My Valedictorian Speech
I always say that COVID-19 was the biggest blessing of my life. Most people look at me like I’ve just announced I’m running for president of Mars. Many people are surprised to hear this, and I understand why. For most, it was a time of distress and loss. And I felt that too. But the truth is without COVID, The Socratic Experience wouldn’t have grown into the remarkable community it is today, and many of us, myself included, might never have discovered it.
TSE is the reason I wake up excited, why I am sure I want to be an entrepreneur, and ultimately, why I still love learning. At the age of two, I was enrolled in a small Montessori school in rural Illinois. Education to me meant curiosity and discovery about the world. I had no concept of what grades or levels meant, as there were no such comparisons. We learned by doing, and for many years, I was oblivious to how learning looked just down the street at the local public school and the Christian private school.
This story changed when I was eight. My Montessori school, which I had loved so dearly, shut down, and I was faced with attending a traditional public school. I still remember the feeling of walking into my third-grade classroom and being in a ‘real’ school, with rows of desks and behavior charts. I soon realized what it took to succeed here wasn’t curiosity, or how you applied what you learned to the real world, or the depth of your questions. Rather, success was about how well students performed on paper. Talking and questioning in class was no longer allowed, the curriculum was structured independently with no relation to other subjects, and being quiet and still was expected.
Soon enough, grades became my new measure of success. I believed that not questioning, not being overly curious, staying silent, and getting an A+ was what a ‘good’ student did. I didn’t dispute it, and neither did my peers. Now, six years later, I can confidently look back and say that the sad reality is that for the vast majority of students – this is normal.
The real problem was not only the constraints of curiosity itself, but that I didn’t even recognize this lack until something unexpected happened. COVID-19 struck, and the world paused, disrupting every aspect of human life. For many, it was a period of uncertainty about how their lives would continue, but for me, it was my turning point and a return to the educational paradigm that I didn’t even realize I was missing.
Moving my education online highlighted the inadequacies of my previous schooling. As our world went digital, new schooling opportunities emerged, leading me to the Academy of Thought and Industry and later to The Socratic Experience. It was here at TSE that I felt inspired again, the same way I had years prior in my Montessori classroom. Community, even though we were online, developed much quicker than it did in public school. We engaged in Socratic discussions on great works and were challenged to problem solve and think strategically–a place where questioning and thinking deeply were encouraged. I felt alive.
It reminds me of the words often attributed to Einstein: "Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." It was only at this point that I realized I was that fish, and I could finally swim.
What made TSE even more special was that our community spanned the globe. My peers and I came from different backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, which enriched every discussion and broadened our understanding of the world. We were united not by our similarities, but by our shared commitment to think deeply and make a difference. Honestly, our community is so global, I’ve learned to calculate time zones faster than I can unmute myself on Zoom.
For the past three years of being part of the TSE community, I’ve witnessed firsthand how TSE transforms students—and in doing so, shapes the future. I am confident that every member of the class of 2025 will go on to become powerful, independent individuals, forging their own paths through life.
Recently, I came across a quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald that resonates deeply with me and because of the nature of this school I believe it will with you as well: "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." This perfectly encapsulates what I found at TSE—a place where curiosity and open-mindedness are not just encouraged, but truly essential. Here, disagreement isn’t an offense; it’s an invitation to improve your own thinking. We’ve learned that the best way to think is together.
As the African proverb goes: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Together, we have challenged and supported each other, growing into individuals ready to leave a meaningful mark on the world. I have no doubt that the Socratic Experience class of 2025 will not only continue the legacy of those who came before us, but will also inspire the graduates yet to come.
Finally, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." That, I believe, is the greatest gift TSE has given us: the confidence and ability to forge our own paths, embrace our individuality, and step into the future with purpose.
Before I close, I want to take a moment to thank those who made this journey possible:
To our Guides: Thank you for preparing us for the journey of life, providing us with the materials and wisdom for a well-rounded education, and for always encouraging us to think for ourselves.
To our mentors: Thank you for your unwavering support and for being there every step of the way, offering guidance and perspective when we needed it most.
To our parents and families: Thank you for your patience, your encouragement, and your belief in us—even when the path was uncertain.
But most of all, to my fellow students: We all know, after attending this school, that none of this would work without each other. We are the teachers of our own minds and the guides for one another.
Congratulations to the class of 2025. I can’t wait to see where the world takes us—or better yet, where we take the world.