Rethinking Graduation Speakers - The ABW Almost Daily Commentary

RETHINKING GRADUATION SPEAKERS

As this season of caps and gowns proud parents and cheering friends and family is coming into full swing--I'd like you to consider this.  At the graduation exercise, be it from kindergarten to first grade, elementary to junior high school, high school to college or college to the real world, the commencement speaker is the one who is called on to encourage, entice and motivate even the littlest of graduates to pursue their dreams and to make mom and dad proud.   

But in this age of "Q" scores and star power and the overall obsession with stars lives--obviously, because our real lives aren't and have never been good enough--each rite of passage needs its accompanying star, the person charged with saying "you too can have a life like mine"or "I'm worthy of imitation and emulation." Is there any wonder why kids and adults alike are so obsessed with what Halle, Paris and Angelina wore to some celebrity ball where diamonds are served with the champagne or the depressing knowledge that their new 10 billion square foot home will be too small for them in a year or so.   

We have appear in front of the graduates from their very first graduation, the most newsworthy and richest people we can find who are willing to speak at the commencement.  Is it any wonder that little Suzie and Anthony may not think much of the quality of the lives of the people around them, their very own parents, guardians, friends and neighbors?  Those lives lived with dignity determination and an unwavering belief in that kid in the cap and gown.  The commencement speaker is charged with lighting a fire under the graduates, by the very sound of their voice or very presence at the podium, compel them to greatness.  You remember the old saying "go out and seek your fame and fortune."  It's a philosophy that built America and made stars and robber barons who names we still speak of with admiration and envy.  But it is also a philosophy that is beginning to undo our social and cultural underpinning. 

So at this graduation season, I encourage the recent or soon to be graduates to believe in themselves and their success with as much ferocity as those people who stood behind them for all those years believed in them.  And I encourage them to go into their own communities or the world at large and find a way to be of service.  To the 2007 graduation planning committees of colleges and high schools across the country, my grandmother is available for speaking engagements; she's the wisest, most humble person I know. Why not start teaching young minds that quality, strength, determination, and riches can be found right in their own back yards and communities.  Perhaps if we stop showing these young people how to worship stars and money, they may actually go out and fix some of the mess we've left for them.  So with that said congratulations Class of 2006!

See ya next time,
Sunny