Class of 2020: Clovis North High School

Clovis North High School 2020 Graduation Speeches

Speaker: Isabella Dickinson

In the autumn of 2010, I received news that would impact me forever. It was just a normal day in third grade – tetherball, tag, and asking people for food during recess. But I had no idea the news I was about to find out. I walked into the library with my classmates as the nurses administered a test on all of us. Soon, it was my turn. After a brief moment, the nurse looked into my eyes and with a serious, sobering demeanor she said, Congratulations Miss Dickinson! You have 20/20 vision! That’s right, PERFECT vision. If any and everything in my life were to fall apart at once, at least I can watch it crumble in High Definition. And not only that, the fact that I was graduating in 2020 made me feel like I could perform X-Rays. Everything, including my future, was crystal clear. That is… until it wasn’t anymore.

2020 was supposed to be the year of flying cars, the iPhone 14, the perfect graduation. We were all completely blindsided when a sudden pandemic snatched all of this away. As all of it began, I remember whispering to the person next to me in 7th period that there is NO. WAY. our school would shut down. I remember how hours later, my swim coach told me school was, in fact, out… and that my senior season is essentially over. I thought back to the moments I spent teasing my older friends about not having a cool year to graduate in. And my mind wandered back to my 7th grade year. I thought back to our 7th grade T-Shirt “The Class of 2020 – A perfect vision for our future.” The shirt that told me I’d know exactly where I’d be at this time, that told me I was going to have a clear path to graduation, that told me I was going to have a perfect vision for my future. How ironic, that all of a sudden, this perfect vision has turned into complete blindness? Every day, the situation changes, the state of the country alters, the news headlines say something different. It’s unpredictable, it’s unprecedented, and it’s a very imperfect view of what the next day will hold. How are we expected to plan our future when our perfectly crafted plans have been altered? When we are unsure if we are able to leave our house? When the present is the only thing that seems truly real?

But, as this has gone on, I have also noticed something else. I’ve noticed that even without this perfect vision, we have risen to the challenge. I’ve realized that in life, nothing truly has a perfect vision, nothing is promised, and things can change in an instant. I believe that the Class of 2020, the class standing behind me, will be one of the most successful generations for years to come. Why? Because we know what it’s like to have the comfort and security of a predictable future stripped from us. We know what it’s like to wake up one day and realize, ‘oh wait, I’m not going to high school anymore.’ They know what it’s like to value education after it’s been taken from them. These people understand that they need to be assertive to make it in the world, because nothing, nothing, is promised. This class is strong, and people don’t need perfect vision to see that.

But this class isn’t strong on their own accord. They are strong because of every parent, every teacher and every family member that has been a guide in their journey. They have always had a perfect vision for our success, and they have exercised every resource to fulfill that vision. Although this day is not the same heat-stricken, marathon hugging, traditional graduation we all thought we’d have, we are here today because of them. They are in this together along with us, for we are not the only ones who feel lost in this time. In spite of all of this, they allow us to retain the vision we’ve lost, to make us feel like we are returning to normalcy. They have fought for our future to be bright, and although it is blurry right now, they are guiding us to see the light.

In this world, in this year, 2020, we’ve discovered the truth of what really matters. We’ve discovered the value of being able to run and jump into the arms of those we love. We’ve discovered the importance of sacrifice, and making sure we ignore our selfish impulses to protect the lives of others. We’ve discovered the need for unity, even if this unity is not physical. But most importantly, we’ve also discovered that we need to live for today as there is no promise that tomorrow stands. We are the future, but we are also the now. We are the class of 2020, and we will forever be the ones who persevered, the ones who will continue to persevere through the uncertainties of tomorrow. We may not have a perfect vision for our future, but we have a perfect vision of the present, and when we live in the present with all of our soul, all of our heart and all of our mind, we never have to fear that which is unseen.

Principal’s note

Ladies and gentlemen, I am extremely proud to present this incredible group of seniors to our community. As I reflect upon the Class of 2020 and their many accomplishments, I find myself struggling for just the right words to convey the admiration I have for this group. The Class of 2020 will always be a special group because of the mark they left and the triumphs they have overcome.

Typically, it is my responsibility to stand before you and reiterate the many wonderful accomplishments and exceptional individuals leaving Clovis North High School. However, this opportunity feels different, for the Class of 2020 has achieved some of the highest accolades our district has ever seen, yet they have experienced some lost opportunities that defines the true senior experience. This pandemic may have drastically changed the experiences and memories of these seniors, it will not dampen the impact they have left on Clovis North. For the Class of 2020 will leave CNEC as one of the most decorated group of individuals to ever step foot onto this campus. The Class of 2020 has excelled inside the classroom, on the stage, in the athletic arena, and in co-curricular competitions.

As I wrap up my time with this exemplary class, I would like to leave you with this final thought from the great Maya Angelou, Class of 2020 always remember to, “Open your eyes to the beauty around you, open your mind to the wonders of life, open your heart to those who love you, and always, always be true to yourself.” Hold the memories you have made over the past six years close, as you leap into the next chapter of your life and for the last time, proudly proclaim that you are “CLOVIS NORTH” and you are proud to be the “BRONCOS”.

Joshua Shapiro, Ed.D.

This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 12:00 AM.