Thank
you
so
much
for
this
very
nice
honor.

It
is
my
privilege
to
be
chosen
as
this
year’s
 recipient
and
to
be
in
the
company
of
all
the
previous
winners.


My
best
wishes
to
the
parents
and
families
of
the
graduates,
the
New
Milford
High
School
 faculty,
administrators,
Board
of
Education
members,
the
New
Milford
Mayor
and
Council
 members
present,
honored
guests,
and
most
especially
to
the
members
of
the
graduating
class
of
 2011.


I
would
like
to
make
jus
a
few
short
comments:


From
the
1960’s,
the
early
days
of
New
Milford
High
School....
Academics,
sports
programs,
music,
 theater,
and
countless
extra
curricular
activities,
have
all
worked
toward
one
goal....
to
make
 NMHS
a
very
special
place.

Looking
back
and
seeing
the
progress
that
has
been
made,
I
believe
 that
goal
has
been
achieved.

New
Milford
High
School
is
a
very
special
place
with
very
special
 people.


You
know.....

in
some
ways,
1965,
the
year
of
my
graduation
seems
like
a
long
time
ago.

In
 other
ways,
that
day
seems
like
it
was
yesterday.

Time
passes
very
quickly.

You
too
will
come
to
 realize
that
time
is
your
most
previous
commodity...
use
it
wisely.
 


I
remember
my
graduation
night,
particularly
since
we
were
graduating
on
the
football
 field,
and
all
of
us
were
caught
in
an
unexpected
thunderstorm....
Our
caps
and
gowns
got
 drenched,
and
then
finally
we
received
our
diplomas
in
a
sweltering
hot
gymnasium...
no
air
 conditioning!

Not
a
pretty
sight!


So
now
you
are
going
to
graduate.

You
have
the
foundation.

You
have
been
given
all
the
 tools.

You
are
ready
to
move
on.

You
have
developed
and
understand
your
strengths,
and
you
 have
identified
your
weaknesses.

Build
upon
those
strengths,
and
nurture
the
weaknesses.


Set
your
goals
high.

When
you
reach
a
goal...
set
another.

Continue
to
challenge
yourself
 every
day.

Become
a
good
listener.

When
you
really
listen
to
what
the
other
person
is
saying,
 you
will
continue
to
learn
and
benefit
from
others.


You
will
be
the
ones
to
save
the
environment,
to
fix
the
economy,
to
bring
peace
to
nations,
 and
to
create
equality
among
the
races.

You
will
be
the
inventors,
the
dreamers,
the
 philosophers.


Think
big...
think
your
own
ideas...
do
not
be
smothered
by
the
ideas
of
the
majority...
be
 your
own
person.


Dare
to
take
a
risk.

Have
faith
in
yourself.

Remember,
our
nation
has
been
built
on
the
 ideas
and
courage
of
individuals
not
afraid
to
follow
their
dreams.


In
thinking
about
what
I
would
say
tonight,
I
was
reminded
of
the
cartoon
series
that
my
3
 year
old
grandson
enjoys
called
“Bob
the
Builder”.

Throughout
the
theme
song,
the
words,
“Yes
 he
can”
ring
out
to
the
questions,
“Can
he
build
it?”

YES
HE
CAN.

That
should
be
the
thought
in
 your
mind
right
now.
“YES
WE
CAN,



YES
I
CAN”.





You
can
do
anything
that
you
set
your
mind
to.




So,
as
you
move
to
the
next
phase
of
life’s
challenges,
Work
hard,
and
you
will
truly
achieve
great
 things.

YES
YOU
CAN!!


Good
luck
and
congratulations
to
each
of
you,
and
thank
you
again
for
honoring
me
as
 Alumni
of


the
Year!