James Boeding, 2010 Salutatorian Address

Good Morning fellow graduates, friends and family, faculty and staff, and our Guest Speaker Robert Walsh.

Welcome to the graduation of Webutuck’s class of 2010, we made it!

First, I would like to thank my parents and sisters for everything they have done to help me get to where I am today, I could not have done it with out them.
I would also like to especially thank my grandparents for coming out from Michigan to be here with me today, it means a lot to me.

Now I would like to congratulate all of the graduates and thank you for giving me the honor of speaking on your behalf.

I would ask that we take a moment to remember our beloved Stephanie Murphy who isn’t with us.

We miss you Stephanie.

(PAUSE)

Today graduates, is a very special day, a proud day of accomplishment, and possibly one of the most important and exciting days for us as we sit here in our traditional, simple yet arguably fancy, modified “snuggies,” complete with matching caps. An outfit no one in their right mind would ever be caught coming to school in… But then again, running around in a ridiculous bright red uni-tard pajama suit with the “Incredibles” logo taped to the front, in an attempt to be the super hero “Dash” for the day is more than acceptable, but, I wouldn’t know anything about that.

Today, I found, is a day best described by Robert Orben when he said, “A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of (or in this case a little over 40) students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success.” Funny right? Well, that is exactly what I am going to do today, but before I do, I want to spend a little time on our past, and what has made every minute up to this point in our lives a success.

The nerve-racking, pant soiling, and sand throwing first days of our elementary education will never be forgotten. The spring field days with sweet watermelon, and little color ribbons signifying 1^st 2^nd or 3^rd place. I bet you still have them in that drawer in your room. I know I do. Mine are all blue.

After elementary school, in 4^th grade, all of the Amenia kids met us Millerton kids and vice versa. It was a rather memorable year when our class of 2010 was officially created. Fifth grade culminated in our trip to Canada, where we attempted to speak in English with our French-speaking pen pals. After that, middle school was a blur, Medieval Times, Scholastic Bowl, building long houses, re-enacting WWI in American history and The Tempest in English, hiking to the top of Stissing Mountain and then the tower, reading The Giver, having your first boyfriend or girlfriend, (Remember that Katy?), choosing a foreign language with Frau, Senora, or Madam, more field days and ribbons and signing those T-shirts, playing for modified sports teams, the 8^th grade dinner dance, and lastly the moving up ceremony to begin what we had always been waiting for, high school. And then in one summer we dropped from the being biggest kids in the school to the smallest kids as 9^th graders, with the exception of Ethan of course as I remember he always towered over us.

We had finally made it to high school, and as Mr. Harvey would have said then, “welcome to the bowl where the big dogs eat from.” Then, I’m sure today seemed like galaxies away, but look how fast it has come. My gosh, it seems like yesterday we all had Mr. Pollak's English class, where he read Speak to us the first few days, and then over winter break made us read tremendous books like the Odyssey, or at least he wanted us to, right Kaelan.

Yesterday, when we dissected those smelly frogs in biology

Yesterday, when we all sat in the auditorium to watch President Obama’s inaurgation.

Yesterday, when the entire school battled Mr. Reid’s 1^st period class over pennies.

Yesterday, when we danced the night away, at prom on that little stage at the Pond.

Yesterday, when we were applying to college

Yesterday, when we were painting our names on Haight road.

Soon, today will be yesterday. Remember it, and remember these years.
We have done a lot of work to get here; specifically, at least 22 credits of classes and five Regents Exams, not to mention the hours spend yesterday at rehearsal!

Before you leave today be sure to thank your teachers, your parents and your fellow classmates for all they have done to help you get to this day.

Now I will share with you the message about success I mentioned earlier.

A couple of weeks ago, when I first began thinking about what I wanted to say during these 30 to 35 minutes I have planned… I mean, 3 to 5 minutes, I’m almost done, I promise, I knew I wanted to use a quote by a man whom some of you may know passed away this June 4^th, John Wooden. Coach Wooden was a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and a coach. His ten NCAA national championships in a twelve year period while at UCLA are unmatched by any other college basketball coach. Wooden once described success in this way. "Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable"

I think Coach Wooden meant that success is measured not by possessions or monetary worth, but by one’s personal happiness with their life. This success is achieved through by our abilities and by our efforts to be our best. Wooden’s definition makes being successful, entirely up to you, and all it takes to achieve great success, or peace of mind, is to wake up each morning and do your best. Wherever you are going next year, college, the work force, or the military, I encourage you to do your best, work your hardest, and remember and represent the school, the community, the family you came from.

Now, who knows if this is the way you have lived your life up until now, but regardless, I don’t think it matters for every one of you sitting before me, because it is not too late to start. You are about to achieve, one of the greatest successes know to the human adolescent: you are graduating from high school. But, as we all go off into our separate directions, it is not too late to begin to live by Coach Wooden’s standard of success.

In closing, a few last thoughts spoken in a manner similar to how
Mrs. Gagne closed my final high school concert. It’s not a poem tho.

It’s time for graduation so come on everybody let’s go

To enjoy the departing last hours of our glory show.

Remembering back to times with all of these faces

Strange to think we will all be separated in different places.

No more stories from the great Winslow

Or any jokes from that fungi, McKeever, in bio.

We will miss Mrs. Fisher and her sticky notes

Mr. Reid’s big coffee cups and math quotes.

Late night papers, essays, and homework packets

Balancing all that work, took time-managing tactics.

Apples to Apples, Twos, Blockus, and Five Crowns

These are the games I’ll miss playing in the senior lounge.

But now its time to look forward, to enjoy this moment

We have waited so long, and we managed not to blow it.

It’s been real; it’s been fun, but now its come to an end.

I think its time to graduate The Class of 2010!

Thank you