2017 Salutatory Address: Edward Carr '17

Good afternoon Mr. Lorenzetti, members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, family, friends, and last but not least, the Class of 2017. This is it. That day we thought about during every hour period and every test that we thought would never come, has come. All of our blood sweat and tears… especially tears… have brought us to this moment, together, as equals. Although each of us will soon be holding the diploma we’ve aspired to receive, that is not the gift St. Edmund has given us. It is the people sitting to our left and to our right that are the gifts. It is the familiar yet changed face that we see in the mirror looking back at us every day, filling us with pride that is the gift. St. Edmund has given us more than just long nights, aching hands and a piece of paper. It’s given us family and given us the individuals we are today.

 

When I think about what I’ve learned at St. Edmund, I don’t think about chemistry or history. I think about unity and friendship. Throughout these four years, I’ve been met with many difficulties that seemed impossible to overcome. Yet there has always been someone to share the load. For every problem I’ve had and struggle I’ve faced, I’ve turned to the people behind me and all of you in front of me for support. The reason I’m standing up here is because of Kellie Diodato proofreading my English essays and Vincent Carucci checking my math. Throughout these years, I’ve thought “Why are these people taking time away from themselves to help me?” The simple answer is because that’s what family is for. Through the friendships and bonds I’ve made, I’ve overcome the obstacles that have stood in my path, and learned how to overcome the difficulties that will inevitably be thrown my way in college and in life. It is through our own self-determination that we survive, but through helping each other that we thrive. As we all continue on through college, we can always fall back upon St. Edmund for support, because family is for life.

 

Along with the family St. Edmund Prep has gifted us, we’ve also been given the opportunity to grow as individuals. In September of 2013, we walked up those steps outside St. Edmund as anxious freshman, excited but nervous about leaving behind middle school and growing up. Now, we sit here as graduates who have overcome the difficulties of growing up and stand ready to face the world. It is said that family impacts us most as we grow up, and this is true for each of us. Through my St. Edmund family, I have become the person I am today; willing to help anyone facing their difficulties. That is what St. Edmund has taught us, and who St. Edmund has made us. The growth we have undergone as individuals extends beyond the relationships between each of us. It applies to all of the relationships we will have throughout our lives. Thanks to the way St. Edmund has raised us, we will continue to go forth and do service unto others. We will be our best selves and treat those we meet the way we have been treated here; with service and respect. However, what has been instilled inside each of us is something special; it is not only a care of others, but a love of others. Though we all have different values and dreams, we have each been instilled with the same love and understanding that will guide us through our lives. Some of us may become doctors, dedicating their lives to helping others. Perhaps maybe a few of us will be engineers, building a future for us to live in. Others may join the Armed Forces and protect us at home. Regardless, we are the same. At our core, each of us are willing to sacrifice for others, willing to go out of our way to help a friend in need, willing to do the right thing, because we are alumni of St. Edmund Prep. This is the gift St. Edmund has given us.

 

The gifts we have been given were made possible thanks to the faculty of St. Edmund. Without the dedication of the staff, we would not be sitting here together as the young individuals we are today. Where would we be if Ms. Geraci didn’t organize every senior event? If Mrs. McGinnis and Mr. Raphael didn’t share their words with us every time we were all together? Even on a day to day basis, the faculty was always there to inspire us, whether through sacrificing their time to help us when we needed it or even as much as saying hello in the hallway. It was the little things, like sitting with us in the cafeteria, that mattered, as through the small acts of generosity and  friendliness by the faculty, we have inherited their desire to put a smile on each other’s face. Most importantly, I want to thank Mr. Lorenzetti for making St. Edmund Prep what it is today. Through his 22 years of dedication to the school, he has transformed the school, making it the place where each of us have grown from boys and girls to the young men and women we have become. He serves as a model for students and faculty alike, and has nurtured all of us through his hard work and deep love of the school.

 

Now the time has come to take the gifts that St. Edmund has given us and use them. As we continue on through college and life, let’s not forget what we have learned here. We have learned that throughout our lives, we will always have people to fall back on, and that is our family. Although each of us will go on to do greater things, we will never be separated in spirit. It is our duty as alumni to share this gift with those we meet, as we embody the values that St. Edmund has instilled in us. As our Eagle, Kellie said, “you cannot teach love, you can only give love, and hope to inspire others to do the same…love can only be given and it can only be hoped that the love you give will be returned and passed on.” Now it's time for each of us eagles to spread our wings and fly forth with confidence, generosity, and most importantly, love. Thank you.