Mayor Wayne Smith's Speeches

GRADUATION CEREMONY
INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL, IRVINGTON

Delivered on Monday, June 19, 2006

To the graduating Class of 2006, family, friends, administrators, faculty and staff of Independence High School , it is my privilege to join you all for this most joyous and honorable occasion.

Through the trials and triumphs.struggles and successes.you have made it! You are now poised on the precipice of the rest of your lives. You are entering an exciting new world, just waiting for you to make your mark. Opportunities are abundant, if you are eager to seek them and capitalize on them.

You don't know what life ultimately will have in store for you; however, there are generally acknowledged and accepted principles that will place you on the path to productive citizenship.

Find your niche At some point, you will be looking for a life partner and seeking to start a family. But, before you can click with someone else, you have to click with yourself. Now is the time to get to really know who you are. Find out what it is that motivates you, both in your personal and professional lives.

A hobby or talent can be nurtured and bloom as a financially and personally rewarding career.participation in a community-based organization can lead to a future in public service.

Never let anyone define who you are. Adolescence---and yours is not quite over yet---intensifies the fundamental need to be accepted by your peers. There is nothing wrong with this; you must, however, choose the right peers. The old saying is true: "Birds of a feather flock together." If you surround yourself with those who mock the time-proven concepts of following your dreams or working hard, you will begin to deride them as well. Yes, this is graduation day, but make no mistake---the end of your high school career doesn't mean the end of temptations, like "making a quick buck" or proving your manhood "with the honies."

Ask people who thought that education was uncool if it's hip to struggle with two or three-part-time jobs that don't grant health benefits.to squeeze out the monthly rent payments.or to properly provide for multiple children. They will tell you how they'd approach life differently if they could start over.or had the will to make a fresh start---because it's never too late.

But, while you're young.full of life, dreams and energy.learn to make the right choices now. It's cool to surround yourself with positive peers who share your personal values and philosophies.it's smart to find mentors who can "show you the ropes" and encourage and inspire you.it's chic to be around those who work hard, remain focused and who will be successful.and, it's always in vogue to value and respect your family, who walk beside you on this journey called life.a trip that is alternately fascinating and frustrating..challenging and thrilling.

Through it all, however, remain true to who you are. Careers have ended.marriages have collapsed.opportunities have been squandered.all because people.due to family pressures or societal constraints.betrayed the core of their being.

Set your goals You have decided what you want to do in life. Now, how do you go about it? It is critical that you have a plan.a roadmap that outlines your journey to success. The pathways won't always be as clear as you may think; your plan, therefore, should account for the roadblocks that will inevitably appear.

The purpose of your strategy is to keep you focused on the final destination and not to waver when things don't go according to plan. Your dedication, however, doesn't exclude flexibility when called for.

You cannot be sidetracked if you don't get into your first preference for college.you can attend the school further down on your list and perform well academically, with the goal of transferring to that institution later, if you so choose.

If you don't get the job you want, you can offer your services as a volunteer to "get your foot in the door." Many paying internships and full-time positions have been launched in this manner. There is always a way to make it through.you just have to use your smarts, resources and determination to knock down the doors and make your grand entrance.

Believe in yourself Look at the background of many movers and shakers, and you will find a common theme..summoning the sheer will and internal fortitude to emerge victorious.despite overwhelming odds.whether they be the obstacles of family history---as was the case with entertainment mogul and goodwill ambassador Oprah Winfrey, who overcame a childhood of emotional and physical abuse.in spite of homelessness, which Chris Gardner and his toddler sun endured before he reached down deep into his spirit, simply refused to wallow in poverty and despair, and eventually became a millionaire through the success of the company he founded, Gardner Rick & Company, a multimillion-dollar brokerage firm with offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco.in spite of racism, as so many can attest to.look at the case of golfing pioneer Tiger Woods.at a school where he was the only African American, Woods was tied to a tree by older students who taunted him with racial slurs.at age 16, when Tiger was competing at the LA Open, his first golf tournament, he received several threatening phone calls sprinkled with racial epithets. Yet, he went on to make history on many occasions in one of the last bastions of white-dominated sports.

It would have been so easy for such experiences to sear the spirit of these achievers and make them give up, because quite frankly, many people would have done so. Instead, these experiences made them stronger, more resilient and more determined to make it.

You are stronger than the shackles of racism.that inner voice is more powerful than any media attacking the potential of African American males, especially.you can defeat the gritty realities that others have allowed to derail their dreams.

You have to believe that anything is possible. I know---because I did. A few years ago, when I was running for mayor, I believed that Irvington could rise from the ashes and reclaim its birthright as a proud and prosperous community. Many individuals and institutions had written off Irvington for dead. They said no one would invest in Irvington .that we couldn't deal with crime.that people would continue to walk away from their homes. But, I refused to let the fate of our community be dictated by such dire predictions.

Just four short years later, we have made great progress; let me share a few examples with you.

•  we have restored the Irvington Auxiliary Police, re-opened a police mini-precinct that was closed by the former administration, opened another police mini-precinct and formed a coalition of local, county, state and federal partners, which has decreased criminal activities across the board

•  new housing is going up all over town, from two-family homes to condominium developments, while many others are being renovated

•  new businesses have opened, like Aamco Transmissions; All-Inclusive Bridal Salon, an establishment that can rival any suburban store; Advanced Auto, and Irvington Plumbing Supply, the only such African American-owned enterprise in the state, to name a few. We will be welcoming a second Auto Zone in the next few months.

•  we have achieved and maintained stability of the township's finances, as indicated by our rating with Moody's Financial Services, holding the line on taxes and bringing in about $50 million in private investment and millions more from the public sector

•  we launched a boxing program with a regulation-sized boxing ring at the Chris Gatling Recreation Center, which now has a new playground; opened the East Ward Recreation Center; upgraded our parks with new playground equipment, opened a skate park at Chancellor Park, and started an arts program that teaches creative writing, visual arts, acting and filmmaking; among other initiatives.

A great sense of hope for Irvington 's future has swept across this community. I encourage you, too, to embrace your future with great anticipation, faith and confidence. And when you have made it, give something back.whether it's your time, talents or resources to help others, they way others have helped you.

In closing, let me share with you, this timely and poignant proverb: "Your life is God's gift to you; what you do with it is your gift to Him."

Please accept my deepest appreciation for the opportunity to share this special occasion with you. I wish you the utmost success in all your endeavors. May His blessings eternally abide with you. Thank you.

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