St. Charles North High School

by Nirupa Kartha, Class President, Class of 2004
Sunday, May 30, 2004

The Principal, Teachers and Counselors, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

For four memorable years, I have lived with an extraordinary family of committed teachers, compassionate counselors, commendable parents and truly incomparable brothers and sisters. Now, as I stand here this last time, facing all of you together and trying to raise my choking voice to bid you farewell, my heart tells me, I am not leaving a place called high school, but a home called St. Charles North.

Moments ago, as we seniors marched together and entered this stadium, the distant echoes of several cheering voices of several high school events gone by, filled my ears. My heart swelled with emotion. Yes, there were two people less to cheer with and two people less to walk with during this ceremony but they left us only to reside in our hearts for all time. Yes, this was the stadium where our minds and bodies leapt, not as much to set new records or achieve new goals, but leapt to establish brotherhood, oneness and the unique spirit of the St. Charles North community. My heart stops now to think that those dramatic four years filled with events will soon be reduced to the flat pages of our yearbook — pages to be flipped over a coffee table or while lying on a couch, some other place, some other time from now.

Weeks ago, sitting at my desk, I was writing this note to the parents for the Principal’s Newsletter. I wrote about the class of 2004 having already seen many "lasts"; I wrote about the "First in Four" leaving a lasting legacy at SCN. And then I put my pen down and traced my way back through that memorable four-year voyage of discovery -- sailing smoothly through deep waters of knowledge, starlit with an abundance of individual achievements, steered by eminent navigators and guided by one blue, unmistakable North Star -- the symbol that reminded us all that the voyage had a destination and that we would all arrive not only triumphant but loaded with treasured traditions!

And triumphant we are because of the untiring efforts of all our dedicated teachers and counselors -- triumphant we are because of the undying support we received from committed parents. And what are those treasured traditions we gathered to leave behind after we go? Not just trunks full of events, celebration and recognition but the undying spirit of brotherhood — of being able to simply laugh and sing as one — of feeling a sense of passionate belonging to St. Charles North.

Friends, one voyage is over and another is about to begin. But this time, each one of us has been readied to captain his her or own ship, readied to seek adventure in a whole sea of opportunities with confidence, command and courage. Thomas Carlyle said, “The present is the living sum-total of the Past”. Friends, what an admirable sum-total the “First in Four” has made at St. Charles North! Each one of you has been responsible for this sum-total and I cannot conclude this talk without expressing my heartfelt gratitude for your invaluable efforts and selfless cooperation.

Red Gate Road that led us to this red brick building, day after day, will soon become things of the past. Our backpacks will find a quiet corner somewhere and our class medallions will seek the dark isolation of a closed drawer. But I assure, the hearts of the class of 2004 will always beat to the twinkling pulse of the blue North Star.

Maybe months from now, maybe years from now, we will be back again to partake of that legacy we now leave behind at St. Charles North. And, if you ask me, ladies and gentleman, what that legacy is, my answer will be, “the pure joy of being able to laugh and sing as one, without refrain, without disdain.” I can add to this statement only with Walt Disney’s endearing words, “that precious, ageless something in every human being which makes us play with children’s toys and laugh at silly things and sing and dream!”

Thank you for allowing me to serve you as your class president. It has been an honor. Congratulations Class of 2004 — Good Luck and farewell to you all!