2024 Salutatorian Address
Good afternoon, everyone! Thank you all for joining us to celebrate the end of our high school careers. While part of me cannot believe that we are already graduating, I also cannot believe what a long journey this has been. Some of us have attended Ridgeview for the past 13 years, others only two. Regardless of the length of time that we spent at Ridgeview, I think we can all agree that it has been challenging, though rewarding. Parents and teachers, none of us could have made it here without your support. Thank you for believing in us more than we could ever believe in ourselves.
Today, I would most like to thank my classmates for the community that they have created. I remember coming to Ridgeview as a third grader and being astonished by how smart my new classmates were and how hard they worked. However, it did not take long for me to begin to fit in; they did not put me down for knowing less; and they quickly helped me catch up to the new standard of learning. I cannot say that I recall Ridgeview ever being “easy,” but I know that without the support of my classmates, it would have been much harder. You have pushed me to achieve things I never thought I could achieve; you have made me laugh until I cried; you have shown me different ways to view the world (for example, I now know twenty-five different ways to live the Good Life). I am extremely lucky to have attended such a rigorous school with such incredible classmates.
Looking back on just the last year, I am amazed at how comfortable we all are with each other, even though we are all so different. Some of my classmates are interested in art, some in sports, some in philosophy, some in science, and some in video games. We all have different experiences, different perspectives, and different aspirations. Each of us plays a different role: Kaden provides us with energy and always checks in on us; Lola is the senior “mom” who reminded us all to RSVP for the senior banquet; Omar, Nic, and Tali’s love for each other always makes us laugh; Gabe is our very own Hamlet; Elea is the model of kindness that everyone strived to be like. For senior ditch day, we all chose to hang out at Emily’s house instead of doing any specific activity because we had a strong enough sense of community that all we needed was each other’s company. I think that one of my favorite memories will be the standing ovation that my classmates gave after every single senior thesis presentation this year. This was not out of a sense of duty or guilt but because we were exceptionally proud of each other for finishing the hardest project at Ridgeview. My parents and grandparents were amazed at how supportive my classmates were at the end of my own presentation, and I realized how extremely lucky I was to be a part of such an encouraging community. In our day and age, not many people are lucky enough to have a single person that they can rely on when they are facing a bad situation, but I already have found 24.
While I am proud of each of my classmates, I am even more excited to see what they do in the future. Some of my classmates are going to Italy, Ireland, and the Philippines next year; I am staying very close to home. Unfortunately, it is possible that I will never see some of them again. However, I hope that I have created life-long friendships with others. I look forward to hearing about all of their accomplishments and endeavors. The class that I started at Ridgeview with in third grade is far different from the class that I am graduating with today, but I would not change that for the world. I could not have made it to graduation without them, and I am proud to call each of them my classmates.
