These kinds of people in our life have seen our worth before we did.

These kinds of people in our life have seen our worth before we did. And I sacrificed so much to see us achieve this milestone here today. So today, let's honor them. Let's carry them with us as we walk across this stage. And for some of you, to be the very first among them to walk across a stage. Class of 2026, you are legendary to me, not because we are perfect, but because we are perfectly human. Don't think that your struggles have gone unnoticed. Don't think that your sacrifices have not been seen and respected. As an underdog, you've had to keep your head down, been overlooked, faced rejection, and in the midst of adversity, had to go the extra mile to really show what it means to have the grit of a state school kid. So I implore you, recognize that you are here as a test of endurance, as a test of will. And recognize, recognize that we are not alone in this battle of discovering who we are, in the pursuit of figuring out who we will be. I want you to look left and look right. Realize that we are not alone.