And more importantly, we’ve developed a resilience that will enable us to thrive “out there.” We’ve begun a process that a wise man has often described in the context of soccer as “shoaht, shoaht long” — or more intelligibly “short, short, long.” Basically, it’s the process that creates those long passes down the field that to a spectator seemed inevitable: the guy was wide open; of course he was going to get the ball. But what enabled him to be wide open and the ball to be sent to him was the combination of short, clever passes in the back field that got the ball rolling — no pun intended (just kidding — that was extremely intended).
And it takes hours of grueling practice to get those passes right. That’s what we’ve accomplished here. The strength of character we’ve developed in high school has enabled us to begin this rapid succession that will find our success wide open down the field, waiting. But no school could have enabled a better first pass. (Please hold your grunts of dissent until the end of the speech).
AHS turns meek freshmen into lions– or tough … pond fish?
It cultivates an atmosphere of making the most of what you’ve got. Of course, in the grand scheme of things (and even in a less-than-grand scheme of things), many of our problems are minuscule.
We are enormously blessed to have the resources and opportunities that we do. But allow me to narrow the scope to similar communities around us. We take fewer things for granted than those in towns like Lexington, for example, whose biggest problem is deciding between adding a fourth orchestra or demolishing Arlington to make room for their new field complex.
I think it was Confucius who said: cushy lives breed smushy wives (and husbands). But we’re not smushy at all; we’re conditioned to be strong — resilient. We don’t take perfect working conditions for granted: we know what it’s like to work just as hard when it’s the middle of winter and the heat in Downs House isn’t working, or when on the contrary the heat is working perfectly, on full blast … but [confusedly] it’s the middle of June.
We’ve endured practices on a turf that is rather Alpine in its flatness; classrooms that require you to constantly crane your neck to see the board around a truly well-placed pillar; and even tiled floors that have shown at least once a terrifying potential for letting a chair leg just fall through their seemingly solid surface. Yet we’re consistently well-ranked academically, we’ve won sports championships and had fantastic runs, and we crank out award-winning Jazz Bands and Honors Orchestras. And that’s because we refuse to let the stumbling blocks slow us down.
Cultivating this attitude in school and in the community has produced some of the most resilient people I know. Think of Rahul and Catherine.
I can’t imagine going through what they’re going through. Yet Catherine ran for Student Council president! And Rahul played and soloed with the Jazz Band at the Pops Concerts after being unable to play his sax for weeks!
Julia, too, despite the enormous loss she suffered, has been her same light-hearted self to me every time I pass her in the hallways. That is the shining product of the attitude of resilience. And there are countless others who have also kept going despite the weight of smaller adversity: the trumpet players in the Jazz Band, who rehearsed the same hits from Play that Funky Music over and over again, and over again, long after everyone else had memorized them, without ever crumpling in exhaustion and rage … except maybe once or twice; or all who have endured the menace of doors that say DO NOT USE – THIS DOOR MUST REMAIN LOCKED, and you can’t remember the last day you didn’t use them. That’s what this first pass has been: we’ve developed a resilient mindset, and so we’re in a great position to make the next pass into young adulthood or college.
And what will make this next pass as clever and effective as the first? The same thing that has allowed the adversity we’ve already faced to breed resilience rather than despair: personal relationships.
Think of all the times we’ve been helped through hardships by our friends and family. I’m sure you can think of more poignant and personal examples than I could list here, so I’ll spare you. But it really is the bonds between us that keep us on our feet. AHS provided the atmosphere of resilience and the challenges to strengthen it — we gave each other the necessary support to make it work. So as we take the next step, whatever it might be, we have to remember the importance of forging these bonds in our new communities. With that, we can be confident that this pass will be the perfect setup for that long pass down the field. For the seeds we plant over these four years, much like the debt we accrue, will stay with us a long time.
[Start “Lord of the Rings” music at 9:22]
Ah! Do you hear that? That is the sound of resilience. Of facing an endless army and charging into their midst with all the more ferocity and determination for the knowledge that it is an impossible enemy. We’ve learned to overcome all the adversity Arlington could throw at us; it’s a baby step, but it’s a step. The storms we’ve survived may one day seem like light breezes. But when the true gales come, and we find that we are strong yet flexible tree boughs that do not break, we’ll know we have these early gusts to thank for shaping us into who we are. And so we’ll charge head on into the chaos, fearless.
Thank you.
DeCourcey: What it means to be a Spy Ponder
First off, I would like to congratulate my classmates, the Class of 2015, on all their accomplishments; we did it. I would also like to recognize the families, teachers, administrators, coaches, and friends in the audience and those who may not be present. We would not be here today without your support and encouragement.
What never ceases to amaze me are the astounding capabilities of the human brain. This complex 3-pound organ produces approximately 70,000 thoughts per day. Many of these thoughts loop round and round and lately one thought in particular has been constantly circulating through my mind: the future. Thoughts like what my life will be like next year and has Arlington High School prepared me sweep across my mind daily. I’m sure many of you have had these thoughts as well. It seems like senior year is a year of ends. It is the end of high school: no more 8 am classes (hopefully), no more 6 hour school days, no more being here at AHS.
It will be a big adjustment next year, but I know we are all up for the task because we are Spy Ponders. No other school in the world has that name. Our name is pretty special and it reminds of one particular memory from my sophomore year. I am a member of the girls’ basketball team, and we had an away game. It was the first half and all of a sudden a boy from the crowd jumped up and shouted, “What’s a Spy Ponder anyways?”
This question has become popular at various sporting events, often coming from schools with very generic nicknames themselves. It’s supposed to be taken as an insult, but I have never taken it that way because being a Spy Ponder is part of what makes us unique. Having spent four years here, I now understand the meaning behind our name and why being a Spy Ponder is so significant.
Spy Ponders are perseverant, especially this year considering all those snow days we had to endure. When we arrived here in 2011 as freshmen, our main concern was trying not to get lost in this building that would be our home for the next four years. The seniors told us that there was a pool and that some classes were on the sixth floor.
Hopefully, no one fell for that. We were all in the same boat: nervous, maybe a little scared, overwhelmed, but we stuck together. We helped each other adjust to this new place and soon enough we walked around like we owned the place, except when we saw a senior in the hallway. This resilient attitude is something we have all carried with us throughout our time here whether we were in the classroom working through a test, on the field trying to defeat our opponent, or on the stage performing a piece. All of us do not give up and when we do not succeed, we keep on trying until we do.
Spy Ponders are passionate. We have artists, musicians, actors, scientists, athletes, singers and so much more.
Excellence is everywhere in the halls of AHS. If you walk down the art hallway, it is lined with exceptional pieces of art. A walk past the band or chorus rooms will give you a taste for what is to come at a concert. Step into the gym and you’ll see all our banners. We may not have a lot yet, but many of them have come from our time being here, so it proves that Arlington athletics are on the rise. These passions extend beyond the classroom into the clubs we are members of and into the community. There is such a diverse range of interests seen here at AHS. We take what we love and share it with others and it is a beautiful thing to witness.
Spy Ponders are supportive. We are always willing to lend each other a hand whether it’s editing a paper or getting each other Dunks in the morning. We have packed the stands at sporting events, concerts, and shows to cheer each other on. We band together during tough times and give each other advice, sometimes when it is not even asked for. Throughout our four years we have proved to each other that we have each other’s backs. We are willing to sacrifice for our classmates and they are willing to do the same for us. I have made friends here, whether it be from a sports team or trying to survive a class together, that I will surely have forever and I know that many of you have too. The relationships and friendships that we have created here will not be forgotten.
While it is a year of ends, senior year is also a year of beginnings. From this day forward we begin something different, a new chapter, a fresh start.
We may be leaving Arlington High School, but once a Ponder, always a Ponder. I urge you all to go forth in the world and pursue your passions with persistence and enthusiasm and support those around you to do the same for you are only as good as the people near you.
Legendary UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden once said, “What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.” So whether you are an athlete, an artist, a musician, an actor or maybe even a scientist, the most important trait you can have is kindness.
Remember to be humble and respect those around you for it is how we treat others that define us as people. I hope those thoughts of fear are overpowered by thoughts of excitement because we are ready to move on from here; Arlington High School has prepared us well. We can take what we have learned here — persistence, passion and friendship — and spread it to the rest of the world. I cannot wait to see what you all do five, ten years down the road because I can say to those around me, “Now, that’s a Spy Ponder.”
These views were published Saturday, June 6, 2015.
