special tradition in our school graduation is a wonderful ceremony filled with appropriateness filled with goodwill i think i would be remiss if i were to say something about this session today and i think that it would be good for all of us to observe  physically see joy this in mind the significance of graduation is in the nothing more nor less than a feeling this feeling of accomplishment  closure the culmination of republican cations the feeling is for the most part in describing there are times in life when everything is going to perspective and this should be one of those times a couple of years ago right in the middle of my high school career i was having a talk with him when he made a very serious face and to get a ruler similar to this one after drawing a twelve inch line on a piece of paper and saying this is an average life span he cut it off short of three inches and said this is how far you've come i didn't quite understand what he was getting at and there was a long pause eventually i asked him what he meant and he turned to me and said i'm about nine inches old to take my word for what you do in the next interest so will determine how and with whom you spend the rest of your life so make good use of these years and live them to the fullest as we collectively move forward into the cent hurt in order to learn you must rest living better truths in order to deliver a graduation speech you must risk sounding like some of these risks may pale and the rest should just be laughed at if you laugh at failure long enough to become successful joe members of the class two thousand and four i hope this very significant event gives us a chance to stop and consider how and with whom we spending the next into our lives us our emotions today run a wide spectrum some of us are overjoyed some overconfident and some overwhelming but we all share at least one common sentiment great and anticipation whether for good or for bad expectation has played a large role in our collective experience we entered all my school expecting new freedoms challenges and overall after example in creating camaraderie and outside of school i certainly never expected a principal to be so friendly compassionate and respectful of his students moment looking out into a world that is only as great as our imaginations allow it to be it is time to stop holding our breath and to start living the dream class of two thousand four congratulations and good luck so each voice has an immense range there are countless things we can do with our voices we can sing in a choir we can speak another language we can give directions to a stranger we can threaten a classmate hurt you a lot deeper than any reason i can flick we don't often realize how are we carry with us in our voices and their voices that change history abraham lincoln martin luther king j the privilege of speaking and somewhere during your years in the school system if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all right yet seize the power of your voice use it to affect change make the students use the arts a tactic they demonstrated in support of gay and lesbian students with silence if you have an opinion don't sit back and watch our world become something you are not long to raise your even language is different from those million to you but don't be intimidated when you have to say is just as important as what's being said by others power of your voice but don't allow the world to silence you prepare your voices for what lies ahead repeat after me to we do have fun here at school you probably know that i was coming into school last week and you know this time of year principals worry about right they took we do worry about super tennis i think there wasn't any milk to put in the cup and so i reached into the bin to get some milk and i opened it up you know you're kind of still asleep that i don't want it and i poured it into the coffee and then i looked down for the english community award this award goes to a very special person this year she is somebody who's new to our school relatively speaking and there's a long list of things written about her start to on here of course it's always a storm but sometimes the storm is actually more interesting so i have a reader which i first encountered in an english class my junior year in tree which stands by itself oh hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from home hold on to mine and even when i have gone awa class of two thousand and four parents and grandparents friends and relatives faculty members of the school committee and other special guests i am pleased to present a school committee awards to two graduating seniors for outstanding achievement an exceptional distinction and scholarship i present a school committee award to the senior good's valedictorian of the class of two thousand and four when are of the national merit scholars represent a school committee award to a senior who is so good at torreon it would last in two thousand and four winner of a national merit scholarship winner of the william walker award for writing recipient of an award for outstanding performance in the national german exam recipient of the parents of music students choral award and the performing arts company award the university book award and the society of women engineers award student leader in the class connectors program who twelve social studies program since nineteen nineteen through his dedication to excellence and his untiring efforts he has expanded the scope of the social studies department to include economics global studies service programs and services learning which have brought support to the recent dns and hands of the empathy of the donors and serve as herbes legacy to our entire school system rose  feinberg principal of the burbank school since one thousand nine hundred four was the elementary school leader for many in this graduation class an avid teacher and warner she introduced many new programs at the burbank including the geography detect program in the world geography bee the student council and the community service program she has established high expectations for students and staff focused on professional development opportunities for faculty and created a safe and nurturing environment for students her energy enthusiasm and love of children mark her outstanding leadership at the burbank foster right belmont high school after twenty four years of service to the students and families of belmont he initiated a senior thesis extended curricular opportunities for all students particularly in the arts and has been a trusted friend an advocate for students he has established an atmosphere at belmont high school where all are welcome where differing points of view are respected and where students feel safe and respected a veteran of the united states navy has provided strong leadership in one of the most important and demanding positions within our society and that of a high school principal i join with all the graduates and parents in thanking him for his exceptional service to our community been energetic teachers and enthusiastic learners many new programs and opportunities for the students entrusted to their care i invite all of us to reflect on the service the graduation from belmont high school on behalf of the school committee i'm honored to congratulate officially the graduates of the my high school's class of two thousand and four we celebrate your hurt and your oppressive accomplishments and we join you are looking forward to many wonderful experiences that await you in the years to come as of today you take your place in a long and proud tradition the tradition of excellence that all my high school education has always for presented a community that reveres education and the potential that education of walks every student with the support of the entire community we tried to provide you with the best learning environment and best 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