Brother Rice High School Valedictorian Speech

celebrated a turning point in their lives last Thursday. shared his memories of the last four years and excitement to be one of the many members of the Brother Rice Alumni family.

Relive Brother Rice's graduation by reading Fitzgerald's commencement speech.

Good evening Mr. Odelson, the Board of Directors, Dr. Burns, Mr. Antos, members of the administration, faculty, family, friends, distinguished guests, and my fellow classmates – the graduating class of 2011.  It is a true honor to be speaking before all of you here tonight.

I think I can speak for every person in maroon when I say that these past four years at Brother Rice have been quite an experience.  Stepping into this school as a naïve, immature freshman, I don’t think I ever could have anticipated what was to come over the next few years of my life.  For most of us, freshman year was a time of confusion and always questioning things.  Where should I sit in the cafeteria?  How many times should I stop at my locker for books?  Are the kids in Mr. Hartigan’s room really that bad or does he just love to yell?  Did Brother Hayes work for NASA?  How come Mr. Wazio has so many pictures of some track guy on his walls?  However, when sophomore year came around, we were still aimless and wandering throughout the school, but we were just much louder.  I remember at the end of my freshman year in my math class, Mr. Bergstedt told us to avoid him next year and that he’ll see us when we’re juniors.  I didn’t get it at the time, but as a sophomore I understood full well what he meant.  We may have been obnoxious at times, but we had some immensely brave teachers who volunteered their services to instruct us, and they had the necessary tools to do so.  Mr. Hartigan had the Bible (and coffee), Brother Martin had God, Mr. Molenda had fear, and Mrs. England had Shakespeare.  As we became upperclassmen, we really got the hang of how the school operates and we started to show that growing sense of leadership that our teachers had instilled in us from day one.  The workload may have gotten tougher, but we persevered and got through it with the help of great teachers like Mrs. Seibt and Mr. Dolan, who may appear intimidating, but are actually two of the coolest people around.  Now, here today, after four years of learning, maturing, and growing in faith, it is safe to say that the boys who walked into this school in 2007 are walking out as men of Edmund Ignatius Rice in 2011.

One thing is for certain- a lot has changed over the past four years in our world, from a new president entering the White House to a major economic recession the effects of which we are still feeling to this day.  That same theme of change has impacted our very own school as well. In the wake of a crippling economy, the student and faculty population has sunk below its usual numbers.  Although our numbers may be down, that has not stopped us from receiving the best education in the area, and the spirit of this school has definitely not been shaken.  It is also a true testament to our parents’ dedication and compassion for us that they continue to make the sacrifices to allow us to obtain a well-rounded, Catholic education.  Without their help and support, we would not be where we are sitting here today.

Change has its good and bad effects, but the most important thing that we can do is to stand up and face whatever is thrown our way.  I am extremely confident that, with all of the knowledge that we have gained during our time here and the bonds that we have made with one another, each and every one of us Crusaders is very well-equipped to go out and find success in life.  When I look out at all of the graduates in the crowd, I don’t just see a bunch of guys wanting my speech to end soon so we can get this ceremony over with, I see one big family of brothers that are going to make a great impact on our world in the upcoming years.  And I don’t just see a huge clump of maroon cap and gowns, I see our future politicians, doctors, teachers, businessmen, police officers, fire fighters, servicemen, coaches, and leaders that will soon be the men that future generations will look up to and aspire to be one day. 

Today might prompt the end of our high school years, but it is merely the beginning of a whole new world for us.  Through the constant support and guidance of our teachers and administrators, each one of us has been afforded a great opportunity to excel in our future endeavors.  All of that homework we’ve slaved over, all of those projects we’ve collaborated over, and all of those essays we’ve complained over – all of that hard work has finally paid off.  We ran a four-year gauntlet in terms of the challenges we have faced both in school and on the field, but through our dedication we have come out even stronger on the other end.  Now, our class, the class of 2011, has joined the ranks of a great network of alumni.  And just remember, that no matter where your life may take you, your Brother Rice family will always be there to support you and, like Greg Jennings, put the team on their back.  We may have only spent four years here together, but the wealth of memories, knowledge, and friends that we have made will last us all a lifetime. 

Now, I could probably go on for hours speaking about how our experiences have  guided us to where we are at today, but fortunately for everyone here, I just noticed that my dad is giving me the horn symbol….signifying that tip-off for the Bulls game is steadily approaching….

So, in closing, I would personally like to thank the amazing teachers and staff that have made this journey for us such an amazing experience, as all of their work has helped to mold us into good, Christian men of Edmund Rice.  I also want to thank all of the parents here today, especially my own, for working so hard to allow us to attend such a great school.  Lastly, I’d like to thank each and every one of you guys.  It has been an unbelievable four years and I am honored to have spent every minute with all of you, growing in faith, and friendship, each day.  Though we may be going in many different directions next year, we are all united, we are all brothers, and that bond will never be broken. 

Thank you everyone, and Congratulations to the Crusader Class of 2011.