RHS Salutatorian Honors Graduates Extraordinary Talents

 Rye High School salutatorian Richard Hardis commends his class for being unique, talented and brave and acknowledges the strong bond the class of 2013 has shared. Read his full speech here.

         Good morning Teachers, administrators, parents, friends and Rye High School Class of 2013.  [Pause].  As Self-made millionaire and entrepreneur Jim Rohn once said, “If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.”  It is an honor to stand here today in front of a Rye High School class that is anything but ordinary.  I have known most of you since middle school, and I can say without a doubt that this is a class of risk takers who will accomplish great things in the years after we leave Rye High.  Each student has something unique to offer and not one of us has been afraid to show off our talents, despite the risk of failure.  Our teachers, parents and the community have nurtured us and taught us many vital lessons, but our successes will result directly from our innate desire to take chances.  The future looks bright for the 219 students here who are willing to reach out and seize the day.

         Our class is defined by the sheer variety of challenging and exciting endeavors we undertake.  We always look to pursue things we are passionate about and want to share with the world.  Take for example John McCabe’s memorable beat-box/dub step/harmonica solo at this year’s fall awards assembly.  Rye students are a tough crowd to please, and it took real guts to get up on stage and make that performance.  You will never hear a beat-box rendition of Zombie Nation at any other high school, but it should not come as a surprise to anyone here that a Rye Class of 2013 student would be the first to attempt such a feat.  Not every Rye student can beat-box or rap like John McCabe, but each student in our class has a unique passion that he pursues and enjoys to the fullest extent.  We are a diverse class with athletes, musicians, dancers, writers, scholars, artists and many more types of people I can’t hope to define.  But what I do know is that we will continue to do what we enjoy no matter where life leads us in the coming years.

         If doing things we love is our most noticeable trait, then it is worth mentioning that we are willing to risk embarrassment and failure to pursue our passions.  I will always remember how much fun I had at a Greek Dancing lesson on the Greece and Italy trip back in tenth grade.  Anyone who has seen me dance at prom, or any number of sweet sixteen parties knows dancing is not my forte.  But at that lesson in Athens, I wasn’t afraid of looking foolish and neither were any of my classmates.  So we got up and danced with each other and had a great time doing something we might never have gotten the opportunity to do had we been afraid of looking awkward or uncoordinated.  This adventuresome spirit is alive and well in every one of our classmates.  It can be clearly seen in the a capella group singing at regionals, the Parsons Street Players putting on stunning shows, the Model UN club engaging in tough debates, seniors starting their own charities from scratch, or any one of our sports teams making a run in the playoffs.  As you can see, our class lives on the edge between success and failure and thrives on the risks we love to take.

         As individuals, we have accomplished many feats, but one cannot help but notice the strong sense of unity that binds this class.  Behind each intrepid individual are another 218 students supporting and encouraging, celebrating and consoling.  I will never forget the awesome crowds that attended this year’s boy’s basketball games.  The G-Unit chanting Twy Believes after Max’s 1000th point was the ultimate expression of the support our class shows for those who dare to achieve.  It’s no secret to us that Twy believes we will win, but the whole world will believe too when they see just what our class is capable of.

         In an ordinary graduation speech, one would close by telling the class to look back and remember the friendships and accomplishments that made these last four years so enjoyable, but this is no ordinary class.  Yes, we will cherish the bonds we have formed with our teachers and classmates, but more importantly we must remember the things we are passionate about.  Our passions and the risks we take to pursue them transcend high school and will be with us for the rest of our lives.  Class of 2013, welcome every opportunity that comes to you and never be afraid to fail.  Good Luck!