{"id":1,"date":"2013-06-01T08:00:55","date_gmt":"2013-06-01T04:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.aas.ru\/director\/?p=1"},"modified":"2013-06-01T08:00:55","modified_gmt":"2013-06-01T04:00:55","slug":"grad2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/?p=1","title":{"rendered":"Graduation Speech 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"
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To all of our special guests, faculty, administrators, parents, friends, and family members — you honor us with your pride and presence as we celebrate this important moment for the individuals seated before you on this stage.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I offer my deepest gratitude to Ambassador Cooper for his words in honor of our graduates. The Anglo-American School of Moscow continues to thrive on our sense of community and your participation validates our commitment to the students we collaboratively nurture and educate. Thank you!<\/span><\/p>\n

Sai, you brought a message that is an important one for all of us.\u00a0 You gave us insight into the heart of your class — a sample of what they can and will become.\u00a0 Thank you for the memories that your words will inspire.<\/span><\/p>\n

With only a few minutes left until you begin your journey across this stage and into life, let\u2019s capture some final thoughts.\u00a0 Inspired by a cartoon character named Johnny Bunko, the creation of celebrated author and researcher, Dan Pink, let me share his 6 essential lessons for life.\u00a0 They are simple and concise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#1 – There is no plan!<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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This is a cautionary tale about overly planning your life. Statistics tell us there are many changes ahead for you.\u00a0 In your lifetime, five career changes are imminent.\u00a0 Careers that you are seeking now may soon become obsolete and replaced by jobs we cannot now name nor imagine.\u00a0 You are emerging into a generation challenged by a constant state of change.\u00a0 Change will be your normal and you should embrace it now.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, most of you already know this.\u00a0 You come here from countries from around the globe. You have learned through profound experiences how to dodge and weave in a complicated and dynamic world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Accepting that there is no one plan means that you make decisions for fundamental rather than instrumental reasons.\u00a0 When the time comes to flex and move with the tides and waves of life, seek your core values — the ones we taught you, the ones your parents instilled in you, the ones that give balance and meaning to life.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#2 – Think strengths, not weaknesses<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Ask yourself — what do you do consistently well?\u00a0 What is it that you would choose to do over other things?\u00a0 What is it that gives you energy?<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This class is filled with talent beyond measure.\u00a0 Sitting on this stage are artists, mathematicians, scientists, authors, researchers, publishers, musicians, vocalists, actors, athletes, and leaders. Look into their eyes and see the strengths that will build one upon another in the months and years ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#3 – It\u2019s not about you<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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The most successful people in the world improve their own lives by improving the lives of others.\u00a0 Your many service projects were reviewed yesterday at our assembly and the wide array of accomplishments is a testament to your understanding of the importance of giving something back to the community and to the world. The fondest wish of our mission statement is that you contribute in equal measure to what you receive.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#4 – Persistence trumps talent<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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This may seem inconsistent with thinking about your strengths, but it is simply an additive message about the importance of augmenting talent with perseverance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This class understands commitment.\u00a0 What sits before you is the entire class that started at our opening ceremony in August.\u00a0 Not one person has gone missing since the day we carried the flags of many nations into the gym at our opening.\u00a0 Those that began this year finished this year — and graduated. That\u2019s commitment!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But, let\u2019s stay on that theme for a moment.\u00a0 Phillip Sadov is our longest attending student on this stage.\u00a0 He started at AAS in Pre-Kindergarten and stayed with us until today, only the second to have done so in the school\u2019s entire history.\u00a0 More than a dozen others have been here since elementary school and a few more were here for a bit, left for a time, and then returned to finish high school with us.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This class knows persistence.\u00a0 You understand persistence through rigorous classes. You understand persistence through your studies and demonstrated success.\u00a0 You understand persistence through your patience with and regard for each other.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Another group also understands persistence.\u00a0 Your teachers, counselors, and administrators have stood beside you through every incarnation of student engagement. Graduates on this stage have reflected with me on how the adults at AAS committed themselves in unlimited ways to their learning and development.\u00a0 They shared stories about countless hours of additional time outside of class. They reflected fondly on the sense that their teachers really know them.\u00a0 They remember the willingness to offer additional chances and the important woven conversations about learning and life. It is clear to me that this class loves and respects the faculty and staff of their school.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#5 – Make excellent mistakes<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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You have already learned that the key to success is not getting bogged down in the failures.\u00a0 When you recognize that mistakes are learning opportunities, you balance failures against the benefits of what you learn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, as you graduate today, I give you permission to fail. Go out and fail!\u00a0 And, from your failures, let opportunity emerge.\u00a0 In the words of Beverly Sills, an American Opera singer:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cYou may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don\u2019t try.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Finally,<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#6 – Leave an imprint<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Johnny suggests that you only have a finite time in this world.\u00a0 In the time that you have, you should seek to do something that matters. \u00a0You should seek to make a difference.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is the sense of doing important work that keeps us connected to our core – something that helps us find deeper meaning in life.\u00a0 At our roots, we want to do something distinctive – something with higher purpose.\u00a0 It is my fervent hope that you find a vibrant and rewarding pathway through life.\u00a0 I\u2019m absolutely confident that you have the skills and talents for the task.\u00a0 You have impressed us all.\u00a0 Now go make your mark on the world!<\/span><\/p>\n

You are and always will be, the class of 2013!\u00a0 My congratulations to all of you!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To all of our special guests, faculty, administrators, parents, friends, and family members — you honor us with your pride and presence as we celebrate this important moment for the individuals seated before you on this stage. I offer my deepest gratitude to Ambassador Cooper for his words in honor of our graduates. The Anglo-American […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[134,136],"tags":[139,140,66,123],"class_list":["post-1","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hs","category-speeches","tag-graduation","tag-guidance","tag-leadership","tag-transition"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zimplicity.hopto.org\/techtied\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}