In my last year at Sage Ridge School, I was afforded the opportunity to address the graduating class at the annual Baccalaureate Ceremony. Traditionally a religious ceremony, the Sage Ridge Baccalaureate ceremony focused on the five pillars: Courage, Respect, Integrity, Community, and Scholarship. Below is the speech.
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Character, ethics, morals…Why do they matter, anyway? When Mr. Colb asked me to be the speaker at this event, I jumped at the chance and over the last six weeks I have been torturing myself spinning this question over and over in my head. I have taken out my phone to jot down notes when moments of brilliance have struck, only to find, 24 hours later, that my thoughts were less brilliant than I had originally thought!
The question has led me down paths in which I ponder what it means to learn. It has led me down paths in which I ponder what should we be teaching in 2017 and beyond. It has led me down paths that make me think about the purpose of education. Are we educating for the future workforce? Or are we educating people to be good and productive members of society and if so, what does it mean to be a good and productive member of society?
You all are finishing an educational journey through one of the finest academic schools in the nation. This is not a vocational school but of course our hope is that you will join the workforce one day and be able to sustain yourselves and contribute to our nation’s economy (and not live in your parents’ spare room). We also hope that you will be a good and productive member of society.
Your value system defines your personal character and therefore your behavior. Behaviors are rooted in one’s worldview. In other words, one’s behavior is more often than not consistent with your values; the way we act has meaning based on what we believe about ourselves, other people, the world, and often times, one’s higher power.
At 17 and 18 years old, you are far from complete in forming that worldview. The mission of Sage Ridge School talks about the pursuit of a lifelong passion for learning. Learning beyond high school can take on a very different meaning than that of formal education. You will continue to develop as ethical beings. And no one develops morally in a vacuum. Your values have begun to take shape and will continue to do so through your families, schools, culture, and personal experiences. On a daily basis we are making decisions that test our values. Learned values are either rejected or accepted as we confront new challenges.
Family, religion, and experiences have shaped me but it is I who have chosen to become who I am and I have made a conscious decision to work on myself to be better every day. Many days I fail. Other days I do not. I read, think, and most importantly I reflect and I do so often. I reflect on adversities that I’ve faced, mistakes I’ve made, regrets that I have. I reflect on my successes and what it took to be successful. I think about resilience and the feeling of being knocked down and the courage to get back up to try again. Every day I look into the faces of my children and know that I can be a better version of me and I tell them to do the same. In fact I tell them that my role as a parent is to help them be better. When we fail at it, tomorrow is a new day.
We all have an “in between” internal boundary that is the line between the person we have been but no longer are and the person that we will become. In these spaces our knowing is incomplete and unfinished. I urge you to not be afraid of the vulnerability of residing in this “in between” space, for it is in this space that you will make decisions about who you want to become. It is in this space that you can choose an ethical higher ground. It is in this space that you will find the courage to stand on your own two feet and to be proud of your moral compass, no matter the challenges you face, for you have made the decision to be you. And when you fail at being better, tomorrow is a new day and you can try again.
The Sage Ridge pillars are all wonderful values to explore but I most wish for your personal integrity. Integrity comes from the Latin integer, meaning whole. It is the wholeness of your character and when you practice integrity, you act upon the values you claim to have. Brené Brown, an American scholar who studies empathy and vulnerability at the University of Houston said, “Integrity is choosing courage over comfort. It’s choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. It’s choosing to practice your values rather than simply professing them.”
When we live with integrity, we live a life that is honest. We aren’t trying to hide anything. Our actions speak for who we are and what we believe in. Integrity is a choice we make daily. When we choose integrity our actions (and beliefs behind those actions) are out in the open for everyone to see. Integrity is the hallmark of ethical leadership.
Sage Ridge educates the leaders of the future…you. Spend the next few years expanding your worldview that forms the base of your value system and I encourage you to push yourself in this endeavor. Do things that are not comfortable for you. Go places and speak to people that are different from you. Explore that internal “in between” space. Make conscious decisions to be a better version of you and work on that daily. Fail and do it again. Lead with integrity, for the world needs ethical leaders more than ever.
Thank you.