It’s kind of funny that high school graduation is such a big event.  What else is considered such an individual accomplishment that such a high percentage of people in this country also accomplish?  

I think high school graduation is that way because even though there are so many thousands of high school seniors graduating this year, we are still unique.  There were only ever be one William H. Hall High School Class of 2018 – and we are it. We are it today and we will be it together, forever. I can’t imagine a more wonderful club to be in.

Now, whether you went to Whiting Lane, Norfeldt, Bugbee, Morley, Aiken, Smith – we all learned our ABCs, one way or another. We went to kindergarten and we learned how to spell, write and count. We eventually reached this amazing school and learned about health, how to write an argumentative essay, and how to calculate X. However, Hall hasn’t just taught us about the World Wars or how the water cycle works; Hall has affected us in ways that we might not even realize. So I thought I would resort back to my roots, the ABCs, to help describe how William Hall High School has made us all better people:

A is for Abby Zittoun. This winter, Principal Zittoun decided to share his daughter’s cancer diagnosis, and we took it and ran. Clubs at school started posting about fundraisers and the student body wore pajamas to school to help raise money. The support that buzzed around the school was palpable and to outsiders, we had the most school spirit of all during those months. Now with the help of modern medicine and hope of the entire school of William Hall High School, Abby is thriving, and we are so grateful.

B is for Blue Reign. We are so lucky to have a fan section that is as hype and insane as this one. Fans cheering and jumping on the bleachers shows off our immense school spirit and gives us a true high school experience. We will ALWAYS bleed blue and white.

C is for College. For some of us, college is the next step.  Whether you are excited or scared, most of us are ready. This step is HUGE, because we will no longer be with our friends and family. But college is for creating a new family.

D is for Dodgeball. Something so unique about Hall is dodgeball season. When other schools hear about dodgeball season, they ask, “You guys have dodgeball? Does anyone even do it?” I can speak for most of us when I say that dodgeball is one of the most intense seasons at Hall; those packed bleachers and the sound of the ball hitting the gym wall psyches the students.

E is for Email Chains. Last year students began emailing the entire student body if they lost a water bottle or a jacket. However, like some of us right now, a student lost their motivation and emailed the entire student body. Email blew up and the rule that you couldn’t email the entire school was enforced. So just remember, don’t reply, even if you are promoting your SoundCloud.

F is for Friends.  Whether you are leaving with the same friends that you came into high school with or made different ones, we will never forget the memories that we created here.

G is for Grades. Congratulations Class of 2018! We have officially escaped the trap of checking PowerSchool every day or receiving notifications to tell you that your grade has dropped. We no longer have to refresh the entire day after the test to see when your teacher will put your grade in.

H is for Homecoming. Starting our junior year, our amazing SA decided to host homecoming. Gaining that part of our high school experience was pretty cool, especially since spirit week led the way to the dance. Homecoming became a staple at Hall, and it’s so cool that we were there to see the new beginning.

I is for Incoming Freshman. As incoming freshman, we were scared yet excited to start a new chapter in our life.  As we grew during our four years, we lost the braces and the acne to become new people, ready to take on the rest of our lives.

J is for Jazz. Pops ‘N’ Jazz is a staple in West Hartford. With the wonderful mix of singing, dancing, acting, and jazz, Pops ‘N’ Jazz brings out the best talent in Hall High School. From the Choraliers, Concert Jazz Band, and the Jazz Dancers to tech and stage management, the amount of work that is put into this show is as outstanding as the show itself!

K is for Kickboard. Something super special about Hall is our kickboard. Decorating it before senior year is a tradition, as is painting it before big games for sports teams. The layers and layers and layers of paint on that kickboard symbolize the great amount of spirit that we have at Hall.

L is for Last. During our senior year, we have encountered a lot of “lasts.” We had our last first day of high school, our last prom, our last final. This won’t be, however, be the last time we see each other. This isn’t our last hug or goodbye.

M is for Mohegan Sun. This year, our girls basketball team made it all the way to Mohegan Sun in states for the first time in 30 years! Even if we didn’t win like we wanted to, just making it to the state championship and having so many Hall students show up is a win.

N is for National Walk Out. I was one of the first people to get onto the turf during the walk-out and when I took a look back towards Hall, it was a sea of people. People were pouring out of the school to walk out for school safety. To see our school coming together and standing for something was outstanding. The speeches, silence, and chants showed how we can make a difference even if we are young people. Just remember to vote!

O is for Over. Congratulations, you have finally finished 13 full years of school! Being able to come home after practice to a full cooked meal is over. Coming home after school to a stocked cabinet with snacks is over. Your younger days are over and your adulthood starts now.

P is for Prom. Even if the music takes you back to the Bar Mitzvah days, prom is a right of passage for every high schooler. Getting dressed up and taking pictures makes you feel like superstars and prom nights are always remembered.

Q is for Quiet. This letter is a little bit ironic in the sense that the librarians want the library to quiet, but most of the time, it’s not. It will always be remembered for only allowing only four seats to a table and definitely no eating.

R is for Rivalry. Coming into this school freshman year, we became hardcore Hall fans, but when the fight broke out on our home court, we finally understood how deep the rivalry goes. Now, as seniors, we just won our Hall-Conard football game. Those awful visiting bleachers were shaking with pride, especially when the players came over with the well-deserved trophy.

S is for State Champions. In the last two years, boys indoor track and field has won the state championship title. We had photo finishes and amazing runs, with some people even moving onto nationals. Thanks to them for continuing the Hall spirit and giving us another plaque to put up in the trophy case!

T is for Teachers. Teachers are the backbone of this school and some of them have created who we are today. I was visiting a college this spring and the director of the college of education described how “teachers are heart surgeons and brain surgeons because they affect both our heart and mind.”

U is for US News. As many of you know might know, Hall has been recently placed 11th in the state for best public school by US News. More importantly, we were one place above Conard. Making the top 20 was incredible for our school, so congratulations to our teachers, administrators, and students for making that happen.

V is for Voice. It is so important to know that students have a voice in our school. One example of that is our voiced outrage about how the student parking lot works. With only one entrance and exit, traffic gets heavy in the morning and after school. However, the construction has started, so students – we are making a change.

W is for Warriors. The legend lives on throughout families and the spirit lasts a lifetime. All I have to say is, “Once a Warrior, always a Warrior!”

X is for XFINITY Concerts. Throughout the summer, there are always concerts in Hartford that attract students, and it is always fun to see the friends whom you haven’t seen since June. It is so fun to dance with your friends to music from your favorite artists.

Y is for Yale. Last year, our boys hockey team made it to states at Yale University. Making it this far was a huge accomplishment, and the Hall spirit reached them all the way in New Haven.

Z is for Zandra. You want to talk about having an impact on a young person’s life?  There are well over 300 graduates here today, most of whom will have kids at some point in their lifetime.  Zandra, I know I speak for every one of us when I tell you that when we refer to our little children as “Baby Girl” or “Baby Boy,” we will ALWAYS think of you.

Now, many of you may be sighing with relief right now because we are nearing the end of the speech, and most of us, including me, just want to GRADUATE already! I know a lot of people in our parents’ generation will lament about young people, including this year’s graduating class: What “kids today” have been given too easily or don’t appreciate, how we spend too much time on social media, can’t even write a complete sentence anymore, can name all the Kardashians but not our local representative in Congress.  I get it, and some of it may be justified.

But we are also the first generation of graduates who at our age are accepting of all people; we are a generation who stands up to bullies; we look down on injustice like no generation before, and are the first generation of graduates to know that #MeToo is not just a slogan, it is the way we will live our life – standing up for what is right and no longer saying “that’s the way it is.”  So you will excuse us if we have our face in our phones a little too much, care about getting likes or going viral, or obsess over Fortnite. If you think the world is coming at you pretty fast, imagine being 18 and knowing starting this year you are about to head out into that world.  Spending a little time decompressing with funny cat videos can help you relax a little bit.

So too can a place where adults you look up to are encouraging, challenging, believe in you and help you find your way.  Some of us are lucky and have that at home. I think for all of today’s Hall graduates, we know we also found that here. From our teachers and from each other. I think that is what I loved about Hall High School the most.

So here we go.  Thank you Principal Zittoun, Superintendent Moore, administration, Hall faculty and staff, and of course, all of our parents.  To my fellow classmates, and now, fellow graduates we experienced this amazing time together and I will never forget you. We were yesterday, are today, and will always, ALWAYS be WARRIORS.