Mr. Susi, Mr. Newton, members of the Board of Education, faculty, staff, and the many other people who have helped make this week possible, I want to personally thank all of you for your hard work and dedication to education and student life. On behalf of a grateful class, we thank all of you for your unwavering support.

It is a tradition here at East Lyme High School that the class president shakes every graduating senior’s hand while we wait to go out onto the field for our ceremony. I remember watching Sumeet Kadian do this last year. Everyone was lined up. We were just moments from walking out, and Mr. Susi was on the megaphone getting everyone ready. You could feel the energy pouring into the school from the thousands of cheering people who were waiting on the field. The excitement from the seniors was overwhelming. It was something I didn't think much of at the time. But I was wrong to think that way. It was a moment in time that I took for granted.

Of course, I thought that I would get to experience my own version of this moment as a senior. What in the world could possibly keep it from happening? Well, here I am, wishing I had that simple, yet gratifying moment to shake all of your hands one last time. I wish I could, because you all have truly meant so much to me and taught me important life lessons as your president — most notably, the value of community and why it is so important not to take a moment for granted. It doesn't matter what friend group you belong to. How popular you are. What kind of grades you have. Where you are going next year. What matters is the memories we have made together. The time we’ve spent growing as a class. I will always cherish this experience.

No one knew that Thursday, March 12th would be our last day of high school. The last day we would see our teachers. The last day we would eat lunch together in the commons. The last day we would walk the halls as high school students. We were supposed to breeze through our final months of academics together, dance our hearts out at our senior prom and enjoy a final trip as a class. We were supposed to be together here, on this field, as graduating seniors today. In decorated caps, walking out together to our class song. But instead, I am addressing empty bleachers and a desolate field.

We can't change our past. But we can rise to the occasion and meet our future. The world was facing new challenges when we entered it. We are a class that was born amid and in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks on our nation. We've grown up during an era of monumental change. And now, our senior year, one of the most important years of our youth, has been ripped away from us because of an invisible enemy. The world is again having to change and adapt to a new way of life. We’ve seen this before. But this time things are different. It’s our time to lead. It’s our time to show the world what the new generation of young people are made of. So let’s show the world who we are. Let’s not live our lives waiting for the perfect moment to make things happen. We, as seniors graduating from high school during a pandemic, may understand the importance of not taking our time for granted more than many. Don’t waste opportunities when they arise. Don’t wait until “next time.” Don’t defer a chance to spend time with your family or friends. Let’s make our dreams and aspirations become reality. And let’s appreciate every chance we get to spend time with each other. We may not have gotten the chance to walk across a stage together as students and to gather our families here today to celebrate our accomplishments. But that does not mean that those accomplishments didn’t happen. This moment is still real. Be proud of yourselves and value this time. And when you move on from here, make every moment count.

Our lives are too short to live with regret. There is not enough time to become stagnant and live a “normal” life. We are meant to explore, discover, and create change. We are the up-and-coming generation, and the spotlight will soon be on us. It will not be easy. We will tumble and fall, fail many times, and feel dejected. But if anything, we know what it’s like to be disappointed and to lose an opportunity. We lost part of our high school experience, but we did not lose our will to keep going. We did not give in or give up. We took it as motivation to work ten times harder to reach that goal, to pursue that dream, and to truly appreciate the journey along the way.

I expect big things from you, Class of 2020. And I know you will not disappoint. This is just the beginning of the many challenges we may face as we journey into the real world. Congratulations and I wish you all the best as you take your next steps.

(Jack LeBeau is the President of the Class of 2020 of East Lyme High School.)