Thank you, Mrs. Warner.

And on behalf of my classmates of the class of 1998, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to you for your years of service to our community here at Christ the King. Mrs. Warner, I will never forget what you wrote in my eighth grade yearbook. You told me to listen to your heart and to your parents very wise words. And youll be happy to know that I have always tried to listen to my heart I havent always listened to my parents, and more often than not I wish I had heeded your advice a little more closely. Its really an honor to be here during this time in our schools rich history, and I am really amazed when I see how much the school has changed since my days of roaming these halls. And may I admit to you all that I am very humbled by the opportunity to speak with you today in what I know will become a real milestone in your lives. Membership in an honor society like this one is twofold: first, to recognize you as someone who excels in a well-rounded way at Christ the King, and second, to show the potential that your teachers see in you. On behalf of the alumni of Christ the King, congratulations on the highest of honors the school has bestowed on you. Id like to talk to you a bit today about success. Youve gained membership in National Junior Honor Society because youve been successful in several areas of your education and this is a great moment in your young life. But as you go along this path of life, there will be many landmark moments like this one if you follow a formula for success. First off, you must realize how fortunate we are to live in this great nation. Being a citizen of the United States is a great distinction. Its something others wish to be. Here in the United States, you have the ability, if you work hard and play by the rules, to be anything you want to be. I speak about this from experience, as my family lives the American Dream each and every day. I am a proud son of the Cuban immigrant community, people who came to this country seeking a better future for their families than what they could achieve in their own home nation. A future where their children would have a better life than their own. Remembering where you come from and why you are so fortunate is a key

aspect of success. Thats the majesty of the United States. We live in a country where your destiny is determined by you and you alone not by a government or organization. Back in Fort Lauderdale last week, I took my seniors at Pine Crest to view the film The Iron Lady, a biographical movie on the life of Lady Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain and arguably one of the most influential people of the twentieth century. In it, there is a scene where Thatcher is shown granting an interview with a talk show host on British television. She had just returned to Britain after a tour of the United States, and the interviewer asked what she had taken away from her visit to America. The question was asked with some levity in mind, but her answer was direct. She stated, Oh thats rather easy to answer, actually. They are unafraid of success. This quote really struck a chord with me. I believe its as true today as it was during the time of Thatcher and Reagan Americans value success. But what exactly do we value when it comes to success? How do we determine success today? Good grades? A high GPA in high school or college, perhaps? Money? Power? Perhaps a position in a business or organization? All of this seems accurate, and are certainly aspects that you can use to measure yourself and your success against others. As a society, thats what we crave. Quantifiable methods tangible or numbers based methods - where we can determine whether something is right or wrong, better or worse. All our lives we are judged by some type of numerical value what was our grade on the last test or essay? How many points did the team score? How much money do you make in a year? When was your last promotion, and how much was it worth? How large is your house? How many houses, cars, businesses do you have? The objective, of course, is to get a higher number. So, in reality, what were all after is just that a larger number in whatever we pursue. But I caution you! Being successful isnt always measured by what you can count or what you can see.

Fortunately or unfortunately for me, I was never, ever, a numbers person. Im still not a numbers person. Numbers make me nervous and fidgety, which is strange, seeing as though I am the son of two bankers. I can tell you from experience, that what matters when you get to the destination is actually not a number or a series of figures. What matters then are things that we are unable to measure. Things like honor, integrity, character, and two things most of all passion and faith. These traits that I mention to you arent traits that people necessarily notice right away. Few people will notice first someones unwavering principles to live a life of honor and integrity. But what you gain by holding those values close to you is the highest degree of self-respect. This is an enormous part of a formula for success. In order to win the respect of others, you must have respect for yourself a respect that is gained through your values, your morals, and your dedication to experience your life as a role model and leader of others. As leaders, you are called to this standard, a standard of honesty, integrity, and high moral values. I know theres a lot of distraction in this world that may force you to make a choice between staying true to your foundations and core beliefs, or compromising these values for an easy way out. But when you can overcome those temptations and focus on your life as a good citizen, the rewards are immeasurable. You may not always win in the numbers game, but people will soon forget the number, and remember how you held yourself to a great standard. Your character is like it, and your character is manifested in how you treat others, and how you hold yourself during times of adversity. Youre all here today at this ceremony because you are the leaders of this student community. You are the role models. Your character speaks not only to the values you hold most dear, but also to the commitment to excellence for which you have set the standard. Being a leader requires you to think of others before yourself, to think of principles before ease, to think of how your actions and words will remain in peoples hearts long after you move on. As leaders, I think its important to remember where you came from, as well as where youd like to go. But most of all, I think you need to develop the ability to see your actions and words as others see them. Lets play a small game, be a bit interactive.

Id like everyone in the room to close their eyes. Yes, everyone even the teachers and administrators. And Im going to find out whos taking my talk seriously and who isnt. I want you to look back at a moment in your life doesnt matter what age when someone in a leadership position or authority made you feel wonderful, like you mattered, when they made you feel valued and cared about. Really think back, and reflect on that moment. Now open your eyes. Get used to the light a bit, relax. Now close your eyes again. I want you to look back at a moment in your life when someone in a leadership position made you feel terrible, made you feel like you couldnt do anything right, made you feel as if you didnt matter, and you werent valued. How did you feel? How did your mind react? Everyone open their eyes. Now I ask all of you which leader do you want to be? As leaders in this community, you have the ability to help your peers feel empowered, to bring out the best in people. Whether successful people like to admit it or not, meeting their goals more often than not depended on the people they empowered and how they led others to achieve their objectives. Thats something Im passionate about, and I always have been. I believe that when people are empowered to do great things, those great things will happen. Leadership and making certain that people feel like they matter is a passion of mine. And I think thats what makes great people stand out: their passion. In order to be successful in the world today, one has to have a trait or a characteristic that helps them stand out something that makes them different. I challenge you all to find your passion and there may be more than one as early as you can. Its passion that differentiates people, these days. Passion means a great deal to a fulfilled life. In order to truly be successful, you must love what you do and love those who help you do it. Finally, I want to talk to you about faith. All of us in this room are products of faith. Your parents have tremendous faith in you. This school community has tremendous faith in you. But most of all, God has tremendous faith in you.

They all have the faith that you will move on from this safe haven here at Christ the King and face the outside world with a foundation in the aspects of success that you cant see or measure. They have faith that when faced with choices and there will be many between right and wrong, your character will guide you in the right direction. They have faith that as leaders, you will set the example for those who come after and will help others lay the same type foundation they have helped lay for you. Today is a great day in your young lives, but today also represents a challenge for you. Faith has been in placed in you. Faith has been placed in you to make these values of honor, integrity, and good citizenship the core of your life. Faith has been placed in you to find your passion in life and to let it grow and to help others find their own passion. Today represents an opportunity. An opportunity to solidify the foundation your parents and your school community at Christ the King have helped lay for you. And when youre doubting your abilities or your strength to live these values, close your eyes and do that same exercise we did a few moments ago. And ask yourself, Which leader do I want to be today? Thank you, and congratulations.