Since 1851
Good morning Notre Dame faculty and staff, family, friends, and, most importantly, my fellow Ninjas. I stand before you today, bursting with every emotion I can think of: I am joyful to stand here in this beautiful theatre. I am sad to say goodbye to the school that has been my second home for four years. I am excited to move this tassel to the left side of my cap. I am grateful for the teachers who created a supportive foundation to help us reach this day. I am nervous to speak in front of such a large group of people, yet I feel comforted to know that my closest friends and family members, those who have never stopped supporting me, are all in this room at this moment. But most importantly, I am proud. When I take a look at the 148 beautiful ladies behind me, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride that each and every one of these young women has made it to this day. The effort these women have devoted to reaching this moment is well worth today’s celebration. Throughout the past four years, each of my classmates has gone on an incredible journey. They have grown from timid, insecure freshmen to confident, independent women ready to take on the world. This journey we’ve taken is the journey of becoming ourselves. At Notre Dame, we have begun to discover ourselves as we have recognized our strengths and weaknesses, acknowledged the importance of diversity, learned to make decisions with God’s guidance, and become a part of this supportive Notre Dame community.
In the past four years, the Ninjas have learned that we have a wide variety of strengths. Some of us are strong academically; some of us have found a talent for serving our community; some of us are athletes; some of us have become leaders; some of us are loud and spirited; some of us are advice-givers; some of us are actors; some of us have not yet found our greatest strength. No matter which one of these we relate to, we have all come closer to understanding what attributes are our strengths and what things we simply are not very good at. Yes, that’s right, there are things we are not very good at. Whether our weakness is that we’ll always be confused by the symbolism in Jane Eyre, or whether we know we could never be a class cheerleader, or whether we can never remember what exactly “OH NO CLO, CO SO PO” actually means, the truth is, we all have weaknesses. But our weaknesses are not bad, nor do they make us bad people. In fact, knowing what we are not good at is just as valuable as knowing what we excel at, as this is all valuable information. Understanding and recognizing both our strong and weak points helps us to further define our strengths and our purpose in life. Furthermore, by acknowledging our variety of strengths, we are able to use them to support each other and build a stronger and more diverse Notre Dame community.
By going to a school that promotes the value of diversity, we have become accepting of all types of people, and have thus learned what makes each of us unique individuals. Diversity at Notre Dame is not just in regards to ethnicity, it relates to our cultures, religions, political positions, extracurricular interests, curricular interests, and more. Everyone here has brought to Notre Dame an abundance of individuality that allows us to express our uniqueness even more. In fact, when I think about it, the only things that every single one of us have in common are we are girls, we go to Notre Dame, and we really, really like to eat food. By immersing ourselves in this culture where our differences are valued and respected, we have been welcomed to open ourselves up and explore our interests without fear of criticism or disrespect. In this way, we have discovered more of our talents and have become involved in activities that reflect those interests.
The acceptance of diversity that we have developed here is not something that exists only in the “Notre Dame bubble”; it is a characteristic that we will carry with us wherever we go. By valuing diversity, we will become more curious about the world around us, more accepting of different cultures, and more willing to try new things and learn more about our world. In addition, our acceptance of diversity has influenced our decision making.
Over the past four years, we have needed to make many decisions. These can be small decisions such as: Should I pay 75 cents for that one, small yet delicious chocolate chip cookie? Should I study for that Government test or stay on Facebook for a few more minutes? We’ve also made large and important decisions, such as: What college should I go to? What goals should I set for myself? How can I use my talents to serve the community and make the world a better place? Whether this was a process we learned in our Morality and Decision Making class or something we simply learned through practice, we have become capable of making important decisions. A prominent factor in this decision making process is God’s guidance in our lives. Through each of these decisions, big and small , God has been there to lead us in the right direction and help us to discover His purpose for us. With His continued help and the skills we have learned at Notre Dame, I am confident that we can all “make good choices.”
Finally, the primary factor that has helped us in our personal growth and self-discovery at Notre Dame has been the school community. We may not know it, as most of us have only attended this high school, but this accepting and supportive community does not exist at all high schools. Notre Dame has a support system and friendly atmosphere that has enabled us to step out of our comfort zones and take advantage of new opportunities. This school community has all owed our friendships to grow so that our class could become truly united this past year. Not only did we come together to win Spirit Week, we learned to support each other, our closest friends, through one of the hardest parts of our lives so far: the college application process. When the college acceptance and rejection letters came, we supported each other. Whether the results were good or bad, we celebrated and comforted each other as only friends can do. This Notre Dame community has welcomed us since our first days as freshmen and has been the solid foundation we’ve needed to grow and transform into the women of confidence and independence we are today.
Looking at the success these ladies have had on their journey to becoming themselves, I am extremely proud of all of them. Thanks to the never-ending help of teachers, administrators, and parents, these Ninjas have become accomplished young women. Whether it was due to the Notre Dame community, the decisions they made, Notre Dame’s diversity, the recognition of their strengths, or a combination of all of these, these young women have been successful in understanding themselves on a deeper level. Whether we’re going away to Canada or staying at home, whether our college is in Massachusetts or California, I know we all have exciting futures ahead of us. However, even though we feel grown up and confident at this moment, we still have quite a journey ahead of us; we still have a lot to learn about ourselves. This day is a beginning: a beginning of growth; a beginning of life; a beginning of discovering ourselves more fully; a beginning of following our dreams. And even though, Ninjas, I’m going to miss you always, I know that all of you, each and every one of you, has a memory in my mind and a place in my heart. I love you, Ninjas, and I’ll never forget all that you have done for me. Thank you.