Good morning, family and friends, faculty and staff, members of the administration and Board of Trustees, and the Class of 2024. For our class, today marks the end of our high school path together, but I am glad to tell you that this is not the end of our road. Although I hardly feel qualified to advise you on the future, I am grateful to have the opportunity to share with you how bright the futures are that I see ahead for our class as we take the lessons that we learned as student drivers at Stone Ridge onto the highway of life.

When I reflect on my time at Stone Ridge, I have to remember where it all started: at the dinner table when I was seven years old and my parents told me that I would be switching schools to attend Stone Ridge for second grade. I did not want to go, and I cried—a lot. Luckily, I quickly got over my sadness as my new classmates welcomed me with open arms. Now, more than a decade later, I cry at the thought of leaving Stone Ridge, a place that has become my second home.

Throughout my time here, just like teenagers learning to drive, I have seen each of you grow from nervous, brake-reliant beginners into capable individuals coasting down the road as we emerged from our freshman-year cohorts, formed true connections with our class, and now cheer loudly for each other as we graduate.

For helping us achieve this progress, we have so many metaphorical driving instructors to thank. First, to our families and friends, I am so grateful that, by allowing us to be part of this wonderful community, you have given us, in the words of Alicia Gebara ’24, the greatest gift of all. Thank you all for your constant love and support, from getting me a poster board the night before my projects were due to my parents helping me with this speech the day before graduation, as it’s your endless efforts that have kept me afloat throughout my high school years. Second, to the faculty and staff, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, so that we may gain not only knowledge but also good character and integrity. I am appreciative of Mr. Ish’s fake quizzes for keeping me alert on the road, conversations in Mrs. Diaz’s physics class for making my journey enjoyable, and the Goals of the Sacred Heart, instilled in us by Mr. McCluskey and Mrs. Karrels, that guide us in everything we do. I know that, even if we forget exactly how Dr. Wear taught us to write an introduction or the topic of our junior-year morality project, the qualities of perseverance, creativity, and responsibility that our teachers have cultivated in us will shape our success for the rest of our lives, in the same way that I still hear my dad’s voice in my head telling me to brake every time I get too close to another car.

"If you feel lost, look for the love of the Sacred Heart cultivated in each and every one of you and be found. If you doubt yourself, remember our confidence in you and embrace your ability to do hard things."

Lastly, I would like to thank the Class of 2024. It’s your friendships, new and old, that have made me feel like I truly belong here. You have loved me through asymmetrical haircuts, awkward Google Meet breakout rooms, and embarrassing photos of falling asleep on school buses. It has always been seeing you that made me most excited to come to school. From morning chats in the “slounge” to shouts of “Closberg!” when I pass someone in the hallway, you have filled my days with joy, and I love you all for sharing your beautiful personalities with me.

I honestly don’t know what challenges lie ahead for each of us as our paths split and we go our separate ways, and as someone who meticulously plans everything on a collection of sticky notes on my desk, that terrifies me in the same way that my first solo drive on the highway did. I am scared of not knowing how I will possibly thrive when I am not surrounded by all of you every day because you are the people who have most significantly impacted my high school experience, and I am so proud to call you my classmates and friends. What I keep telling myself, and what I want to tell each of you, is that, despite having reached the end of our time together as students, we will always have each other.

As drivers, we all encounter roadblocks. I’ve learned how to navigate life’s obstacles as I’ve learned from each of you, and I will always hold these lessons close to my heart. From Natasha and her significant list of accomplishments, I learned the values of diligence and hard work. From Katherine and her enthusiastic commitment to the community, I learned the values of confidence and dedication. From Alessia and her honest humor, I learned the values of authenticity and laughter. As we go off to college as independent drivers licensed with our high school diplomas, we will no longer have our driving instructors along for the ride to decide our every move, yet we can still be guided by each other’s best qualities. Therefore my advice to you, is to consider how you might channel Ellie’s outgoing spirit to build a new community, or Hallie’s bravery to try something new, or Ashwin’s sincerity to ask questions and pursue your passions.

If you feel lost, look for the love of the Sacred Heart cultivated in each and every one of you and be found. If you doubt yourself, remember our confidence in you and embrace your ability to do hard things. If you feel isolated in a new place, reach out to the people sitting next to you right now, and if you remember nothing else that I say, remember that no matter the time or distance between us, our class loves you.   

Despite my nervousness to navigate the highway ahead alone and my sadness at leaving this stage of my life behind, I am determined to forge ahead. In the words of singer Natasha Bedingfield, “Live your life with arms wide open / Today is where your book begins / The rest is still unwritten.” Having driven down this winding road with each of you for one year, four years, or even ten, I know that your achievements today are only a fraction of what lies in front of you, so move forward assuredly with the knowledge that you will always have our community behind you. I can’t wait to see just how far we all go on the highway of life. ❤