Resilience is a rightfully lauded character trait and one that is particularly crucial for those whose lives haven’t been easy or fair. Resilience is, in fact, always a hallmark of the Y’s New Horizons II students who somehow appear to manage the extra burden of being unstably housed, alongside all the challenges of high school and being a teenager, with incredible courage and grace. For this year's group, however, the hill was even higher, with the extra commitment of virtual/hybrid participation in the midst of a pandemic.
Bearing this in mind, it was not at all surprising to hear the determined, purposeful speeches about entrepreneurship and leadership that five student representatives gave at last week’s New Horizons II commencement ceremony, held at the Y in Druid Hill and virtually.
The sense of direction and purpose pouring from those amazing young people inspires hope and a real sense of confidence about their future.
The guest speaker for this year’s graduation was Albert Phillips, Jr., author of the recently released “Y’all Hiring? The Black Teen’s Guide to Navigating Employment” and a Work-Based Learning Specialist with Baltimore City Public Schools. Albert spoke about being inspired by three basic questions:
- Who am I?
- Am I really all I say I am?
- Am I really all I ought to be?
In response to the first question, Albert related an experience he had at the Blacks in Wax museum in Baltimore. He said he went to the replica of a slave ship in which the words "remember, remember, remember" are enshrined. He realized upon seeing those words that the lesson is to know each of us is a part of something bigger than ourselves and that we each matter. In response to the second question, he spoke about the importance of listening to divergent views. To the third question, he said that the honest answer has to be “not yet. There is still a lot more to achieve; a lot more people to help, but I promise you will get there." His words and experience resonated greatly with the New Horizons II students and, frankly, all of us in attendance.
I’d like to thank the Y youth development associates who lead our New Horizons II program, most of whom come back year after year to work with these impressive youth. Marie Beasley, James Hall, Tasha Judkins, Yvonne Savage, and Benita Vargas Brown, provide the guidance, structure, compassion, and role modeling that make the program work and the students come back year after year.
All the best,
John
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland