San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
W ARREN H IGH S CHOOL
Good evening, friends and family, administrators and staff, and soon-to-be graduates. Before I commence my speech, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you here tonight for allowing me the opportunity to speak in front of you on such a special occasion.
Thank you, parents, guardians, teachers, and supporters, for the time, effort, and passion that you invested into every one of us to help us get to this point. From the small nods of affirmation, simple words of encouragement, and sacrifices, our parents, guardians, and supporters have been there with us through the good and bad, and are here tonight for you. I would like to personally thank some remarkable JISD teachers and staff who have helped me get to this point today: Coach Holland, Coach Gonzales, Coach Alexander, Mrs. Carillo, Mrs. Morris, Mrs. Aguilar, Coach Logan, Mr. Dominguez, Mr. Mata, and Mr.
King. Thank you all for comforting me through adversity and encouraging me through success. To my parents, thank you for all the car rides to school, uplifting prayers, and for leaving Puerto Rico to give my siblings and me a better life. Te amo y gracias por todo lo que has sacrificado, especialmente a ti papá.
For as long as I can remember, I have waited patiently in anticipation for this moment. In all honesty, I never thought I would make it to this podium, and standing up here feels like a fever dream. I remember walking around the bright halls of Judson High School as only a tiny freshman, hiding behind my senior sister.
I never grew up with much self-confidence, like many young women in society, but I excelled in school and gained confidence in my intelligence. As a result, I came to think that people only viewed me as the “smart girl” and nothing else. Eventually, I believed that I only had my intelligence to offer because that’s what everyone pointed out. The outcome of this fabricated belief was a suffocating pressure to get the best grades and be on top.
I felt I had to live up to others’ perceptions about me because my worth and identity relied on it. As I walked the halls of Judson, I witnessed other individuals with a strong sense of identity, but I had no idea who I was apart from school.
During Covid-19, students all across the nation faced challenges, and I was only one of the many. As I sat in my isolating room, surrounded by heaps of responsibilities, I would feel a monstrous hand looming over me. Tears would start pouring down my face behind Zoom, tasting of salt and vinegar. I devoted every waking moment to school and felt disconnected from everyone, including myself. I gave up on my friends and fractured relationships in the process, and became consumed by the goal, staying up past midnight every day to get ahead. Nothing mattered more to me, and at times, I wanted to give up.
As I reflect on the past four years of High School, I realize that it was never supposed to be about getting the best grades or being on top. In the beginning, I said that I have been waiting patiently in anticipation for this moment. However, as I stand up here right now, I might have chosen to do things differently.
I have worked so hard to get where I am today, but I now find myself pondering the question, “At what cost?” I remember countless times when I found myself sitting on my bathroom floor while tears stained my cheeks, and the walls hugged my body closely. When I would get up and look in the mirror, I was unrecognizable, and I couldn’t begin to understand the extent of my worth or identity at the time.
It has taken me grappling with anxiety to realize that my identity, in fact all of our identities, remains partly unknown. Our identities are constantly evolving and are shaped by each experience we encounter, making up only a fragment of who we are. However, what is not unknown is that I am so much more than just the “smart girl”. I am strong and capable, and my worth is not determined by a numerical value. I have come to understand that I needed to go through those moments of fear and doubt to be standing here today.
This year, I’ve met amazing people that have taught me the importance of friendship, community, and restoring relationships. A close friend and fellow student always questioned why I placed so much pressure on myself and doubted my capabilities when they believed in me. They taught me that you are always in the position to achieve something as long as you trust in yourself and God. Trusting yourself means being vulnerable enough to experience new lessons and build new relationships, which I did this year.
To recall some of my accomplishments: I won prom queen, I placed 3rd in the state for Nurse Assisting, I received three certifications in phlebotomy, EKG, and medical assisting, and I finished out my last year in track by traveling to the state meet. The craziest thing is I accomplished all of this while maintaining my GPA. In 2020, I would have never been able to find a balance between significance and success in my life, but I have now.
Therefore, I advise all of you to find that balance in your life by prioritizing the people and activities that matter to you. As you go out into the world and strive for success, remember that life without significance is dull, and begin to ask yourself, what is success if it holds no value? We have all followed a common path while at Judson High School: fun times with friends, feelings of anxiety or pressure, moments filled with laughter, Friday night lights, or those late nights packed with coffee and studying - I know my peers in
CMA understand what I’m talking about. Graduation is the end of another chapter in our lives, and as this chapter closes, I’m sure many of us are uncertain about the next one. But we can’t skip through life like a song. We have to take in every minute and the lessons that come with it. So, as we go on our separate paths, I would like to leave you some words of balance from singer Alicia Keys, “Be driven, be focused, but enjoy every moment, because it only happens once”. Thank you.