Parting Words

Each year at Commencement, the parting class searches for meaning at a time of transition and transformation. With each event, speakers seek to rouse the perfect summation of their past, present, and future. For the Class of 2023, these were their parting words from their time on The Hilltop.

TYLER LEWIS HEAD OF SCHOOL

“Together here we’ve worked to build empathy, kindness, and belonging for ourselves and for those around us. We’ve steeped in values we believe in and it’s now on you to take those into the outside world and test their veracity—how much they have truly penetrated the core of who you are and who you will become.”

“As we embark on our new journeys, be ready for what’s unexpected. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. You’ll face many obstacles, challenges, and moments of doubt and fear. But you must keep going no matter what. The feeling of accomplishment makes it all worth it.”

“I’ve come to understand that beauty is not something inherent only to things like music, art, and mathematics. When I am absorbed with peeking into the realm of the abstract and trying to make sense of it, I lose track of the beauty that is more accessible: a tennis shot, a scene of sunset, a well-prepared history class, a gentle word of encouragement, a happy smile of someone enjoying their achievements and success. Beauty is everywhere.”

“My experiences here taught me a tiny bit about math, more about English and history, and even more about the need for commitment. At times, the ’60s seemed like the heart of darkness of America; in that great Conrad novel, Marlow says, ‘What you need is a deliberate belief.’ I think that what I had learned at KUA—about studying, about work, about ideas, about friendship, about myself—kept me focused and moving through it all and brought me to my deliberate belief. I think that the same should be true for you.”

EVAN

“The world needs all sorts of people and skill sets and simply mimicking the actions of others for the sake of popularity won’t get you anywhere. Have the courage to be great, to do what hasn’t been done, and to pursue what you love. Everyone sitting before you today has so much to give, and I’d hate to see that potential wasted because we succumb to the doubt of outside noise. Dare to be special, and you will succeed.”

“I also remember the first house fire I encountered as a Fire Brigade member. I was startled to witness the devastation of the power of nature, and I was even more astonished by the courage and mutual aid from every town around us. I soon came to the realization that this is the best time for us to collaborate—despite race, gender, or even our nationalities—in this time of the world, where changes occur so rapidly, innovations and technology constantly redefine our boundaries of knowledge, and human and natural disasters not once destroyed the peace and harmony of the human race.”

“We don’t know the struggles of others and sometimes just surviving and making it through is an accomplishment within itself. Our achievements are things we pushed ourselves to do, things that made us go further than we thought we could, not the things that made us go further or less far when compared to others.”

TOM LORD P’09 BACCALAUREATE SPEAKER

“I mean this in everything I could possibly tell you, how much this year has meant to me. If you watch the Last Dance with Michael Jordan, it’s no accident that his number is 23 and he is the GOAT. And you, Class of 2023, are the GOAT.”