luck specially that there are some others whom i wish to introduce and recognize who have also had the honor of playing a significant role in the lives of our graduates today at this time i would like to take a moment to recognize the faculty and staff members of the peter stacia school district who have come to share this grand affair with all of us today with all the members of the peter statut school district faculty and staff with us today please rise and be recognized thank you also with us our administrator some elementary secondary and central office what all school district administrators who are with us today please rise and be recognized we have four young junior class officers who will be our readers today frank howard erin flanagan stephanie bowen and matt for they please rise and be recognized have donated a lot of time to honor us today to make this a very special moment and i would like to personally thank them for all of their effort finally and most importantly i'd like to recognize a group of individuals the board of directors of peter stacia school district who through tireless volunteer hours have made all of this happen a great education for all of our young people i like if you would hold your mr john colver mrs terri hart mr thomas mcmurray mr james kelly mrs karen scharf and mrs elaine webb who is in will be blessed to hear three wonderful speakers today and i will introduce them at this time the president of the senior class will speak first matthew sure when sarah hsu the student council president the salutatorian the  sure when at this time matthew sure one thank you so much dr hay just the senior class would like to extend our warmest wishes and thanks to everyone in attendance for this consummate day in our lives in this audience are seated a multitude of mr holland's who have played an opus to our hearts over the last number of years teacher said ministre toure's school board members parents grandparents siblings friends you mentors are the ones who have not only made our graduation possible but who have formed us into the very individuals we are today graduates if there is one thing you do before moving on to the next step in your lives please take a moment to thank these men and women for their devotion to our upbringing on this beautiful summer evening we have been graced by the presence of a group of individuals whose brilliance shines even that of this glorious day the shining group of gentlemen and ladies said to my lie and farm fields and beaten paths our memories will fall back to rapidly expanding housing plans and route nineteen the world in which they live though was undergoing changes as sweeping as those we see today on the international scene where they noted such events as the division of germany the testing of atomic bombs and the truman doctrine of containment as true indicators of the escalation of the cold war between superpowers we marked the recent meetings  presidents bush and putin and the relative calm between the vast majority of democratic nations as a promising sign for the future of peace where they witnessed president truman stripping general douglas macarthur of his command in the pacific we have watched congress impeach our president or they watched in amazement as ed sullivan host of the first color television program we are only beginning to comprehend the ramifications of an information age spawned by technology expanding at a mind boggling pace and as a final comparison students and parents alike were floored by the average price tag associated with four years of a college education a whopping one thousand eight hundred dollars it is profoundly different to the world we have grown up in is from the world of the late forty's early fifty's the similarities in the lives of the students then and now should provide sound insight for our class they juggled sports and test relationships just as we have they spent their final days of high school wondering what the world would have in store for them and they made it as my friends and i are walking out of the front doors or school last tuesday our last official day one of them turned around and frantically shouted we can't go out there the real world is out there well class of two thousand and one these ten fifty year graduates service the perfect indicator that not only do we have the ability to go out into the real world but we have the strength to make it be everything we wanted to be fifty years ago they stood in our shoes not entirely sure what the world had in store for them today they stand before you a proud honorable group whose accomplishments and deeds speak volumes i would like to introduce these individuals whose generation paved the way for what we are so fortunate to have in our hands today please mr russell hank mr ben randolph mr john sloan digger and mr charles tell them thank you so much for being attendance to celebrate our you you need to find your focus a good friend said that to me i see proof that my english paper although i tried to develop a thesis my thoughts and ideas were scattered throughout the paper confusing not only myself but the message i was trying to present as i contemplated how to find this mysterious focus i came to the conclusion that for the past four years we've been changing and evaluating their selves trying to find this focus and sharpen our image of ourselves for the past few months we've been bombarded with questions like where are you going next year what are your plans and what will you be doing they experience as of the past four years of high school have been there to guide us to find that focus focus is defined as a sharply produced image a focal point other words define what is important to collect our thoughts and dreams and focus on the future class of two thousand and one if i can only offer you one piece of advice would be from greg anderson which he stated only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives and that is where we focus our attention we've come a long way in our time at peter's township when we first entered as wide eyed curious freshman what's for lunch was possibly the only choice we had at the middle school but in the high school we had so many choices it was often hard to decide what was important and where to concentrate our time and energy eventually we all found our niches and work to the best of our ability and our roles within clubs sports academics and jobs over the next number of years we will be presented with more opportunities to be involved in than ever in our lives taking a single moment to truly manage your time will enable us not only takes perience more things but participate to the best of our ability in the classroom we strive to find focus especially this year with so many seniors struggling with distraction and that pesky disease called sr i guess the lack of concentration was definitely a difficult obstacle for many to overcome but teachers and ministre toure's and family often pulled our heads out of the clouds and back into the classroom teachers have been there to guide and teach not only about their classes but about life family has always been there to be supportive and tell us what they think is be and friends are there to help us to find whatever that may be what we're looking for but often to distract us from that focus to each and everyone contributes to the next step of our lives and helps us find just what that next step will be we definitely would not be where we are today without the help of others to keep a sharp image of ourselves our goals and our dreams the cliche is true it does take a village to raise a child it has taken many to raise the class of two thousand and one into mature young adults finding our focus is not an event but a process our upbringing in peter's township has brought us to the path of the life line task of finding our focus focusing as a difficult but key point to master and only the most persistent truly master this concept as we leave here today we will not have the encouraging hand that consistently and gently guide us we will begin the journey of self motivation and independen no one will be there to tell us how to budget our time when to go to class or what to study this thought makes one very thankful for our bringing us to know that we are ready for that independence learn to focus it will get you through the rest of your life for the more effectively we can focus our own efforts the more likely we all reach our dreams thank you very much einstein once said imagination is more important than knowledge knowledge is limited imagination in circles the world knowledge is simply the collection of what people have already thought or experienced while imagination or creativity expands the boundaries of what is no creativity is what drives civilization forward even s no one person's creativity is a not we must all take in the thoughts and ideas of others to best make use of everyone's experiences and imagination we must all keep an open mind one might ask what exactly is the value of open mindedness open mindedness enriches the journey that is life even though every graduating senior here has had a multitude of experiences ranging from dull to exciting our personal experience is still only a tiny sliver of the vast store of experience across the world if a person is narrow minded his seeming confidence in those own beliefs stands on shaky ground however when a person accepts and contemplates the values and views of others he examined his own views from multiple perspectives and he becomes truly confident in his own values and beliefs open mindedness also improves our ways of thinking from redundant to creative creative thought makes life more interesting and it moves society forward whereas redundant thought is boring and well redundant creativity may be default called to come by in a narrow minded person if only because this limitation of outside influences stifles his development of a mental disposition towards new ideas a person with an open mind constantly exposes himself to new things each of which may catalyze a new creative thought process open mindedness and creativity are two sides of the same coin without creativity there would be no new thoughts there would be no reason to be open minded because we would all think the same way without open mindedness there would be no outside thoughts to stimulate new ideas creativity would be seriously limited and any creative thoughts the did occur would be lost as nobody would accept anything new or different i have been fortunate because i've been raised in an indian household in peter's township it has been relatively easy for me to keep an open mind because i've gone up into bridge distinct cultures what i learned at home sometimes conflicted with what i learned in the community and i had a look at both sides inside my own beliefs many of us ha to have had similar opportunities to some degree these past eighteen years but almost all of us will have a staggering opportunity the next four years the purpose of college is to further one's formal education but it can be so much more will for the first time have almost complete independence we will move to a new place and experience a new environment we will encounter so many new people accompanied by an almost infinite variety of diverse experiences and cultural backgrounds college need not be merely a time to learn about whatever you may decide to major in or even a time to party every night but rather a time to openly and thoughtfully learn about others and in so doing better understand yourself today i ask you the graduating class of two thousand and one sees this opportunity thank you very much it was an average day the sun rose the world turned the sun set but for you it was different you had just learned how to tie the bright red laces on your shiny new sneakers today was your day to show them off to the world but you were scared you looked up into the eyes of your mother telling her you didn't want to go but with a tear in the corner of her i she said you would and that you would love it you turned around spiffy new backpack on your shoulders shiny sesame street lunchbox at your side and climbed aboard the huge yellow bus you peered over the edge of the green seat knowing anyone looked out the window as the bus pulled away so fast your mom a smile and a tear and waved it was an average day the sun rose the world turned the sunset but for you it was different it was the day you tried your hardest to keep your hand steady as you created a portrait of yourself or your mother for it was the day you shared your first smile with your new best friend it was the first day the high school towered over you and the students there appear incredibly older and wiser than you it was the day you made the connection that your college applications do not have the names of the same schools as those of your is an average day the sun rose the world turns the sun will set but for you pierce township class of two thousand and one it is different as wonderful as our last eighteen years together have been today is our day our beginning our commencement peters township as a beautiful with the foundation necessary to take the first steps down and we hope to be a long fruitful journey we have come far and countless individuals have touched our lives in more ways than they know slowly molding us into the mature young adults seated in this stadium today but now now is when the steering wheel is handed over to us the decisions made about the ideas we follow the lives we lead the people we are ours the growth of our minds and our persona never end but starting today we are the ones who determine the extent and direction of that growth there is no doubt in my mind that seated among this group of two hundred seventy five are the most talented most driven most respectable students in this great nation we have proven ourselves in the classroom on the field on the stage in the community and at most any other venue conceivable today is most surely a day to lot our accomplishments but even more importantly is a day to celebrate our dreams our generation living in our time has been granted the most fortunate opportunity and blessing to dream never before in the history of man have so many options so many ways to be what we want to be or do what we want to do been available celebrated african american poet langston hughes pleads hold fast to dreams for when dreams go life is a barren field frozen in snow when we return for our fifty year graduation as these ladies and gentlemen have what we want to announce to the world that we have done find your passion you only have one chance to do it live your dream today is the day to make the conscious decision of taking concrete steps to achieve your goals along this difficult road to achievement though we must not forget an even more important pillar influence every day as you open your eyes myriad individuals look to you for guidance support and strength the power of the individual has no  limitations in these regards we must mark well the words of albert einstein when he advised try not to be a man of success but rather try to become a man of value no man is more admired than he who lets the substance of his soul the depth of his demeanor speak for itself it is for this reason as well that along our path to our dreams waters has no idea of thirst we have undoubtedly been blessed with the sweetest of waters growing up in this nation this community let us remember that our world is home to billions who could only dream of what we have been so fortunate to experience in the past and will experience most especially over the next four years let us make the commitment to bettering the world for all in the mean time to me this favor take one long look at those four numbers painted on the bleachers behind me now take an even deeper look into the eyes of two hundred and seventy five of your closest friends in the entire world friends and family these young men and women on a first class of a millennium to be written by us we are the class who are right our future we are the class of two thousand and one the circle of life the wheel of time is slowly making its turns and now it is time to move on dream big but be wary of saying i know i will be happy when i can just dot dot dot to day is the day you make the decision to live your life because you receive that diploma it's your choice as you slide that tassel from right to left it's your life but the very second you throw your cap into the collage of red and white every last moment of time you have you can use to influence to help to make a difference in someone's life let's change the world thank you at this time in a ceremony it's my duty is the principle of peter's touch of high school to certify that each member of the graduating class of two thousand and one have successfully completed and fulfilled the requirements for graduation set forth by the commonwealth of pennsylvania and the board of school directors of peter's touchup school district it's now my highest honor to present to the students guests families and friends the president of the  dr kirk dr david perry central office administration all building administrators and staff fifty year graduate honored guests families and friends our two thousand and one student class and class of two thousand and one to laugh often and much to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends to appreciate beauty to find the best in others to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child a garden patch or a redeemed social condition to know even one life has briefed easier because you have live this is to have succeeded simple words with profound meaning by ralph waldo emerson price of two thousand and one your graduation day is a credit to your effort the love and support of your parents and extended family and the skill and dedication of your teachers each of you is a success story you have learned much and yet there is much more to learn there are some things that only life can teach you what does success mean what if you fail how can you reach for one and avoid the other i would like to share a few things that you may want to consider first setbacks are pretty much a certainty they will probably happen several times during your life if your goal is to avoid failing let me tell you a few sure ways to invite it to rock on others as you climb the ladder but remember you're likely to see them on the way back down never admit to your mistakes but remember people who don't admit their mistakes are both immature and in secure be self centered and inconsiderate of others but remember this is not your world it sure to share believe that good ethics on a stay and being a team player applies only to others remember that you will eventually find yourself alone on an island or worse in the company of people just like you on the brighter side success is what you have been working towards for the past twelve or thirteen years here are some ways to invite success as you build your life follow the rules a form you can plant today and harvest tomorrow the soil or must be tilled and made ready the seeds must be so fertilized watered and nurtured only then will the crop you harvest be plentiful am high class two thousand and one dream big dreams but remember always to help those closest to you your brother who could use a hand moving into his new home your grandparents who could use some company and an elderly neighbor who might need a ride to the grocery store always do what is right take a look in the mirror when your about to compromise your values your conscience will be looking back at you don't take life too personally if your boss criticizes your report don't take it personally instead find out what is needed to make it more acceptable and if your girlfriend last a true tie find another time for maybe another girlfriend if you take on the world with this attitude when bad things do happen you will be less likely to waste your time and energy with thoughts of why me and last i could live a good martin brown justin york cameron james david carmichael samantha elizabeth bear sarah bethany cor melody and jeremy david clark patrick james cooper ross andrew to follow jason de dime josephs wayne easton junior nicholas james i sold david fitzgerald stacey dawn katie in part sean michael john patrick hans jeffrey high school junior joshua michael handing michael john harold thomas francis hagen johnny jay hoffman great joy marie hole and john sarah anne kruger amanda ray kruger morgan ray cooper  david matth head then john hospital stacy when little ginger patricia mccall and both me mary christopher george live thomas robert robert j man john michael m bradley allan jacqueline crystal pike caitlin marie regardi tara elaine renauld the brian patrick knew matthew jane ramsey robert ryan by michael safer megan kristine shannon elizabeth and snyder carry elizabeth where catherine m winter michael i surely james bradley know some of our graduating seniors this song topped the music charts several months ago you know the lyrics can't compare to the wisdom or the grace of emerson but nonetheless this song has a simple inspirational message bilirakis read i hope you never lose your sense of wonder i hope you always keep that hunger may you never take one single breath for granted and when you get the choice to sit it out or s i hope you dance the education you have received at peter's township school district has given you a solid foundation step onto the dance floor now with great confidence the lyrics beckon us to choose to experience all of life to choose to dance now you may be thinking i don't know the dance from your look a little silly doing that yes life will certainly have you out of step from time to time but that's ok keep choosing to dance life is true full of tremendous peaks they will be thrilling and wonderful for you graduation this evening perhaps graduation from college finding a life partner and on and on this is when the dance is most exhilarating so savor every moment of joy that offers to you during the valleys of your life and there will be valleys the dance maybe monotonous and seemingly an ending no matter keep dancing to stop dancing to stop experiencing life is to die not physically but emotionally spiritually and intellectually the preparation is essential to success your days on this earth are not a dress rehearsal aids day is an opening night all of this  regardless of how small the ocean may make you feel regardless of clothes indoors regardless of the mountains you may fear in the distance always choose to dance the song tells us the life is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along who wants to look back on their years and wonder where those years have gone ask yourself when you leave this world what do you want to leave behind what will be your legacy and consider this as you begin transition into adult life living a full life means you will take some chances for only was some risks can you be open and ready to accept the gifts that life has to offer you so keep your passion make your dreams happen and every child you get the choice to sit it out or dance