by Matthew Holton
In the High School Class of 2022 – Welcome to the future, your future, the limits of which we can’t begin to understand at this point.
Thriller? Yes. scary? Certainly – as has been the case with every generation before you.
What sets you apart is your experience and the resilience you have shown during these historic times. You were sophistication when the pandemic hit, disrupting our everyday lives in ways we could not have imagined. These past two years haven’t been easy—for you, your family, your friends—but as you prepare to graduate, understand and appreciate what you’ve endured.
History has proved to us that stamina—the ability to overcome adversity and see things in a new, more powerful light—leads to new opportunities and a better world. The great Robert F. Kennedy once said, “Some people see things as they are and say why. I dream of things that never were and say why not.”
Why not, really. As dire as some of our challenges may seem, the solution is within your grasp as you take this next giant leap toward adulthood.
As teachers, we are honored to help map that journey with you. No matter what your next step is — college, learning a trade, entering the military or straight into the workforce — the lessons you’ve learned as students are a strong foundation on which to build.
Soon, you will be the leader of our communities, the driver of innovation, and a guide to the young minds of the future who eagerly await your own opportunities to prove what they can do. You will be part of a generation of change agents who help transform the lives of others, end diseases once considered incurable, combat racism and bring a new sense of hope and peace to our planet .
Some of them may seem unimaginable today, but give it time, keep working hard and never forget to ask for help.
In the meantime, I stand with your teachers, your principals, your school administrators and your parents to celebrate all the work you have done. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be a part of your life.
Matthew Holton is the superintendent of the Chaffee Joint Union High School District.
