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HACKLEY REVIEW COMMENCEMENT SUPPLEMENT 2021
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Senior Dinner Address Diane Remenar Upper School Spanish teacher Diane Remenar was chosen by the Senior Class as this year's Rice Award winner. She delivered the Senior Dinner Address on June 7, in which she explored the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and finding the lessons in each moment. Ms. Remenar retires on July 1.
It is an honor and a privilege to be standing here, forming part of this very special event. This evening, there are many well deserved thanks to extend, so I will begin by thanking the Rice brothers who have endowed this award. Thank you to the members of the parent committee who organized this celebratory event. Thank you to the people responsible for creating and raising the members of this class. Thank you to my colleagues and friends, the teachers, coaches and mentors for working collectively to get this class to the finish line. Also, many thanks to the Dean of the class of 2021, Madame Crepeau, who has led this group, and my fellow advisors, through the challenging times and the BEST of times. And, my sincerest thanks to the entire class of 2021, including my flight crew and the Gru crew, for kindly or punitively inviting me to step out of my comfort zone and address you this evening. Class of 2021 — you have formed a cohesive group of learners who really are a pleasure to spend time with. I have learned so much from you over the years that I sometimes pause and ask — who is the teacher in the room? But at least for tonight, I am. Just so you know, I have always wanted to be a teacher. One Christmas when I was 8, I thought I had died and gone to heaven when my parents indulged me with a huge blackboard, an eraser, and chalk. Remember, this was way before technology made our lives easier, OR NOT, but I loved giving lessons to whoever would listen to me. As a junior in high school, I was even the recipient of a scholarship created for a student who wanted to become a teacher. So, I’ve been fortunate to have spent my professional life doing what I enjoy. Now, having you as a captive audience, a teacher’s delight, I can’t
resist giving you some advice based on my own experiences. I have wracked my brain trying to figure out how to avoid clichés in talking to people who, to use a cliché, are just starting out in their adult lives, but as you see, I can’t! For those of you who have been in my class, you know that I like to do things with bullet points and time things out. So, for my 12 minute speech tonight, I have three bullet points, each with a personal story, that I hope will…here’s another cliché…serve as advice for life. So here they are: 1. Pay it forward 2. Be a traveler not just a tourist 3. Find your passion
