罗里·舍恩伯格，23岁 was the recipient of the Joseph Dana Allen Award, a recognition of highest scholarship combined with commensurate character. 作为这个荣誉的一部分, Rory presented the following speech at Poly’s 166th 毕业典礼 on June 16, 2022. She reflected on what her time at Poly has meant to her, 团结和社区的力量, and her gratitude for her teachers and family, as well as the opportunities Poly provided. She shared the collective desire that the Class of 2023 leaves Poly better than they found it – and that they’ve achieved. We wish her well as she embarks on her new journey at Yale University and to all the students as they head to their next chapter. 欣赏她深思熟虑的演讲.

Good morning faculty, families, friends, and Poly’s 2023 graduating class! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to share what Poly means to me with all of you.  

In m任何 respects, our world has been defined by distance and space these past four years. Covid forced us to create physical space between ourselves and our politics have amplified that distance as an increasingly polarized America has become fixated on forming strict, 孤立的群体. Although the “co” in Covid stands for “corona” the root “co” also means “together” and Poly has been able to rebel against this divisive trend, 保持紧密联系, 支持社区. 

This brings me to the most essential of my takeaways: the power of unity and of community. 我们的班级非常多样化, 不仅仅是在地理上, 比赛, 或种族, but in terms of our interests and our lived experiences. 然而,, one way we are all linked is in our desire to leave Poly a better place than we found it and ourselves as better people. We are often characterized as the grade of “do-ers,” and I am continuously amazed at all that we’ve been able to accomplish in coming together, 从 星期六的服务与一个爱 to winning sports championships, drawing strength 从 our different perspectives. We haven’t always agreed on the best ways to do things, but the discourse that came 从 our differences has been key to creating the change and progress that truly serves Poly the best. 

I’ve also learned the beauty of synergy. 在奥. Leeklymenko的拉丁语和希腊语课, he constantly highlighted connections throughout etymology and history, urging us to do the same in our own lives. I’ve grown to love the satisfaction of flipping through my APUSH textbook and connecting the name Dorothea Dix to its Ancient Greek roots of “doron” (gift) and “thea” (goddess). Connections and combinations are key in a society that is increasingly trying to limit us to choose a single passion and stick with it. Poly is special in part because it’s a school of “and,而不是“or”,辩论-艺术家-数学家, crew-SSB-historians, 摔跤手兼环保主义者兼诗人. 当我们毕业的时候, there’s an urge to move forward and leave our past behind, 而是, 我们应该利用它, learning 从 the combination of our high school experiences with our future ones. I hope we all continue to view the world & our lives through this lens of synergy to ensure more interesting, complete perspectives. 

Finally is the importance of gratitude. 当我被告知今天要演讲时, once again living out the plot of Rory Gilmore’s life, I watched her Chilton graduation speech for inspiration. 现在我将分享一些她的话, as they perfectly encapsulate the bittersweetness of our graduation.

“我们从没想过这一天会到来. 我们祈祷它能快点送到, 把日历上的日子划掉, 数个小时, 分钟, 和秒. 现在它在这里, I’m sorry it is because it means leaving friends who inspire me and teachers who have been my mentors, so m任何 people who have shaped my life and my fellow students’ lives, 永不渗透，永远.” 

通常, I found myself and my classmates wishing high school away, viewing it as simply a means to an end. This was an incredibly flawed approach. Although it’s a cliche, it’s true: high school, along with 任何 other period in life, is about the journey and the growth – not just the destination. I hope we can all take a moment to appreciate just how supportive our teachers and families have been throughout these four years, and how m任何 incredible opportunities Poly has offered us. Most of all, I want us to honor how far we’ve come, both as students and as people. In college we’ll continue to spend long nights writing papers and stressing over tests, but I urge us to focus more on what inspires us the most, 我们与朋友分享的笑声, and on the immense privilege of receiving a new opportunity to work hard and grow as much as we possibly can. 

当然, 说了这么多感恩的话, I would be remiss to not offer some of my own thank you’s: Thank you Ms. Perez for your perpetual support and to Ms. Moslander for your mentorship and for teaching me to turn my ideas into actions. Thank you to my mom, dad, sister, and my friends, for their endless inspiration and encouragement. Lastly, thank you Poly; I will forever cherish the memories and carry these lessons with me.