Every graduation ceremony has one student that is chosen to speak not just for themselves, but on behalf of their entire class.
This year, that voice belongs to graduating senior, Daniel Lavi.
Lavi was selected as their year’s commencement speaker after a competitive, multi-step process that tested his writing as well as his willingness to be honest and bold. Students first attend a tutorial before submitting a written speech which a panel of teachers narrows down to five finalists. From there, those five finalists read their speeches aloud before the committee, which selects one student to represent their class at graduation.
For Lavi, applying to become the commencement speaker was never truly a question.
“I always try to do the most because even though it may be hard in the moment, I’m going to lock back and be proud of myself.” Lavi said. “I feel like I had a lot to say to a school that was serving me for a lot of years, and now I have the chance to serve back.”
His speech is about choosing to live life consciously and making the choice to be proactive rather than passive.
“I used to just let life do whatever it wants,” Lavi said. “And then I realized that I can really decide how I want to view it and can really be in control of everything that I do.”
The task of writing a speech that will resonate with the graduating class, as well as parents, staff, and community members alike is a daunting task.
“I don’t know what I’m doing in the future. So how am I supposed to give people advice if I don’t even know my own?” Lavi said.
However in the face of an intimidating task, Lavi found a quote that anchored the entire speech: one he’s saving for graduation day.
Although Lavi is proud of the whole speech he wrote, there is one quote that particularly stands out.
“When you have two paths in your life, one seems scary and one seems comfortable, you’re always going to have to choose the one that scares you the most because that’s a reason worth living.”
Ultimately, Lavi wants his graduating class to leave with a simply yet powerful lesson.
“I want students to see that life perspective where they can genuinely choose how they want their life to be. And they should take away that no one is there to set limits on them. They can genuinely do whatever they want and take it to make that special, unique self.”
When the graduates rise on June 4th 2026, they will hear those words from the one given the opportunity to share something special with the people and place that has helped him to form that perspective.
