—Ari Dor ‘23
Hello! My name is Ari Dor. Next year, I will be headed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to become a Mechanical and Propulsion Engineer. Today I’d like to speak about Watershed’s Senior Class, first as a group of people, and then more as a concept, for the sake of our rising seniors.
Before me are people with futures so bright, I need sunglasses. These soon-to-be graduates are going to be important people, because they all share wide and informed perspectives on global events, true people skills, and a love for learning. Now don't get me wrong-- most people, by the end of their lives, have these skills. Most people, by the end of their lives, have the life experience required to gain these skills. In that way, we’re not special. But we have these skills at 18. We get to put them to work early, become adults, join the workforce, go to college, as these educated, passionate, worldly people. In essence, we get to start making positive change in the world as soon as we exit high school. And the thing is, I can really see every single person in this class doing just that. I can look everybody here in the eyes and picture them doing meaningful things in the world. Creating medicines that will save lives, creating technologies that will feed people, creating pieces of art that truly change people's perspectives. In all, creating music to people's ears-- in some cases, literally. And in my case, helping make life multiplanetary. All of these are important goals and here before you are the people who can and will achieve them.
Now let’s zoom out, to a more conceptual view of a senior class. The way I see it, the goal of the seniors is to be the group that younger students and staff members alike come to with questions, concerns, or ideas regarding the school. They are, generally speaking, the most trusted voice that represents the student body. In other words, seniors have real power at Watershed. And, (I’m going to say it again), generally speaking, we use it well. And as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. So, my rising seniors, let me offer you a few words of advice.
While it’s true that later in senior year, your grades don’t matter to a degree that some of your teachers will stop telling you what they are for fear of you worrying about it, you do take on a new responsibility to fill the gap that grades leave behind. You are given, whether you like it or not, a position of authority. That is, younger students of all ages will listen to you and pay attention to you in ways you may have only seen before from an admiring younger sibling. This is because high school seniors are WAY cooler to our younger peers than ANY grown adult with authority over them. And at Watershed, those adults put that fact to use. This puts you in a weird spot, where you have direct and pretty unfiltered communication with the student body, and you have enough authority to use that communication for real, school-altering, life-improving decisions, such as becoming a teacher's assistant that teaches too, or influencing educator hires like never before. Like I said, great responsibility. But I’m not worried about it. I know Watershed has taught you all well.
So next year, walk in like you own the place. Not because you really do, but because by then, you will have the biggest share you’ll ever get. And I’m sure you’ll use it to make good people, just as Watershed has been trying to do all these years. Now, one more thing: Don’t only guide your younger students verbally or by experience. Guide them by example too. You want the little 6th and 7th graders to come to Watershed on day one and look up at you and think, “I want to be like them.” Like I said, we’re all here to make people like this [class of 2023] in the first place. So please, make the place yours. You got this.
Thank you.
