June 24, 2026
Good evening to the accomplished graduates and their proud families! Congratulations on a milestone that will continue you on to success. All those assignments, presentations, sleepy mornings and long school days led to this celebration for you all tonight!
10 Years ago, I sat where you are sitting now in the graduating class of 2016, — honestly unsure of how I felt sitting in that chair waiting to hear my name called. It felt as if everything familiar was evolving before my eyes. Looking back now, I realize that graduation is not truly about leaving a place behind. It is about carrying pieces of that place with you as you continue becoming the person you are meant to be.
The lessons learned within these classrooms extend farbeyond textbooks and assignments. They become confidence during moments of uncertainty, kindness during difficult times, and motivation when life challenges you to continue forward. The friendships, bonds with teachers, laughter, and experiences were not ending but rather augmenting, shaping me to continue to develop experiences founded right here in every space I take up.
In many ways, returning here today, I realize the same growth I experienced within myself can be seen throughout these halls. New classrooms have been built, hallways pathed, and spaces created, yet with every new addition City Academy remains the same. The foundation, the support, the engagement, the guidance, encouragement and belief in students continues to remain strong. And that’s exactly what your next chapter will be, a building on the foundation City Academy has instilled in you.
Secondary school is not a goodbye to City Academy—it is a new hallway, a pathway that leads you to the exploration of yourself. During my secondary days at Whitfield, the values and lessons from City Academy revealed themselves in every step of my journey. I was able to prioritize my voice, seek opportunities, and show my knowledge in a new space. Secondary School will be an educational journey like no other, where new personalities will be made and transformed, knowledge will be obtained, and opportunities sought out. Some days may feel difficult, and some paths may feel uncertain, but do not let fear stop you from exploring your potential, embrace it. As you move into Secondary School allow yourself to feel every emotion and flourish within your experiences as growth often begins with unfamiliar moments.
Just as City has expanded over the years while still remaining grounded in its foundation, each of you will continue expanding into new versions of yourselves without losing the values, lessons, and memories that began here. New environments will challenge you, new people will shape you, and new experiences will change you. But never forget the foundation that started here. City Academy is a support system you can always revisit, welcomed with open arms and soothing words. When lost in the journey of self, return to your foundation of community, laughter, and experiences and relish in the fact that these hallways are always a place to revolutionize.
During my educational journey, I was hesitant to continue with the path that I knew would allow me to wake up everyday feeling fulfilled and rewarded with my career. Yet my love for education started here, In Mr. Snagoski’s fifth grade class reading books like: The Outsiders, The Hobbit, and Of Mice and men while simultaneously writing creative literary works that allowed my mind to wander whimsical thoughts. City Academy fostered a positive and meaningful view of education, developing my passion for educating, inspiring, and uplifting future generations. City Academy sparked my flame and continued to tend to the flame as they allowed me to volunteer this semester and gain real world experience in the classroom. Allowing me to stand by the teachers, be inquisitive, and provide me with a perspective that intensified my need to aid the educational journey of students.
No matter how much time passes, no matter how much older you grow or how greatly you develop, City Academy will always remain a part of you. Now, at 22, I can lean on City Academy to uplift me and provide me with experiences that will widen my horizon and deepen my skills and abilities. That is the beauty of a strong foundation: no matter how far life carries you, it will always be there to support you when you need it most. Don’t be afraid. Dare to explore and believe in the doubted. City Academy has instilled within me, and within each of you, the importance of believing in yourself. Believe in your thoughts, your ideas, your creativity, and your aspirations, even before the world fully sees their value.
The confidence you build within yourself today will become the foundation that carries you into every classroom, every opportunity, and every dream waiting ahead of you. The resilience City Academy has fortified within you will be the catalyst to every challenge you overcome and every dream you pursue. And the community fostered here will be the hand that continues to guide and support you through every new chapter ahead. These foundations will continue to walk with you long after tonight.
Look around, look at these buildings that filled your days with memories and remember you are walking hand in hand with the younger version of yourself who first dreamed of reaching this moment. As you leave tonight, look down at your hand by your side and remember City Academy is always holding it. Thank you!