As the school year came to a close, Nayleth Lopez-Lopez was awarded the honor of performing the student graduation speech for the class of 2019 graduation. Below is the transcription.
Luke 12:48. No, I did not take that from a student-athlete’s instagram bio. Luke chapter 12, verse 48 actually contains a phrase that has always lingered in the back of my mind, coming to me multiple times over the course of the four years of my time in high school. Simply put, it states that “to whom much is given, much is expected.” It feels like all of us are always being reminded of just how lucky we are to be able to go to school here. And with very good reason, I think. Entering the Newton Public School system in kindergarten as a METCO student has made me acutely aware of just how fortunate I have been to attend school with all of you for the past 12 years, and to be taught by all of my amazing teachers. I remember the first time I stepped off of the Boston bus and rolled up to Angier Elementary, my Dora backpack fitting snugly on my shoulders, completely unaware that those would be my first steps into this new city, this new world, that would influence me in ways I never imagined, and allow me to accomplish some of my wildest dreams.
But I would not be telling the entire story if I said that I haven’t buckled under the weight of the expectations that I have carried on my shoulders. I remember driving home with my dad one day after school, and as we drove down the slope towards my house, I had tears flowing down my cheeks, wondering aloud whether I had done enough with my life and with all of the things that God, that Newton, that my family had granted me the opportunity to do. I felt as if I was just wasting these gifts and my potential, and that I should have done so much more with my life by that point. If you couldn’t tell by now, my astrological sign is Leo. Mercury must have been in retrograde, because I was reaching peak melodrama and angst, having my own mid-life crisis at 16, lamenting and resenting the stress that I felt as I searched to be enough, searched to add up all of my effort and accomplishments to see if they amounted to something I could be proud of. But looking back on that moment, I wonder whose expectations I was trying to reach. I’m honestly not really sure who I was trying to impress. Of course, I wanted to do and be my best for my family and for myself, but to whom was I comparing myself? Was it to my peers, who always seemed so focused and perfect and put together? Was it to my parents, who have the quintessential inspirational immigrant story that I carry within myself, a story of hard work and dedication and the quest for a better future?
This was not the last time I would question myself and my journey. And I know that so many of us have gone through the same experience: wondering if we will ever be enough, if we will ever measure up to expectations. As we move into the future, these are questions that will continue to follow us. With all that we are given, all the privileges and platforms and power, what shall people expect of us? What will we expect of ourselves? At some point or another, I’ve talked to many friends who tell me that they sometimes hate the fact that they must feel so grateful for everything they have been given, things that they never even asked for.
But I believe that in order to create lives where we feel genuinely grateful and accepting of privilege, we must realize two things. First, we ALL have privilege, and that’s okay! Each of us has gifts and advantages that we’re just born with, that we didn’t ask for. For example, I didn’t ask to be this cute. But here I am. Second, we should stop looking at our privileges as burdens and use them to work on ourselves and, most importantly, use them to uplift and empower others whenever we can. I know that I have been blessed with a powerful voice, and so, I have tried to use it to the best of my ability, whether it be in Speech or Courageous Conversations or School Committee or simply talking to my friends, to improve my community however I can. Thanks to six years of orthodontics, I know that I have been blessed with a dazzling smile, and so, I try to spread my joy and positivity to those around me. Any self-doubt that I may have goes away when I realize that I, just like all of you, can use all that has been given to us in order to give back to others. It is my sincerest hope, that all of you, my amazingly talented classmates and friends, continue to use your privileges in order to make ripples that grow into waves that change the world, armed with the knowledge that we only we can define ourselves, and that the only expectations that matter are the ones that we set for ourselves.
So let us humble, and grateful, and thankful. My words can’t possibly convey all my thanks to the following people, but I guess I’m gonna try. To my family: los amo con todo mi corazón. Mami, Papi, Abuela, Hellen, Joshy: I would not be the person I am today without your constant stream of love, support, and advice. You inspire me every day to seize every opportunity. With dedication and determination, I know that the sky is the limit. To my friends: thank you for riding through all the highs and lows with me, for making me laugh til my abs hurt, scream-singing in the car with me, and hugging me when I cry. To my teachers: thank you for giving me knowledge that extends even outside of the classroom, for teaching me to think critically, and for believing in me even when I wanted to quit. Every year, you have helped me grow. With everything that you have given to all of us, you deserve only the utmost respect. Class of 2019, it has been an honor to serve with you and alongside you for the past four years. Although it’s been the best of times and the worst of times, we have made it through together as a strong community of leaders. May we stay rowdy, stay restless, and stay hungry. We did it!
