cOngratuL atiOns tO the cL ass Of 2023

BY PRINCIPAL DR. MANOJ MAHINDRAKAR

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, Class of 2023, families, faculty, and staff. I’m honored to stand before you today as your principal and celebrate together this momentous occasion.

First and foremost, congratulations. Let that sink in. Congratulations. You have worked incredibly hard and overcome countless obstacles to reach this point. Whether you excelled academically, athletically, or artistically, you’ve all made us proud.

To those where the last four years maybe were a struggle, I’m proud of you, too. Every chapter in life may not be a fairy tale or go as planned, but what matters is that you made it. I hope the next chapter will be the opportunity for you to blossom and shine.

Also, congratulations to everyone here in attendance. I know an achievement like this is not earned alone. It’s been a family and community achievement.

Graduates, again, I’m so proud of all of you. You’ve made being the principal of San Juan Hills High School an absolute dream job. It’s been an honor to watch you all grow, learn, and ultimately succeed.

As you move on to the next chapter of your lives, I want to remind you that success is not just about what you achieve but also about the impact you have on those around you. I hope you’re not defined just by your grades and your wins and your awards. I know I’ll remember you for your character, your compassion, and the contributions you’ve made to those around you.

I do have some advice, and it’s simple. Be kind, be curious, be courageous, and be genuine. We’re living in a world with social media—and now, teachers, AI—and that’s going to promote something that may not be genuine. Who knows if it’s real? It can be tempting to present a false image to the world, but I think true success will come from being authentic and genuine to who you are, and a lot of hard work.

The world is going to try to tell you who to be. We see it all the time. You turn on your phone, and there’s some version that you feel like you’re supposed to be, but only you can decide that—and those you trust and your family.

Embed yourself and anchor yourself in the values that you know guide you. We think technology might make some things easier, but I don’t think there will ever be a replacement or shortcut for true support or friendship and care that we must show each other. Those are the things that ultimately got you here.

Of course, I wouldn’t be a proper principal if I didn’t leave you with some homework, so here it is: In your mind, write down three things that you want to accomplish in the next three years, next five years. They can be big or small, personal or professional, but they should be meaningful to you.

Here’s the thing: share it with someone you trust—a friend, a family member, a mentor, someone who’s just supported you along the way, to hold you accountable. There’s the key piece. You can’t do it alone. That’s one thing I’ve seen being a principal and working in education.

None of us can achieve goals on our own. We need each other, and we need support. We need encouragement, and we need to inspire each other. That’s what this is all about. It’s community.

As you go off into the world, remember that you’re not alone. You’re a part of something much bigger than yourself. You’re a part of a legacy of excellence, compassion, and resilience. We’re all here cheering you on, every step of the way.

Students, what you do next is up to you. I want you to see that success is a community experience, so look around. Really, look around. This is a lot of people, and they’re all here because they believe in you. They’ve been a part of this somewhere along the way.

We want you to succeed, because when you succeed, that means this whole community has succeeded.

Class of 2023, I know in my heart you’ll continue to make us proud, and I sincerely hope you make yourself proud as well. Take that next step knowing you are deserving, you’re capable, and ready to do extraordinary things.

Again, Class of 2023, congratulations and—as always—RFTB.