[0:00]Finally, please welcome to the podium. Not only West Boca Raton's High School Class of 2020's Valedictorian, but also a U.S. President scholar, Mr. Alexander Stone. Alex is one only in three, one of only three in the entire school district of Palm Beach County to be awarded this distinction. Alex is the son of Susan and Darren Stone, and he will be attending Harvard University with a major in Mechanical Engineering. Alex has a 5.59 HPA and a perfect 4.0 GPA. Alex, we are very proud of your accomplishments.
[1:00]Thank you. It's been a pleasure to listen to the incredible speeches that have been shared here today. I feel tremendous pride and honor to be a part of such a special occasion. This could never have been possible without the help of so many special people. To the select group of teachers, mentors, administrators, and friends, especially to those who have gone above and beyond, I genuinely cannot thank you enough. To my girlfriend, Josie, wherever you are, you've been there for me through so much, and I feel so lucky to have you in my life. To my siblings, Michael, Matthew, and Nicole, it is a privilege to be your brother, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The Stone Clan runs deep, and even though we definitely don't call ourselves that, it sounded good to include in my graduation speech. And finally, to my incredible parents, Susan and Darren, there are no words to describe how thankful I am for both of you. You've shown me both in actions and in words what it means to live authentically through unwavering care, compassion, and love. For that, for all of you, and for everyone else I haven't mentioned who has played a role in getting me to where I am today, I say a big and honest thank you. For as long as I can remember, there's been a framed family photo in my house with a quote at the bottom that reads, "Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of moments that take your breath away." Parents, faculty, alumni, graduates, and distinguished guests, I ask you all to look around. We've all come together to celebrate as us graduates, the class of 2022, transition into the next stage of our lives. For me, and I think most of you, this is one of those moments that takes my breath away. When I look into the audience, what I see is a room full of uniquely talented, uniquely different individuals eager to make their mark on the world. No doubt many of us, like myself, are nervous for the chapter ahead, to meet new people, create new memories, and pursue our passions in a new way. At the same time, many of us, also like myself, are excited for the chapter ahead, to meet new people, create new memories, and pursue our passions in a new way. It's funny how we can feel such different emotions about the same thing. That's the beautiful part of being human, though. We can experience life's greatest and most opposite emotions simultaneously. We learn happiness through sadness, compassion through suffering, and even love through loss. In October 2021, my father and greatest role model passed away. Learning to live without him has been and continues to be the greatest challenge of my life. I remember that one time when I was having a particularly hard time, my mom said something to me that really changed my perspective on everything that happened. She told me that I'm always going to feel that pain, but that it's important for me not to think about how terrible it is that he's gone, but instead about how lucky I am to have had him for as long as I did. I may have only had my father in my life for 17 years, but he gave me a lifetime of memories that will never cease to take my breath away. While his unexpected passing showed me the darkness and heartache of grief, it similarly showed me the beautiful light emitted from those we deeply and authentically love. I share this story not to make this speech a personal anecdote, but rather to remind everyone in the audience that life is a big game of perspective. While there's no board game out there called Perspective, there is one called Life, and it's up to us to decide which one we are going to live. The very things that help some people succeed lead others to fail. And while I cannot stand up here today and tell you how you are going to succeed, I can stand up here and tell you that you've got as good a shot as the person seated next to you. Each day brings a new opportunity for greatness, and you should not let the past day stop you from doing the very things you want to do in the present. In his famous Man in the Arena speech, Teddy Roosevelt discusses how credit belongs not to the critic who "points out how the strong man stumbles," but instead to the man who is actually in the arena, to the "doer of deeds." At some point in our lives, we'll all be this man in the arena, facing challenges and critique. To everyone in this room, go after the thing that scares you, the thing you really want, and do not let anyone tell you there's something you cannot do. As we soon depart from this auditorium and go our separate ways, I urge each of you to think about the ways we all can live our deepest most dynamic lives, chasing the very things we want. I urge you all to live every day to the fullest and allow yourself to feel all that life has to offer. Legendary NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano said, "You should laugh, you should think, and you should have your emotions moved to tears every day. Do that seven days a week, and you're going to have something special." We will forever be connected as the West Boca Class of 2022, and if we can remember that life is not measured by money, or fame, or fortune, but rather by the connections we form with those around us, we'll all be in for happy and successful lives, filled, of course, with plenty of those special moments that take our breath away. Thank you, and go Bulls.
