Graduation Day at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy

About a month ago, I was asked by one of my favorite high school teachers (and the Vice-Principal of the school), Mrs. Sadler, if I would deliver the commencement address at this year's graduation. I accepted immediately, started getting my thoughts together, made a visit my high school to be further inspired, and wrote my speech. And today, I get to deliver it. And in my Stanford graduation gown! I am really, really excited. By the way, a cool by-product of facing "the cancer" is that I'm no longer nervous AT ALL before or during public speaking. If picking it out and pouring it in doesn't freak me out, speeches don't either.

My high school, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, was my dream high school. It is an all-girls, Catholic high school (with uniforms and the whole nine) that boasts a truly unique and close-knit community. For me, it was love at first sight. I distinctly remember the day I first visited Flintridge, as an 8th grader attempting to gain admission into the school and about to have my admissions interview. I sat in the back seat as my parents drove me to La Canada-Flintridge and up the hill that the school sits beautifully upon, adjusting my skirt and blazer, hoping that this would be the place I'd make my home for four years. 

My interview was with Mrs. Sadler, which always makes me smile because back then, neither of us would have known that we would become such good friends and that she would be attending my wedding at Stanford over a decade later. I was so impressed with Mrs. Sadler and her careful, thoughtful questions, and I guess the feeling was mutual. I received the first place merit scholarship to the school. I cried tears of joy when I opened my acceptance letter and found out about the scholarship.

The next four years were just as great as I had hoped. During my time at Flintridge, I was a tri-sport athlete -- volleyball, basketball, and softball -- and managed to graduate with a couple of points above a 4.0. I took lots of AP exams, was our student body Vice-President, was a leader of our senior Kairos retreat, and loved every second of my high school experience. I delivered the salutatorian address at my graduation day in 2000. 

Eleven years later, and a world of experience later, I am honored to address the Class of 2011. In case you're itching for a sneak peek of my speech, I'll give it to you. This little paragraph is in the context of my discussing my diagnosis and my approach to kicking the crap out of cancer:

The more I think about my approach to my disease -- the fearless, faith-based, confident approach -- the more I know that much of who I am, especially in challenging times -- was developed at Flintridge. The things that are so important to our development here at Flintridge -- integrity, hard work, and good character -- are exactly what carried me through every challenge and opportunity in my life. In so many ways, my time at Flintridge made me into the woman I am. 

I am truly thankful for my years at Flintridge, and have never forgotten how wonderful my high school experience really was. I'll never forget the incredible teachers that helped shape me into a super-smart and super-confident young woman, my classmates who provided the love, friendship, and support that made us sisters, and all the experiences that built up my strength, courage, and humor to confront even the toughest of challenges. I look forward to imparting all my wisdom, for what it's worth, to the graduates today, and I hope they're all experiencing their big day in super-HD.