Dear Class of 2023 Graduates,

Now that you have walked, it is time to open your stride and run; continue to chase the fears and the dreams as you have done so up until now. Walking across the stage and collecting your hard-earned diploma is an ending, but not the end. As the cheers quiet down and the balloons reach for the sky lowers with the helium’s attempts to escape, remember to keep the roar of the accomplishment burning in your heart and move forward to the next thing in your lives.

Now that you’ve walked, the weight on your back only gets heavier, but in turn, you only get stronger. It is a rite of passage that was met by so many of you, and that strength is a tool that will come in handy later.

Now that you’ve walked, you will or have already returned the cap and gown you wore so proudly. The greatest part about handing in those garments is that even when you take them off, the accolades and the success of graduation remains a part of your character. Even when all the textbooks are given back to your teachers, your locker is cleaned out, and your favorite seat at the lunch table has been taken by an underclassman, your personal legacy at your high school lives on with your next steps.

Now that you’ve walked, your community that watched you move from one side of the stage to the other after hearing your name called out for the world to hear is in need of your hard work and the fruits of your academic studies. Your parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends who have helped you along the way to finishing your schooling are calling on you to give back. Don’t forget about the ones who cheered the loudest now that you’ve come the farthest you ever have.

Now that you’ve walked, the world is your oyster! What lies next in your life journey depends on your ability to move forward. Future decisions will spin from this moment in your life, so don’t lose focus now that you’ve walked.

Graduates, your community is so proud of you. 

Keep on walkin’.