Good afternoon, fellow patriots. I want to congratulate all of you for making it this far. You’ve achieved a major milestone in your academic career and your life. Of course, that milestone isn’t reached without a few bumps on the road. We first arrived on Great Valley’s campus as timid freshmen wandering about the campus asking where Mr. Oswald’s class is so that we could listen to him talking more about Scrapple. As sophomores and juniors, we felt that we finally had gotten some independence and start to find our own identity. From Variety Show, Mr. Great Valley, to Quiz Bowl, we will cherish our memories of these events. And now that we’re seniors, some of us then, and still now, experienced the plague of senioritis. I mean, who wouldn’t sit back and watch Tiger King on Netflix or binge-watch The Mandalorian? But now an unprecedented challenge with the current pandemic has risen, and we cannot ignore it. I can understand your frustration. We may never experience our last prom together. We may never get to high five each other across the hallways again. We may never even get to our Senior Prank. But as Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” And these uncertain times have given us the chance to reflect on not only the bad, but also the good.

1) They remind us that we are all undeniably connected and what we do affects one another.

2 They remind us of how precious health is, and that it’s important to take care of each other, our friends, family, and especially ourselves.

3) They remind us that life is a never-ending cycle. As we experience this phase, we do not need to panic; this too shall pass.

4) They remind us that we have a choice in these trying moments. We can choose to be selfish, to hoard, to look after only ourselves, or to cooperate with each other, to share, to give, to help and support each other. I believe that in this case, my class chose the latter just like what we have been doing in the past few years. We are all in this together.

This pandemic is a test for all of us. A test of courage, of friendship, or even a test of who can flex the hardest with their hand sanitizer. But most importantly, it is a test of perseverance. No matter the obstacles, we keep moving forward with our lives and never give up pursuing our passions. Remember that many of the most successful people started out as average people like you and me. But that’s ok. As William Frederick Halsey Jr. put it, “There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.” Now, my friends, are you going to rise against the next great challenge that stands in our way? Will you carry that same spirit you’ve brought through the thick and thin of these uncertain times? In this short time that we share together, from the bottom of my heart, I am grateful for the wonderful experiences I’ve had with my parents, teachers, and classmates. Thank you.