Kentridge grad Todd Lane shares thoughts for future

Editor’s note: The following is a speech given by 2008 Kentridge High School graduate Todd Lane at the Rotary Club of Kent spring scholarship banquet based on the prompt, “My hopes for the future.” Lane was one of eight district students to be presented with a $3,000 scholarship at the event.

I was asked to share with you my hopes for the future. And to be honest, when I was first told this, I thought, “What a cliché prompt.”

Because really, I would bet that most all of us students are hoping for relatively the same things when it comes to our future: to go to college, have a great time there, graduate with a major in a field that we hope to get a job in, go get a job and lead an overall successful life. And at the same time, I did not want to get all political on you either, talking about how I hope for world peace and such, despite the fact that we all know our world needs it.

So, how is what I am hoping for special?

After thinking about this for some time, I realized that at this time in my life, about to graduate high school and go on to the next stage called college, I have really valued these last four years and believe I have had an absolutely exhilarating high-school experience. And my hope for the future would be that students of future classes will be able to share an experience similar to mine, full of fun, excitement and life-long memories.

I hope that these students will be able to attend a high school like Kentridge and experience the incredible school spirit, exceptional teachers and academics, diverse student population and activities that a school like Kentridge has to offer. I hope that they will get involved in their community and school and discover how fulfilling it is to give back. I hope that these future students will be able to find something that they are passionate about and pursue and fulfill that passion. I hope that they will join a sports team and experience the camaraderie, dedication and fun that goes along with being a part of a team. I hope that they travel and make an effort to broaden their world views and understand that there is such a bigger world that exists outside of the city of Kent.

Now, this is going to sound rather biased, but I hope that all future students will participate in band or some kind of music group. Because in no other class will they be with the same students all four years and have the relationships that are formed with these people who all share a similar passion of music.

I hope that students will be able to be a part of a drama production of some kind and be inspired by a director like Mrs. Grajewski, who can turn any high-school student into a star on the stage.

I hope that these students will be able to learn from teachers, such as the great Mrs. Taimi, hilarious Mr. Armstrong, inspiring Mr. Baldock or crazy Mrs. Henderson. All of them have a deep passion and excitement for what they teach, care about their students, and are the best at what they do. I don’t know anybody who gets more excited or has more favorite math problems than Mrs. Taimi.

I would hope that these students make an effort to get know and appreciate the people that are often taken for granted by others — people like Denny, Harold and Ed, whose kind hearts, dedication and willingness to help always help make them much more than just custodians, but rather an integral part of the high school. Or people like Donna the Lunch Lady, as we call her, who students can learn to joke and kid around with, and who is usually willing to cut you a break when you might not have as much money in your lunch account as you thought you did. Or even people like Pete Haroldson, who always has a great story to share with you as he drives your team on the bus to a game and whose smile and laugh can’t help but make you smile and laugh yourself.

I also hope that these students fail in one way or another, whether it is bombing an English essay, murdering a solo in a concert or finishing in second to last place in a cross country meet. All of these things I have done, and I believe these are the things that make you a stronger person and teach you not to take life too seriously.

At the same time, I hope they excel and get recognized for their work, whatever it may be. I hope that they can learn from parents like mine who have shaped me into the person I am and have always supported me in all that I do and never placed limits on me.

Lastly, I hope that these students will find friends and people in their high-school years that they can share all these experiences with and form the memories that we hope will last forever. This is what my high-school career has been, not just for me, but for many graduating students throughout this district, all of whom believe we have had the ultimate high-school experience. I hope that future students will be able to find the enjoyment, excitement and growth that I have come away from high school with.

Now I am heading off to Santa Clara University to major in business with the same philosophy that I used in high school, and that is: You have to make the most of something you are only given once, whether that is high school, college or life.

Thank you once again for this opportunity, and thank you for listening.