Valedictorian Kevin Zhang: 'Prepare for a Wild Ride!'

Good afternoon, teachers, administrators, family, and of course, the Hatboro-Horsham class of 2012! I am honored to be speaking to you today, but to be honest, public speaking is my greatest fear. If you’re sitting close, you’ll probably notice my hands trembling. So I spent weeks thinking about how I could get out of this speech, but I’m stuck here.

Several days ago, I read my yearbook and came across this quote: “In middle school, all I remember of us was making Harry Potter quizzes for each other.” Apart from thinking about what strange children we were back then, I realized that Harry Potter is the hero of our generation. The books were first published in 1997, when we weren’t even in school yet, but here we are today, 15 years later!

They have really taught us all so much. If anything, they have encouraged me to ignore my fears. So here I am today, nervous and terrified, but still standing here providing a speech for your entertainment.

If there’s one thing you should get from my speech, it is to confront your fears.

It’s a wonderful afternoon today. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, but I want to bring you to a different scene. Close your eyes for a moment. You’re at the entrance of a giant maze created by hedges, and your job is to find a cup somewhere in that maze. You enter, and suddenly, the trees behind you move inward, sealing off the exit. The air chills, it grows dark, and a fog sets in. Giant spiders and fire-breathing scorpions lurk behind every turn, and human competitors wait for the perfect moment to stun, or even kill, you. You have no idea where the cup is, and no one will help you. Every shadow seems like a monster, every leaf falling sounds like the footstep of your murderer. You’re terrified.

Now, open your eyes. Most of you know that I was referring to the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. Most of you would not have wanted to be in Harry’s place as he entered the maze that evening. But Harry did it. He knew he had to. Through seven long years, Harry Potter has faced enormous challenges, almost all of them life-threatening. He has flung himself into a horde of aggressive, soul-sucking dementors to save his godfather. At the young age of eleven, he braved a forest filled with centaurs, wolves, and giant spiders. Using nothing but a sword, he has battled a snake that could kill with one look.

You may regard Harry Potter as extraordinary. You may think that no one could possibly be like him and achieve what he has accomplished. But at the very beginning, Harry thought of himself as just an ordinary child. He wasn’t exceptionally smart; nor was he athletic. He thought that he was just one of the billions of other people in the world. Any one of us could be Harry Potter. And although magic isn’t real…well maybe it is…each and every one of us is capable of accomplishing great things in the real world.

Those of you who read the books or watched the movies know how frightened Harry was before every task. You could feel his spine tingle and see the sweat drip from his palms, hear his breath tear raggedly in the air, and sense the dread in his mind. But aren’t these feelings we have all experienced too? However, Harry succeeds because he never lets fear conquer him. In our lives ahead, we will face many difficult and nerve-wracking tasks. We might not encounter giant spiders, fire-breathing scorpions, or enormous mazes, but we will implore our bosses for a raise, ask that person for a date, and look around every corner for our first career. These tasks may seem frightening, but don’t let anything stand in the way of your goals. I challenge you to be Harry Potter. Conquer your fears, and seize every opportunity you get.

Over these past four years, we’ve all learned many things. True, we may never have to integrate logarithmic functions again or remember what the Defenestration of Prague was, but high school has been a time when we have all grown. We will look back upon the Variety Show and Mr. H-H with fondness, and remember the fun we’ve had at Winter Ball, Homecoming, and Prom. The friendly competition that Red and Black generated within us and the spirit of collaboration that the clubs foster will aid us with our futures. We’ve become more in tune with the world, but have also felt the weight of responsibility begin to set in.

On June first, our last day, I remember walking through the hallways with my friends. Everything seemed to be a last. “This is the last time we’re going to be walking up the stairs to fifth period.” “This is the last time we’re going to be sleeping in homeroom.” “This is the last time we’re going to do crazy warmups in gym.” Yes, many of the things in high school will be the last. The world that’s out there will be less keen about holding our hands. But it’s a world filled with excitement and opportunity, and these past four years have prepared us for it. Embrace these opportunities, forget your fears, and live life to the fullest.

Like us, everyone in the wizarding world is different. There are Slytherins and Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. We all have our own personalities, strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes. But no matter who we are, we all have dreams, and we all have the power to realize those dreams. You are not going to be told what characteristics you must have, or what your fate is. Every path is potentially open to you, and I encourage you to explore them and define yourself. You could be the next Van Gogh, Mozart, Einstein, or Obama. Find your strengths, hone them, and use them to accomplish your goals. And like Harry Potter, conquer your fears, and never run away from them.  

High school is over in the temporal, but it will always be in our hearts. The whole world is free to you now, so summon your broomsticks and prepare for a wild ride!