Looking Around
2022 Commencement Speech by Chris Dai
Often, I find myself reflecting upon my surroundings, and what I see is a town full of warm, kind-hearted people.
For example, when I look around this campus, I see that teachers at Magnolia High School do so much more than just teach their students – they become parental figures. The love teachers extend to their students on this campus is truly unbelievable. It is a phenomenon that inspires me to find a way to repay them for their dedication, but tonight I can only say thank you.
When I look around Magnolia, I see people in our community treating other people with unconditional kindness. This always invokes a desire within me to be equally kind to the people whom I interact with. At the local church where I attend, I am always being greeted warmly by people I am not familiar with. These people act so kindly that their actions make me proud to be a Magnolian.
When I look outside of Magnolia, I sometimes hear news about a general decline in the quality of education in the United States. Hearing about lower education standards in underserved areas inspires me to serve my country by being a high-quality educator in the future. I believe that a child in any public school across the country should have the opportunity for an education equal to mine.
When I look around this arena, I see the Class of 2022 grateful for their start on life, ready and eager to move on with their lives.
To say that I am grateful for the community that has allowed me to flourish is an understatement. The people of Magnolia have my life-long gratitude for allowing me to succeed at what I do, and I challenge my classmates to fill their future lives with kindness, dedication, and gratitude.