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I came to Kennedale in the 2013-14 school year as an Assistant Principal at Kennedale Junior High School. You were 7th graders. I can still remember being taller than most of our basketball players. {{more: continue …}}?From the very start, I knew that you were a unique and extremely talented group of students. But more importantly, I knew that you had something in you that not every group of students has: You had that fire. You had that passion. You had that competitive spirit. You had that ?we can do anything attitude.??The Class of 2019 can best be described as the group that not only had the ability to achieve excellence, but the group had the drive, the willingness, and the attitude to follow through. I guess what I am trying to say is the Class of 2019 has ?spunk.??
Time and again, you have proven me right. Each time we challenged you, your group rose to the occasion and set new standards of excellence in Kennedale ISD. During that 7th Grade year, you helped lead the way in earning 6 Academic Distinctions at the junior high school. This was a new standard of excellence in Kennedale. The following year, I had the honor and the privilege of becoming your Principal at the junior high. And, you kept getting better. That year was certainly an omen of things to come. Through your leadership, you won a UIL Academic District Championship, and you helped earn 5 more Academic Distinctions for Kennedale Junior High School.
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In high school, you were successful in almost everything. You have shined at Regional, State, and National competitions. And, in a stroke of luck, when you were Juniors, I again got to be your Principal. As upperclassmen, I have seen the direct impact of your leadership and dedication.
- As sophomores, you were a Top 10 marching band in the State?As Seniors, you were a Top 5 marching band. This year, for the first time in Kennedale ISD history, every band in Kennedale ISD received Division I ratings at UIL Concert and Sight-reading competitions.
- During your tenure at KHS, record numbers of choir students have qualified for the State solo and ensemble contests.?
- In theatre, the musicals got more elaborate, and this year, for the first time in Class 4A, our theatre troop qualified for the UIL Regional One Act Play contest.?
- You have won UIL Academic District Championships 3 times, and this year, 44 students from Kennedale High School qualified for Regionals, and Kennedale High School was the Runner-Up for the 2019 Region II UIL Academic Championship (in a region with 50 schools.)?
- To top it off, Kennedale High School had 11 UIL Academic State qualifiers, most of whom were Seniors, and at the State Contest our Computer Science and Science Teams placed 3rd.?
- Last year, you led the way, helping Kennedale High School earn 4 Academic Distinctions, the most distinctions ever earned at Kennedale High School in the STAAR era. Last week, we got our STAAR results back for 2019. I am proud to say that because you raised the bar at Kennedale High School, we have set new achievement standards in the Approaches, Meets, and Mastered categories, when you combine all STAAR tests taken.?
- While you have been at Kennedale High School, you have also set new highs in SAT and ACT participation, in the number of students meeting the college readiness standards on the TSI, in the number of AP tests taken, in the number of students who took one or more AP tests, in the percentage of students enrolled in Career and Technical Education courses, and in the number of students obtaining Career and Technical Industry Certifications.?
I don?t know how our final campus report card will turn out, but I know that you, by almost every academic measure, have helped make Kennedale High School a great public high school??.a place that, many years from now, I know you will be proud to call home.
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Now, I don?t want the audience to think this group is just a bunch ?Smarty Cats.? There are lots of leaders in this group.
- The KHS Student Council was just named Outstanding Student Council by the TASC. This group has heart. I remember the Key Club and National Honor Society students organizing supply relief for people and pets affected by Hurricane Harvey. And, students in our PAL practicum and Big/Little programs have dedicated themselves to serving and mentoring their fellow students.?
- And, this group is pretty nimble. They have played in a State championship football game. They have won a State Soccer Championship. They have placed as individuals and teams at the State level in Cheerleading, Powerlifting, Track, and Archery. And, they have made strong playoff runs and excelled in cross country, basketball, softball, baseball, and volleyball.
Yes, this group can do it all. There is no doubt this group can accomplish anything. So, the question at the back of the mind of everyone in this audience is, ?What is next for this group of talented young people?? And, I don?t have the answer for that question. But, I can tell you that because of the teachers??because of the community members??and because of the parents in the audience, the Class of 2019 has been given a strong foundation from which to make their way into the big world ahead.
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I have estimated that our Wildcats now have more than 2 million dollars of scholarships in their pocket, which includes scholarships from our local civic organizations. Twelve members of the Class of 2019 have enlisted in the military: 5 in the US Marines, 3 in the US Navy, 2 in US Air Force, 1 in the US Army, and 1 in the National Guard. Our students have been accepted into colleges around the United States, including colleges in Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Florida, and Connecticut. From the Big 12 to the SEC to the Ivy League, our Wildcats will be leaders of the pack.
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I want to take a moment and thank the parents who chose to send their kids to Kennedale ISD and Kennedale High School. And, I want to thank our community for the endless support that you have provided these young men and women.?
In my final words to Class of 2019, I am extremely proud of every one of you. I have been with you longer than any other group students in my career.
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A long time from now, remember to reach out and thank those teachers who pushed you to your limits. They were ones who built your character and your grit. Remember to thank your parents. They are responsible for giving you this opportunity and getting you to this day.?And, remember where you came from. This community??this school??this place?.helped shape you and nurtured your fire, your passion, and that ?spunk? that makes you special.?
Good night, and good luck!!!
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Note: This is the written copy of the speech given to the seniors on May 27, 2019 at their graduation.?
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