May 29, 2019 Page 7A
Reporter
A VALEDICTORY ADDRESS by Ri[yn McKai[ip
lli
!
I
Rilyn McKallip, valedic-
torian of the Mary Persons
Class of 2019, delivered this
address at graduation on
Fr/day. McKallip is headed to
the University of Richmond.
ood evening, and
welcome to the
Mary Per-
sons High School
graduation.
BEFORE I begin, I would
like to thank my Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ for all
the blessings he has given
me. I would like to thank
the amazing administra-
tion at both the school and
county level, for all that you
do to ensure the success of
the school system and each
individual student. I would
also like to thank the amaz-
ing faculty at Mary Persons
and all of Monroe County
Schools, who have made
an enormous impact in the
life of each graduate here
tonight by not only educat-
ing us, but also inspiring and
empowering us to become
the best version of ourselves.
Last but certainly not least,
I would like to thank all of
our parents and family, who
have provided unending
love, support and guidance
for the past 18 years, and
who have helped shape us
-into the people we are today.
Thank you all so much,
for without these amazing
people, we would not have
accomplished what we are
here to celebrate.
WELL, CLASS of 2019,
we did it! We made it
through four years of high
school, and now we are
about to start a new era in
our lives. But before we dis-
perse and take on the chal-
lenges and joys of the com-
ing years, I want to reflect on
our past four years. Every-
one here had a different path
through high school, and
each of us cherish different
memories that define our
high school experience.
Some of us will remember
cheering for the Bulldogs
in the student section, rain
or shine, while others, like
myself, will remember
playing the fight song dur-
ing every one of our team's
many touchdowns. Many
were also cheering on the
players from the sidelines,
or playing in the game itself.
For some of you, the defin-
ing moments of high school
were when you performed
on stage in some amaz-
ing musicals, when you
ran cross country races in
the grueling heat, or when
you organized community
service projects for your
dub. Whether sports, the
arts, clubs or classes, we all
competed and celebrated in
the same Bulldog spirit. We
each remember our favorite
classes, where we learned
things that made us excited,
and we remember our less
than favorite classes. Though
we all have different experi-
ences from high school, we
have some memories in
common. We remember
enjoying homecoming pep
rallies, beating Jackson in
every single rivalry football
game, and hoping for our
names to be called out by
Dr. Finch as the "CHAMP
shoutout of the day!" Now,
we are all here together
making one final memory
as Mary Persons High
School students, and I am so
honored to share with you
these few moments dur-
ing this celebration of your
wonderful accomplishment
of graduating high school.
It is my hope that some of
the things I say today will
resound with you, and that
you will carry them with
you as you embark on this
next chapter of your lives.
MY FIRST piece of advice
is to not let your successes
define you. You are more
than a title, an award, a
trophy or anything else you
have achieved. We are here
to celebrate our successes
in high school which have
culminated in us earning
our diplomas. Enjoy the
many benefits that come
with a high school diploma,
but realize that there is so
much more yet to achieve.
For some of us, it is going to
college to study our favorite
subjects and prepare for a
career, and for others, it is
leaming a trade and entering
the workforce doing some-
thing you love. Others still
are going to the military to
serve our country to protect
our freedoms, and for that
I applaud you. In whatever
you do, never settle, or say
that you are the best you can
be. Keep striving to learn
and to grow, in everything
you do, every day. In your
failures and your successes,
realize that you are never .
done, you will never reach
your peak, because you are
never done improving. You
have limitless potential,
and you all have wonderful
things ahead of you.
THE SECOND thing
I want to tell you all is to
do what you love, seeking
personal accomplishments
rather than the approval or
admiration of the world.
Often, we try to please or
impress others with our
accomplishments, whether
it is eaming a good grade
or securing a spot on the
varsity sports team. While
these accolades are great,
and it is wonderful to feel
appreciated by the people
we care about, we need
to make sure that we are
motivated intemally by
our passions and interests,
rather than externally by
other people's expectations.
Three years ago I stepped
out of my comfort zone and
joined the MP track team.
To say I was not the fastest
two miler on the team is an
understatement. But I got
more joy from accomplish-
ing my own personal goals
than any medal could ever
give me. My first year goal
was simply to not get lapped
by every other runner on
the track. But I made small
improvements each season.
This season my personal
goal was to break 15 min-
utes. In the last meet of the
season I ran a great race and
a personal best of 15:01. I
was crushed not to meet my
goal, and for a moment I felt
like my whole season was a
failure. But when I was able
to reflect on all that I had ac-
complished over three years
I could see that the real ac-
complishment was in doing
something I wasn't naturally
good at, setting goals and
sometimes achieving them.
I had fun, and I met some
amazing friends I wouldn't
have Otherwise met. If you
seek only to impress others
with your successes rather
than developing your own
interests, any success you
accomplish will never be
enough. Earn good grades
because you are motivated
to be your very best. Play a
sport because you truly love
it. Find what it is that you are
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passionate about, and then
pursue it. It is not easy to put
yourself out there and do the
things you truly care about,
and there will be setbacks
and failures. But the perse-
verance through the trials
produces the sweetest and
most rewarding blessings.
James 1:12 says, "'Blessed
is the one who perseveres
under trial because, having
stood the test, that person
will receive the crown of life
that the Lord has promised
to those who love him '
Ultimately, you will be
happier and more fulfilled
when you do the things that
are meaningful to you, and
when you persevere through
the setbacks that life throws
your way.
HIGH SCHOOL for us
is over. Though we all may
look back on high school
with varying degrees of
fondness, I will venture
to say that nobody here is
leaving the halls of Mary
Persons High School exactly
the same as they entered
them in 9th grade, and that
we will continue to grow
and change every day for
the rest of our lives. Author
William Faulkner once said,
"Always dream and shoot
higher than you know you
can do. Do not bother just to
be better than your contem-
poraries or predecessors. Try
to be better than yourself.'
I encourage you all to con-
tinue to strive for excellence,
and to pursue the things
you love. Never let anyone,
including yourself, set a limit
on what you can achieve.
Your entire life is before
you, and the possibilities are
limitless. Class of 2019, I am
so proud of all that you have
already accomplished, and :
I cannot wait to see all that
you do. Thank you.
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