Honors Speech

Here is the draft of my farewell speech tonight. I hope I don't ramble on too much.

Unfortunatley, tonight Koko has her last elementary school choir concert, and I likely will miss it since I'm giving the closing remarks and it's a full dinner with awards and speeches.

Well, I signed on for it, so I'll do my best, though I wish now I would be with my family.

Three honor students will give a farewell before me - here is a quote they will read --

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they bcome habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Wach your character, for it beomces your destiny." Frank Outlaw.

Here is the speech - remember, it's just a rough draft --

On the first day of school this year, I noted a freshman strolling by my room. As he passed I observed his black T-shirt which happened to read “Genius by birth; slacker by choice.” This false sense of entitlement, which is prevalent throughout our society, concerns me greatly.

I thought of that kid a few weeks later when I read an article on American education. The article cited a math contest among 12 nations. When the American students finished their tests, they were given an evaluation calling for them to judge how they thought they performed. According to the students, they thought they finished second. Then the tests were evaluated. In reality, they finished eighth. A false sense of entitlement.

Now what concerns me is not that you sitting in this room are not up to the challenge of meeting your destiny. What absolutely terrifies me, is that so many are not willing to even try.

This refusal to work is what many critics have referred to as the death of the Protestant work ethic - on which this country built. It is what created the American Dream. It is what built America into a dominant economic power.

And currently its status as a dominant economic power is tenuous at best. For you are one of the first generations in American history expected to neither earn as much nor live as comfortably as your parents.

Think about that for a second.

And if you can’t have a better life than your parents, what has happened to the American Dream? What did all the generations before us work so hard for?

They worked hard to attain a better life for their children, but they also tried to improve the world around them. The revivalist movements were born - child labor laws were abolished, schools were built, universities established, women’s rights were championed, unions were formed, social ills were addressed, civil rights were improved, prison reforms were made. Most of our ancestors were not only motivated to provide their children with a better life, but they also sought to have their children live that better life in an even better world.

And right now many of you are reaping the benefits - just look in the parking lot at your vehicles, look at your clothes, look at the money you have to spend, look at all of your gadgets - many of you have it better than any generation in history. But that will not last - at least according to economic theorists.

So I challenge you to recapture that work ethic that has vanished. I challenge you to define the American Dream through your work ethic.

And looking at you, I know some will. But are there some of you out there who haven’t worked? Just ask yourselves, have I given my schooling all of my effort or have I slacked?

If you’ve slacked more than you’ve worked, you might find yourself wearing one of those T-shirts one day.

If you’ve worked harder than you’ve slacked, you offer me hope.

But why work so hard many ask?

I’ll tell you - it leads to happiness. A Russian psychologist - whose name is about yeah long and whose name I shall not try to pronounce - has done extensive research on this. You might have heard of his term - flow. Most of you have certainly experienced it. If you’ve done something where you’re so focused, so prepared and so engaged that you lose track of time, you’ve experienced flow. His studies - across several countries and all economic levels - find that the more often you achieve flow, the richer and happier your life will be.

And notice, flow isn’t linked to buying anything or amassing anything - as our advertisements would lead you to believe. Nor is it linked to slacking. Slacking leads to the opposite of flow - that is to unhappiness - there is no sense of purpose, no sense of accomplishment, no sense of identity. Sound familiar?

So the harder you work, the happier you will be. Whatever it is, it will lead to happiness. And in that I challenge you to work to redefine the American Dream - find a definition not based simply on economic status. Base it being a caring and loving parent, a devoted spouse, a responsible son or daughter, a productive and valuable employee, a passionate volunteer, a model citizen, a caring community member, an eager learner. Let this become your destiny.