This afternoon, RHS Class of 2021 Valedictorian Kenneth Choi spoke to fellow graduates at the 150th Annual Ridgefield High School Commencement. Here's what he had to say:
One cold morning this past March, I was sitting comfortably on my desk chair, having just woken up in time for my first-period class. I logged into Google Meet, ready for another day of online school. Not 15 minutes into the first lesson, the fire alarm suddenly rang, the sound blaring out of my speakers. My teacher left the Google Meet open while they escorted the students out of the classroom, leaving us virtual kids awkwardly staring at each other. Although it disrupted the lesson, the fire alarm served as comic relief and brightened up our day, which would be spent staring at a computer screen.
Of course, for most of us, virtual learning was our reality for an entire year, and we are just now fortunate enough to have returned to full in-person school! Teachers are leading their students outside for fun spring activities, our music ensembles pulled off an amazing outside concert last month, and many seniors are physically interning just like they would normally.
It’s surreal to think about how far we’ve come, and freshman year seems so long ago. Four years ago, after graduating middle school, we were nothing but excited to finally be “big kids” and have the academic and social freedoms that come along with high school. Many of us felt limited in the types of classes we could take in middle school, but at high school, we would finally get to select our own courses.
I remember opening the program of studies folder and being absolutely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of courses offered by the high school. We could learn Italian, Oceanography, Accounting—classes which sounded challenging yet intriguing to us.
Starting to take charge of our own education, we began to learn what it really means to learn. And as we understood more about ourselves and figured out how we best learn, we dif erentiated as human beings. We found our place within RHS and the larger community.
As we got more involved with extracurriculars, clubs, and sports, we each became our own person. We found what it is that challenges us, what gets us going. In the process, we constantly joined and moved between new clubs and activities.
Personally, I became involved in and eventually led many of the science and math related activities, including Science Olympiad and Math Team. And I also found strong communities within the music department and online research groups across the nation. In each of my activities, I learned something significant, whether it be teamwork, networking, or interesting science facts.
When COVID came during our junior spring, our academic journeys seemed to hit a roadblock. But, in fact, the pandemic actually caused us to learn more about ourselves. For many of us, we revisited the thought, “what does it really mean to learn?”
Ironically, we were stuck at home, but most of us also had the most freedom during our high school careers. We had no bells to control our schedule, and as a result, we had to be responsible for our own time. We found out that in order to learn, we need to be self-motivated and self-disciplined, even if it means staying alert and attentive in front of a bright computer screen all day. Some of us developed habits that caused us to procrastinate or lose focus in class, but all of us eventually developed the tools we needed to stay on track. And I know that because we’re all sitting here today.
I like to think that the pandemic allowed us to glimpse at our near future, where we will have even greater freedom over our personal and academic selves. As we move onto the rest of our lives, our great journey of self-discovery during these past four years will come to fruition. This fundamental part of our learning and growth was only enhanced by the pandemic, and this collective experience is unique to our class—the class of 2021.
See, in the first half of our high school journey, we learned more about ourselves and our place in the community by joining various extracurriculars and taking classes we found interesting. Then, in the past year and a half, while we continued to find our place, each of us also learned more about how we learn as an individual.
So the question, “what does it mean to learn,” is one that can only be answered by you. Whether or not you have a clear answer to this question, you are leaving RHS with much more insight into how you learn.
I’d like to thank my family, classmates, teachers, and administrators, for a wild four years. I’d like to especially thank my mom for always supporting me and being there for me no matter what. To the Class of 2021, we made it! I hope you find what you’re looking for, and I wish you the courage to go pursue it. Thank you.
Congratulations to the Class of 2021! Click here for additional information regarding graduation and the Class of 2021.