Words of Encouragement to the Class of 2014 From the Board of Directors

By Board President, Jerry Griffith

Good afternoon.  I am Jerry Griffith, and on behalf of the Board of Directors of Hudson Community Schools, I would like to extend our congratulations and welcome to the students, parents, guardians, family members, faculty and friends of the class of 2014!

Some of you have been a student at Hudson since kindergarten, while others have moved or transferred onto this Pirate ship along the way. But together you formed a crew and set sail on a very successful journey!

Success in academics, band and chorus, athletics, journalism, FFA, and much, much volunteerism make you a hard class to follow.  You piloted the anti-bullying program to protect our school from the devastating effects of bullying.  I am proud to have signed my UPSTANDER pledge card along with a vast majority of Hudson’s student body and other stakeholders.

Your ship was full of Cinderella songs and State Championship cheers, and you truly lived the words of the legendary coach Vince Lombardi when he said, “the quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their field of endeavor”.   Just like in this quote… you gave a winning effort at everything you did.

But now is the time to change course. High school is over and what is next?  Has anyone here watched the T.V. show Gilligan’s Island? Well, it was one of my favorites growing up and in this scene, as usual; Gilligan in his goofy way makes us think. 

Gilligan says: “Hi ya, Professor. What are you doing?”
Professor replies: “I’m making notes on a book. It’s to be a chronicle of our adventures on the island… I think it’s a book people will want to buy, don’t you?”
Gilligan responds: “Sure, I’ll buy one. I’m dying to find out what happens to us!”

I bet you guys are just like Gilligan, dying to know what happens in your life.   Well, I will let you in on a secret, you are about to set sail on quite a trip.  Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote “we are all inventors, each sailing on a voyage of discovery, guided by our own private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.”  Believe that, because it is so true.  I predict that there’s going to be calm waters, and lots of scary storms, but there will also be many, many beautiful sunsets in your future.

Some of you may have heard this next little story before…
Two people are out sailing, when suddenly a hand appears in the sea.
“What’s that?” asked one of the sailors, “It looks as if someone is drowning!!!”
“No,” said the other sailor,” It’s just a little wave.”

It’s time to wave goodbye … class of 2014.   Dock that pirate ship and get your boarding pass to the next boat!  Your destination may be a university or college, the military, the working world, or perhaps destinations unknown.   Put on your captain hat, grab the helm and take off!

I would like to finish with the words often attributed to the great Mark Twain.  “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do, than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore...Dream... Discover.”

IT’S GREAT TO BE A PIRATE!  BON VOYAGE!