1. This is it.
At most schools, you’d hear a speech starting with something like, “four years ago we first
walked the halls as frightened freshmen…” but that isn’t us. Somewhere in the neighborhood of
five years, nine months and eleven days ago, I stumbled into DaVinci as a nervous 12 year old.
Some of you arrived at DaVinci just this year. We are an eclectic group with different
backgrounds, different struggles, and different dreams. However, we’re all here in the same
theater, waiting to turn our tassels. Though our opinions may have dissented, though time has
changed us all, we are united by the fact that we made it here. Tonight, we are graduates of
DaVinci Academy.
This year, our senior theme is from the Buddha, which is rather ironic because seniors are the
least zen people I know. The message, however, is one we all need to carry with us in our lives.
“Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
Senior year truly has been a shared struggle. We’ve shared heartbreak, drama, college woes, and
other trauma. Happiness is something you forget to share when you’re 17 or 18 and utterly
disenchanted with the hell that is High School. We forget and forgo happiness for the sake of our
grades, commitments, and other, more pressing, matters. Instead of sharing our light by sharing
our flame, we’ve taken to burning our candles at both ends to light our way.
As we carry on with our respective lives, I’d like us all to remember that nothing is taken away
from us when we share our kindness, our happiness, and our love. In a time of political,
environmental, and social turmoil, being gentle and compassionate is what the world needs.

2. The media has been pressing a lot on “political correctness” and how it’s apparently a problem to
support your fellow human beings. I don’t think we should call treating someone with respect,
giving them their privacy, and allowing them to live happy lives “politically correct”—we should
call it basic human empathy. At DaVinci, I have had the privilege to be part of a community that
is open to those of all walks of life. It’s akin to culture shock when I visit other schools and
communities, only to find that they aren’t half as diverse or accepting as DaVinci has been. We
have our problems, after all, high school is a breeding ground for drama, but I and so many
others have been lucky to be in a place that allows us to be ourselves…mostly.
Carrying and sharing this light of acceptance, tolerance, and love shouldn’t be a problem for the
seniors I’ve grown up with. To (almost) quote the ever exuberant Paul Mobley, “It’s cool. We’re
all completely different, but we can still hang out and have a good time.” What’s truly important
is that we embrace our differences and remember to never be stingy with our happiness.
Happiness is better when it’s shared. It’s positivity that’s going to change the world, not
pessimism, apathy, or hate. As the next working generation, I challenge every single one of you
to be benevolent in whatever you choose to do. Show gratitude, express appreciation, be
magnanimous in times of conflict, approach life as a visionary, and treat every moment as an
opportunity to share your light.
This year has been an especially difficult one, yet I feel that I’ve emerged from adversity as a
stronger person. In order to survive, you must not give up your light. Others will try to blow it
out, smother it, consume you with their own darkness, but their gloom and hatred cannot stop
you as long as you share happiness and refuse to give in to negativity.
No speech would be complete without thanks.

3. I’d like to thank my Mom and Dad for being there for me through all of school. Mom, thank you
for never letting me give up, for dealing with my breakdowns, and for investing so much time
into my success. I’d like to thank Mekenzie Williams for being by my side for the past years.
You were always there for me when I needed you—always reliable—and always my most
generous friend. Thank you for being there when the rest of the world wasn’t. I’d like to thank
Britt Lloyd--for standing up for me. Thank you for believing me and being brave enough to stand
up for what you believe in. You are gorgeous, no matter what anyone else says. Those who doubt
you are only jealous of your beautiful soul and your overflowing heart. Thank you Ella, for being
my best friend, always, and being my safe place for all these years. Thank you Calista, for
always loving me and making sure I was okay, even when you were the one who needed support.
Thank you Cove and Porter, for showing me that it does actually get brighter after the dark.
Thank you to Cordell, for always being by my side, and thank you to my friends who came
tonight to support me (Grace, Kaden, Callum, Rosie, Alice etc) I couldn’t have done it without
your love and support.
Congratulations, Class of 2016, may we all share our light.