ood evening graduates, parents, staff and friends of Haddam Killingworth High School . It is my distinct honor and privilege to welcome you here this evening on the first day of summer to celebrate and recognize the unique skills, attributes and accomplishments that this class has made a part of our history as a school district. Some have stated repeatedly that this is a class of characters while I contend that you are a class with character. You have continually represented your uniqueness while in the classroom, on the athletic fields, in programs where you have performed thousands of hours of community service and while contributing to public sessions where there were matters that needed discussion. For these things and the countless others that I have not mentioned but have witnessed personally, I am truly grateful. You have created a legacy for others to emulate. You have taught us about the strength of conviction and of supporting each other in times of need and celebration. You have modeled what you believe for others and have perpetuated all that is good in our school, in our district and in our communities.

This evening, we as one community made up of different individuals, recognize the many achievements that you have earned through your hard work and diligence. Many of these achievements did not come easily nor were they even possible without the support and encouragement of your families, your school, your peers and most especially without your own understanding of yourself. Your experiences over the past thirteen years in the institution we call public education will ensure that you are successful in our ever-changing technologically advanced society. These experiences have defined you as our future leaders. With achievement and leadership comes an awesome level of responsibility. Simply put, when you achieve something great, people expect more from you. They turn to you and look for what their future will bring. They trust you as leaders to guide and shape the future of humanity.

During your time in high school, we as a country have continued to endure the single most significant threat to what we believe in, stand for and represent as a nation. We have been subject to an unstable economy, record high fuel costs, the rise and fall of some of our most notable elected officials and leaders both domestic and abroad and we continue to read about horrific events that transcend what we believe to be real and even possible. We, as a state and as a nation, continue to yearn for leaders who realize and accept the responsibility and challenge associated with developing the hopes and dreams of others. We are crying out for leaders with the courage of conviction and the compassion for the individual. Graduates, tonight you continue along your leadership journey by becoming our future beacons of hope for all that is yet to come in our lives.

As the leaders of tomorrow, you will be challenged to change what has been and develop what should be. You will be called upon to impart wisdom and courage where there is ignorance and indifference. You will be asked to provide direction where there is chaos and others will look to you to gain an understanding of what is right and just. In order to accomplish these things, you will need courage. Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best when he referred to courage in the following way; "Whatever you do, you need courage. What ever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to the end requires some of the same courage which a soldier needs." Perhaps a more simplistic description of courage is about having the guts, nerve and heart to do things that foster and support progress. This all begins with your realization that improvement won't be found on the path of least resistance known as conformity and status quo is diametrically opposed and an obstacle toward progress. When you think about it, "doing things the way they have always been done" requires no leadership and no courage at all. How can others follow someone who is not going anywhere?

As you can well imagine, courage manifests itself in many ways. One thing that I think we could all agree upon is that all leaders possess courage. As our newest courageous leaders, I leave you with the following ideals:

...don't ever lose the capacity to self-reflect. The act of self-reflection does not come easily but will be imperative for you to practice when you need to act on behalf of yourselves and others.

... never compromise your understanding of what is right and wrong, never compromise your morals, values and convictions and never lose respect for yourselves or others.

...gain a broader perspective when challenged with making decisions. It is not atypical for individuals to lose the ability to see multiple sides of a situation when they need to act.

...capture your inner spirit to guide you through adversity. Maintain your moral center in accordance with what you believe to be right. Let your heart guide your actions.

... never be afraid to tell others what you stand for as a person.

Members of the Class of 2005, you leave us, your extended family, to enter the next stage of your life with all of the tools that will certainly ensure your success. I implore you to apply your skills, talents and beliefs in all that you choose to do in the future. Never lose sight of who you are, what you stand for or what you believe in. Never waver in displaying your courage in a form that is understandable and motivational to others. Always remember that the journey you take as leaders begins with you and your understanding of yourself.

On behalf of the entire school district, I wish you, your families and your friends success and prosperity always. May you leave here this evening understanding that we care for you deeply. May you go on to achieve great things for yourself and others? May you continue to perpetuate all that is good in our communities? May your feelings of success and achievement stay with you forever and may your memories always guide you through times of adversity. May you always cherish your family, our democratic society and the courage you are filled with this evening as we gather together to reaffirm our future direction.

In closing, I leave you with the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "one's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it's expressed in the choices one makes. In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility."

Good luck graduates, may you be kept from harm's way and may you be blessed in all that you do. It's been an honor to have served you and we look forward with a sense of hope as you make your dreams and the dreams of others come true.

Gary S. Mala, Superintendent of School
Regional School District No. 17
June 21, 2005