Open letter to the high school class of 2022

To the high school class of 2022 — Welcome to the future, your future, the limits of which we cannot begin to comprehend at this point.

Exciting? Yes. Scary? Definitely — as it has been with every generation before you.

What sets you apart are your experiences, and the resiliency you have shown during these historic times. You were sophomores when the pandemic struck, disrupting our everyday lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined. These past two-plus years have not been easy — for you, your families, your friends — but as you prepare to graduate, understand and appreciate all that you have endured.

History has proved to us that endurance — the ability to overcome adversity and to see things in a new, more powerful light — leads to new opportunities and a better world. The great Robert F. Kennedy once said, “Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.”

Why not, indeed. As formidable as some of our challenges might seem, the solutions lie within your grasp as you take this next giant leap toward adulthood.

As educators, we’re honored to have helped map that journey with you. No matter what your next step is — college, learning a trade, the military or directly entering the workforce — the lessons you learned as students are a strong foundation upon which to build.

Soon enough, you will be the leaders of our communities, the drivers of innovation and the mentors to future cohorts of young minds eagerly awaiting their 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 thought to be incurable, combat racism and bring a new sense of hope and peace to our planet.

Some of that might seem inconceivable today, but give it time, continue to work hard and never forget to ask for help.

In the meantime, I stand with your teachers, your principals, your school administrators and your parents in celebrating all that you have accomplished. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to be part of your lives.