D EVER ALLOW MYSELF WERE BS, BUT MOSTLY A'S UNTIL SENIORITIS.
NOW, THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE IN THE CROWD WHO WOULD LIKE TO THANK OF COURSE, THEY'RE MY FRIENDS WHO, THANK GOD YOU GUYS ARE HERE.
THERE'S A FEW WHO I GUESS THOUGHT THEIR APS WHO WERE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY GRADUATION SPEECH.
UM, WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? THERE'S MY FAMILY, FAMILY, FRIENDS.
UM, SEEING YOU LITERALLY MADE MY DAY.
AND JUST FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS WHO ACTUALLY SHOWED UP, LIKE I DIDN'T, THIS WAS A VERY PACKED ROOM.
UM, NOW THERE ARE A FEW OTHER PEOPLE, UM, WHO I THINK WERE IMPORTANT TO ME AND TO HAS THAT I FEEL DESERVE A MORE FLESHED OUT AND THOROUGH.
SO MR. SCOTCH, YOU ABSOLUTELY HAD YOUR HANDS FULL WITH US.
UM, I WASN'T EXACTLY THE EASIEST TO DEAL WITH WHILE MAYBE NOT THE WORST.
UM, MY BRAVADO AND LOUDMOUTH MAYBE CHARMING, CHARMING TO SOME, I CAN'T SAY THE SAME FOR MR. SCOTCH, BUT NO MATTER WHAT I DID, YOU SAW THROUGH ANY OUTER WALLS I HAD PUSHED IN, STRIVED FOR IN PUSHED ME TO STRIVE FOR HIGHER ACHIEVEMENTS AND GIVE IT MY ALL.
EVEN WRITING THIS DRAFT AND THIS SCRIPT MAKING ANY EDITS, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, WHAT WOULD MR. SCOTCH SAY IF HE SAW THIS? I FOUND MYSELF SAYING, MR. SCOTCH WOULD PROBABLY SAY THIS, EXPAND HERE.
ACTUALLY SPELL YOUR WORDS RIGHT.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE MY COLLEGE ESSAY WAS ACTUALLY LEGIBLE.
THANK YOU FOR WHATEVER YOU WROTE FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR ME, WHICH MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN ME INTO NEW PALTZ.
NEVER HAVE I EVER HAD A TEACHER MAKE FUN OF A CLASS SO MUCH AS MR. SMITH
I CAN TELL YOU HOW MR. SMITH IS SUCH AN INTERESTING AND INCREDIBLE PERSON WITH ENOUGH PASSION IN THE SUBJECT TO KEEP YOU ENGAGED IN THE CHARISMA, TO MAKE A RAMBLE, SOMETHING TO REMEMBER, AND THE ABILITY TO BANTER WITH YOUR STUDENTS.
WHETHER IT'S CALLING ME A COMMUNIST FOR LIKING COCA-COLA, TRYING TO KILL JOE FOR SAYING EVERYTHING FRANKLY, OR MAKING FUN OF JOE'S.
UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ONE HECK OF AN INTERESTING YEAR.
NOW FOR MR. CAG, WHERE ARE YOU? YOU'RE BACK THERE.
IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASY PICKING UP WITH US HALFWAY THROUGH OUR YEAR.
IT TOOK SCOTTY A YEAR AND A HALF AND I STILL DON'T THINK HE GOT USED TO US, BUT YOU TOOK THE CHALLENGE AND YOU TOOK IT IN STRIDE FROM BUILDING A LIKE DESK THING.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT WE BUILT IT TALKING ABOUT POLITICS FOR SOME REASON, I GUESS IT WAS IMPORTANT, OR PRACTICING OUR SIGNATURES, WHICH I HAVE BEEN USING FOR ALL MY WORKSHEETS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVEN SLIGHTLY HELPING US TO PREPARE FOR OUR FUTURE, FOR MAKING SCHEDULES AND TRYING TO STAY ORGANIZED, EVEN TAUGHT US THIS NEW STRETCH.
EVERYTHING WE LEARNED THUS FAR IS SOMETHING I'VE ALREADY INSERTED INTO MY ORDINARY LIFE NOW OF THESE THREE YAHOOS I'VE KNOWN JAKE SCHRECK THE LONGEST NOW FROM YELLING AT YOU IN FORTNITE TO FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO YELLING AT YOU IN CLASS THROUGHOUT THESE PAST FEW YEARS.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN A DULL MOMENT WITH YOU IN IT.
WELL, MAYBE, UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO TODAY AND FRANKLY, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP AND ACTUALLY LINGERING LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS SPEECH.
I WAS VERY SURPRISED JOSEPH CLARK, THE NEWEST KID TO HASP IN OUR GRADE AND
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AND IN OUR SCHOOL.HE HAD A LOT TO CATCH UP ON, BUT OH MY GOD, AM I SO GLAD HE JOINED? HE'S THE FUNNIEST PERSON I'VE EVER MET FROM TALKING ABOUT BRAWL STARS OR FORTNITE PUSHING MR. SMITH'S BUTTONS SAYING THE MOST UNHINGED THINGS DURING CLASS.
YOU HAVE BEEN THE BEST THING TO EVER HAPPEN TO HASP AND I WILL DIE ON THAT HILL.
YOU HAVE ONE HECK OF AN ARTISTIC MIND AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THE FRIENDSHIP WE HAVE FOUND OVER THIS YEAR.
NOW FOR NICHOLAS POIE, THIS KID RIGHT HERE IS PROBABLY THE REASON I DIDN'T TEAR MY EARS OUT FROM JAKE'S, LET'S SAY, INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS.
AND BY THAT I MEAN YOU WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY SANE ONE OF THE FOUR OF US.
IT TOOK TILL HAS TO GET TO KNOW YOU.
YOU'RE SUCH AN INTERESTING AND INCREDIBLE PERSON AND YOU ACTUALLY SEEM TO BE CAPABLE OF COMPASSION.
JAKE, UM,
I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK IN YOUR ENDEAVORS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO AND I CAN'T WAIT TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
OF COURSE, MY MOTHER AND MY SISTER, WHO I GUESS THOUGHT HER JOB WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY GRADUATION SPEECH, SO SHE'S NOT GETTING A THANK YOU.
BUT JUST KNOW I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE THE BEST AND YOU SUCK TO MY MOTHER, JORY DOSS.
THANK YOU TO MY DEAR MOTHER FOR RAISING ME THE WAY YOU DID, FOR WANTING NOTHING MORE THAN MY HAPPINESS FOR SACRIFICING SO MUCH OF YOUR SOUL INTO MY WELLBEING FOR CARING THROUGH MY EVERY CRISIS.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE SAME HUMOR AS ME BECAUSE SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE YOU WOULD'VE DEALT THAT WITH ME.
THANK YOU FOR EVERY SINGLE HOUR WE SPENT PLAYING VIDEO GAMES ALL THROUGHOUT THE DAYS AND NIGHTS THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
THANK YOU FOR IMPARTING YOUR WISDOM AND MOLDING THE WAY I SEE MYSELF IN THE WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FASHION DESIGNER AND MY BEST FRIEND.
THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT WITH MY B******T AND FOR EVERY SECOND YOU SPENT WITH ME CRYING INTO YOUR LAP, IF NOT FOR YOU AND YOUR STRENGTH, YOUR WISDOM, YOUR COURAGE AND YOUR HUMOR, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'D BE.
NOW I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT A MESSAGE TO SAY SOMETHING TO END THIS OFF IN WHAT WISDOM I'D LIKE TO IMPART TO MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY, AND THE FUTURE SENIORS IN HASP WHO WILL BE FORCED TO LISTEN TO THIS SPEECH WHEN THEY'RE, IT'S TIME FOR THEM.
AND I CAME UP WITH NOTHING, AT LEAST NOTHING THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE UP TO PAR FOR YOU.
SO I'M GONNA SAY THIS INSTEAD, I SEE IN FRONT OF ME THE WONDERFUL PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.
THE PAST WHO HAS IMPARTED SUCH CARE, LOVE, AND WISDOM WHO ALLOWED US TO WONDER, WANT, IMAGINE, AND FLOURISH.
YOU ARE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHANGED MY LIFE IN WAYS I COULD NEVER, YOU CAN NEVER FATHOM AND I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
I JUST KNOW YOU WILL DO GREAT THINGS WITH YOUR LIFE AND YOU'LL BE BETTER THAN WE NEVER WERE, FRANKLY, TO ALL MY FRIENDS, I LOVE YOU ALL.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WE DO AND REMEMBER IT'S NEVER GOODBYE.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE LAST WE'LL BE SEEING OF NICO
UM, SO I, I JUST HIJACKED THE CEREMONY.
SCOTCH DIDN'T KNOW THIS, UM, BUT THE SENIORS, UH, BEFORE THEY GAVE YOU THE LAST WORD, WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING AND GIVE YOU SOMETHING.
UM, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO JAKE, UM, I JUST WANNA GIVE ONE ANECDOTE ABOUT, ABOUT PETER.
UM, AS, AS WE SAY GOODBYE AND THANK YOU, UM, A FEW MONTHS AGO, A GROUP OF OLDER, FORMER HALF STUDENTS WHO ARE NOW IN THEIR TWENTIES INVITED, DO YOU REALLY? YES.
ALL I'M GONNA SAY THEN I'LL SHORTEN IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SAY.
UM, A STUDENT SAID SOMETHING TO PETER ABOUT HOW HE AFFECTED HER LIFE AND, AND DRIVING HOME, I SAID TO PETER, I'M LIKE, WHAT WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT? AND HE'S LIKE, I, I DON'T, I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT SAYS IT ALL RIGHT.
HE'S AUTHENTIC, LOVING ALL THE TIME, CARING ALL THE TIME, AND JUST BEING WHO HE IS HAS MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE AND WE'LL CERTAINLY MISS HIM AND WE LOVE HIM.
SO WITH WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO JAKE.
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TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS YOU HAVE ALWAYS KEPT A CLOSE EYE ON US AND NEVER FAILED TO SCARE US WITH A TELEPORTATION OF SPAWNING SKILLS LIKE WE'D LITERALLY BE WORKING AND I LOOK AROUND AND YOU'RE STANDING RIGHT THEREAS A SMALL TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION, WE COMMISSIONED AN ORIGINAL PIECE OF ARTWORK FROM OUR VERY OWN JOSEPH STANLEY CLARK.
HE TOOK ALL OF OUR IDEAS, EMOTIONS, AND AFFECTION FOR YOU AND CREATED A VERY COLORFUL PIECE THAT YOU CAN ENJOY IN YOUR RETIREMENT.
IT WILL FOREVER REMIND YOU OF YOUR LAST AND BEST TASK CLASS
UM, AS UH, AS I THINK ABOUT OUR GRADUATES AND ABOUT HASP ITSELF, I CANNOT BUT THINK OF THE SHIP OF THESIS.
THE SHIP OF THESIS IS A PARADOX THAT ASKS US TO CONSIDER IN CONSIDER CHANGE IN THINGS WE HOLD DEAR.
IN ESSENCE, THE PREMISE IS THAT IN HONOR OF THE ATHENIAN KING THESIS, AFTER HE SLEW THE MINATURE AND RESCUED THE CHILDREN OF ATHENS, THE SHIP HE ESCAPED ON IS SAILED EVERY YEAR.
BUT AS TIME PASSES, IT BEGINS TO FALL APART.
AS DIFFERENT PIECES ROT, THEY ARE REPLACED WITH NEWER, STRONGER ONES.
IT MAKES SENSE TO PRESERVE THIS SPECIAL VESSEL BY KEEPING IT UP IN THIS WAY.
BUT THE PARADOX IS THIS, HOW MANY PIECES OF THE SHIP CAN BE REPLACED BEFORE IT CAN NO LONGER BE REFERRED TO AS THESIS'S SHIP? ARE THERE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PLANKS THAT MUST REMAIN? IS THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIFIC PIECES LIKE THE KEEL THAT HOLD MORE VALUE THAN SOME ORNAMENTATION ALONG THE GUNNEL? IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHEN WE CHANGE THINGS, WHAT MUST REMAIN OF THE ORIGINAL FOR IT TO BE RECOGNIZABLE, TO BE IN ESSENCE THE OBJECT WE KNEW AT THE OUTSET? IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION, ONE THAT APPLIES TO RIGHT NOW IN OUR COUNTRY.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE MUST ASK HOW MUCH CHANGE CAN OCCUR BEFORE THIS IS NO LONGER THE PLACE WE ONCE THOUGHT IT TO BE.
IRRESPECTIVE OF YOUR POLITICAL LEANINGS, WE MUST ASK WHAT THE TIPPING POINT IS FOR WHERE WE ARE TO WHAT MIGHT BE THE SAME.
COULD BE ASKED OF HASP ITSELF WITH A THREAT OF BUDGET CUTS.
HASP IS CONTINUALLY SCRUTINIZED SINCE WE'RE SUCH A RESOURCE HEAVY PROGRAM.
BUT MY QUESTION TO THE ADMINISTRATORS IN THE ROOM IS, HOW MUCH CAN YOU CHANGE HASP BEFORE IT IS NO LONGER THE SAME? SURE, IT'S COMPELLING TO LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT PHILOSOPHICALLY, BUT SOMETIMES WE MUST BE ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN AN IDEA AND A PRACTICE.
MR. SMITH AND I WERE REMINDED OF THAT A MONTH AGO.
FINALLY MET WITH THREE GRADUATES FROM 2020.
IT WAS SO INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE TO SEE THEM ALL THRIVING, DOING THINGS THAT CHALLENGED THEMSELVES IN THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES.
BUT AS THEIR FORMER TEACHERS, WHAT WAS MOST HEARTWARMING WAS THAT EACH ASKED US HOW IT WAS THAT WE KNEW JUST WHAT THEY NEEDED, EVEN WHEN THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT THEMSELVES.
NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANTED TO BELIEVE THAT MR. SMITH AND I HAVE SOME SUPERHUMAN POWERS, THE TRUTH IS THAT THOSE INSIGHTS WERE NOT BECAUSE OF THE ABILITIES OF ONE OR TWO INDIVIDUALS, BUT FROM THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH OF THE HASP PROGRAM THAT BY ITS VERY NATURE IS HASP.
NOW, I DON'T MEAN TO SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD FREEZE EVERYTHING AS IT IS.
CHANGE ALLOWS US TO BE HUMAN, TO LOOK INWARD AND RECOGNIZE WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T AND TO REFINE OURSELVES.
BUT CHANGE IS ONLY SUCCESSFUL WHEN IT COMES FROM WITHIN.
FOR HASP THAT MEANS DON'T EAT AWAY AT ITS EDGES TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS HERE OR THERE FOR EACH ADJUSTMENT.
MAY IRREVOCABLY CHANGE THE ESSENCE OF THE VESSEL.
HAVING A PROGRAM AND NAME ONLY DOESN'T SERVE ANYONE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, CHANGE MUST COME FROM THOSE WHO WORK IN THE PROGRAM, NOT FORCED UPON THEM BY ADMINISTRATION.
WE CANNOT GO ON HEROIC ADVENTURES WITH THE STUDENTS AND CHALLENGE THEM IF WE DON'T HAVE A SHIP TO CARRY US THERE.
THAT'S EVIDENT IN OUR FOUR GRADUATES TODAY.
THEY HAVE VOYAGE FAR THESE PAST FOUR FEW YEARS.
I'M GONNA GET EMOTIONAL, SORRY.
UM, AND FOR THEM, CHANGE HAS DEFINITELY COME FROM WITHIN.
THAT INCLUDES JOSEPH, WHO HAS ONLY BEEN WITH US FOR ONE YEAR, BUT IN THAT TIME HE HAS CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY.
JOSEPH SAID TO ME A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT HE HAD NEVER LOOKED INWARD, NEVER LISTENED TO HIS EMOTIONS, AND THEN HE DID.
IT WAS BRAVE FOR HIM TO DO THAT.
AND HE IS BECOME, OH, EXCUSE ME, A MORE COMPLETE PERSON.
HE WONDERS MORE, HE QUESTIONS MORE, HE LISTENS MORE.
BUT THE CORE JOSEPH, THAT SPECIAL YOUNG MAN, THE ARTIST WITH A WONDERFUL SMILE AND EAGERNESS TO BE SILLY AND PLAYFUL, THAT PERSON WHO ENTERED OUR LIVES IN SEPTEMBER REMAINS VERY PRESENT.
HE'S NOT ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM CHANGE.
HE'S BECOME A TREMENDOUS LEADER.
SO GOOD AT HELPING OTHERS SUCCEED THAT YOU'D THINK HE'D ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY.
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WAS MUCH SHYER, READY TO HIDE BEHIND HIS SHARP WIT AND SARCASM.AND THOUGH THOSE TWO QUALITIES REMAIN, NICO HAS BECOME AN OLD SOUL READY TO REFLECT, TO BALANCE THAT HUMOR AND TRUTH WITH A TOUCH OF HUMILITY.
AND HE HAS BECOME SOMEONE TRULY REMARKABLE AS A RESULT.
ONE OF THE NICEST, MOST GENTLE SOULS AROUND.
HIS HUMOR IS AS WELCOMING AS HIS SMILE IS WARM.
HIS GROWTH HAS BEEN IN ACADEMICS, CHALLENGING HIMSELF THESE PAST FEW MONTHS TO SEE HIMSELF AS A STUDENT, ONE WHO RECOGNIZES JUST HOW SMART AND CAPABLE HE IS.
IT WILL NO DOUBT TAKE HIS BEING OUT OF HERE TO SEE THAT FULLY.
BUT THAT'S A CHANGE THAT'S SO CLEARLY JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
AND JAKE HAS GROWN SO MUCH TOO FROM NEVER COMING TO SCHOOL ON TIME TO, WELL AT LEAST NOW HE RECOGNIZES THE IMPACT OF HIS NOT COMING TO SCHOOL ON TIME.
BUT SERIOUSLY, LIKE NICK, HIS ACADEMIC GROWTH HAS REALLY BEEN INSPIRATIONAL.
BUT SO TOO HAS HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROGRAM.
HE'S COMFORTABLE LEADING OUR COMMUNITY AND MEETINGS AND GOOD AT BRINGING CONSENSUS TO THE GROUP.
THAT'S MATURITY HE NEVER EXHIBITED BEFORE.
BUT HIS CORE, HIS PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS, FOR LITERALLY WANTING TO SAVE LIVES IN THE FIRE AND AMBULANCE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT LOVE FOR GIVING BACK, THAT'S JAKE.
THE FOUR OF THEM, PERHAPS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWING IT HAVE EACH INDIVIDUALLY BEGUN TO ADDRESS THE SHIP OF THESES PARADOX.
THEY KNOW WHAT IS AT THEIR CORES AND SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO CHANGE THE PLANKS OF THEIR SHIPS.
HAVING LEARNED TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHAT IS NECESSARY AND WHAT IS SUPERFLUOUS.
AND IT IS THAT, AND THAT IS, UH, THAT IT IS THE COMBINATION OF THEIR ESSENTIAL SELVES AND THEIR NEW ADDITIONS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO WITHSTAND ANY STORM THEY ENCOUNTER ON THE SEA OF LIFE AFTER LEAVING HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING IN THE FUTURE ABOUT ALL THE WAYS THEY'VE CHANGED.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS MY LAST, LAST GRADUATION AND ALL THE REASONS THEY'VE KEPT WHAT HAS MADE THEM SO SPECIAL.
UM, BEFORE WE WRAP UP THOUGH, I JUST WANNA THANK A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, UH, MS. WARE AND MR. K CLAYMAN FOR SUPPORTIVE HASP IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.
JOE MARTA, OF COURSE, FOR, UM, AND EVERYONE IN BILLINGS OF GROUNDS FOR HELPING US, UH, SET UP TODAY, MR. THEOD, UM, FOR HELPING, UH, WITH OUR AV EQUIPMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THIS TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BOB MCCANN IS OUR BARBECUE CHEF TODAY AND HE IS OUTSIDE WAITING FOR ALL OF YOU, UM, DR. MCCARTY AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND DEFINITELY THE PTSA FOR ITS CONTINUED GENEROSITY.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND THE GRADUATES THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.