As graduation season arrives, communities throughout America pause to honor the achievements of young adults earning their high school diplomas.
This milestone represents both conclusion and commencement. For graduates themselves, the past four years—a span that began in adolescence—now draw to a close as they transition into adulthood, leaving behind the friends, teachers, and mentors who supported them through high school.
Parents experience their own complex emotions, beaming with pride as they watch their child’s name announced and see them cross the stage to accept their diploma. The words from Fiddler on the Roof likely echo in many hearts:
Where is the little girl I carried?
Where is the little boy at play?
I don’t remember getting older,
When did they?
Even those without a graduate in the family find themselves smiling at the sight of colorful balloons and festive decorations adorning graduation celebrations throughout our neighborhoods. These scenes prompt reflection on our own high school graduations and the optimism and joy we felt in our younger years.
Tomorrow’s leaders walk across today’s stages as graduates. We depend on them to build a better future and overcome the challenges confronting us now. Our hope is that we have equipped them with the knowledge and skills necessary to create positive change for their generation and those that follow.
We extend our warmest congratulations to all graduates and their families.
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