Ferris grads a rainbow

Trying to describe a graduating class of almost 400 individuals in a brief article is like photographing a rainbow in black and white.

Doing so would reduce the contributions of each individual into mere shades of gray.

The unique character and talents of each graduate contribute to the complex nature of our class.

To be frank, the only reason this diverse group is defined as a class is because we share a common graduation date.

Come Saturday, we will take our diplomas in hand and leave the Arena as high school graduates.

Graduation is the end of “hand holding” and the beginning of independence.

With the basics of education behind us, our future now depends on our response to a limitless number of opportunities rather than to a given set of options.

(And let us hope we have been prepared sufficiently to respond responsibly to these opportunities, as we are your future taxpayers, voters and neighbors.)

Quite simply, graduation is a doorway from one stage of life into another.

As we transition into this next stage, our unique personalities and talents will continue to develop as we find our places in the world.

Thus far, our journey has been trying, yet rewarding, leading to this common point – graduation.

As graduates, we will bring all our individual qualities and potentials into the wider world and disperse along a multitude of paths leading to our own unique niches in life.