Editorial: A message to graduating seniors as you head into the home stretch
With the final two months on the horizon for graduating seniors of both New Kent and Charles City High School, I thought I’d drop a word of advice to the next generation on their next journey. No, this isn’t about the future, it’s about the now and the impact you are going to have in the home stretch of your school careers.
Take time and look back at the teachers, bus drivers, administrators, and other school personnel who shaped you into the person you are today. No matter if you liked them or weren’t on their more favorable time, these people helped you discover the person that you are and want to become. Maybe you had a teacher who introduced you to a book, or maybe one who allowed you to stay after school to work with others. Subtle actions in the past helped make you who you are today.
Family and friends that you associate with are proud of you. The work that you put in makes you an individual. Even if you have a twin or a triplet, you are an individual. Your path in life is dictated by the choices and actions that you made and will make. The people you associate is something that will never change.
But let’s get to something that I find extremely important; when people tell you that somebody is always looking, it’s true. As you pick up a future edition of the Chronicle, understand that people enjoy honor rolls, community activities, sports, and so much more. There can be a younger person (even if it’s only a year) that notices your accomplishments and aspires to be you. You’re making that impact on them. That’s right, you are!
When I graduated Charles City High School, I chose to go to a university that none of my classmates went to. I did this in order to establish my identity and step into a new world. Little did I know that many years later that I would foster a contingent of students who chose to go to that university because of my insistence.
Graduating seniors, establish your identity now before you even walk across that stage to receive your diploma. You are representing so many things, even if you don’t believe so or even don’t like it. There is something that can’t be taken away from you and that’s the hard work that you put in to be successful. Now take that success, multiply it and share it with the word. You’re too blessed to be put in a situation that hinders your growth. Instead, let others see your example and realize that your impact on your family, friends, and community starts in these last two months.