On Opposites
It is always very special to share in celebration and community with our students and their families. Step Up & Graduation offers valuable time to offer appreciation and well wishes for what the future holds. These words to our graduates are meant to spark reflection, joy, and hope. Congratulations to our graduates and best wishes!
Step Up & Graduation Speech
June 4, 2025
By: Virginia Paik
Congratulations to the Class of 2025,
To all our students.
We’re at the end of the school year,
Which is the opposite of the beginning-
Like how our shaded guests
Sit opposite those in the sun,
Like how the smiles on your faces
Have taken the place
Of the tears that rolled down
When our graduates walked
Tall and proud
Down our center aisle.
Opposite of when they were small
And proud
And at the beginning
Of Kindergarten 2016
Now they walk away -
Aged thirteen, fourteen -
With a swagger and a friend
To the park,
To JB’s,
To Magic Donuts.
It's time for our afterschool snack please.
We sort our world this way
We’ll split
Young from old
Fast from slow
High from low
Short from long
Hot from cold
Where we end
From where we began.
My brother- he’s the polar opposite of me.
We’re night and day.
We use opposites to distance
Ready from not
Calm from wild
Clear from clouded
Organized from a mess
Wrong from right
And right from wrong
And right from left.
We’re going in opposite ways.
You Go Right right right right
And I’ll Go Left left left left
To get here.
No opposite ways-
I’ll go West then North then East then South
To there
And you Go East then South then West then North
To there
To There
There
There, There.
We’ll meet there.
The deepest roots
Make for the highest leaves.
The driest ground
calls loudest for the rain.
Salted caramel
Floating boats
Starry nights
Jumbo shrimp
I have a scrape on my elbow
Cause my friend, no my enemy,
Knocked me down.
Now my enemy, no my friend,
Has a bandaid and an ice pack
From Janeth
And it’s fixed-
Relief for my pain
Just in time for a new game.
Ready or not here we come.
Do you remember the polar bear swim?
We climbed out from the pool -
Shiver shiver shiver
Shake shake shake.
My towel, wet and cold like me
was the opposite of what I needed.
Warm apple cider
In a cup between our hands
Stills the shake
Before our first sips
Reach our lips.
We’ve been polarized.
The coldest hands
Love the warmest cup.
Opposite from this morning’s sunrise
Will come this evening’s sunset,
Continuing this June day.
As it becomes this June night.
One wonderful
One beautiful
One complete celebration.
Ask a tightrope walker about the pole
They use to balance.
Ask a high jumper about the pole
They use to fly.
Ask a firefighter about Tom–the pole
They use to slide.
Ask a bird in the sky or a fish in the waves
About the Earth’s poles
They use to guide their ways.
Opposites aren’t all for division
And Distinction,
Polarization, Isolation.
They’re for embellishment,
Balance, and elaboration.
Our school year concludes today
With a commencement
That expands us,
That strengthens us,
And That connects us all.
This ending is now our new beginning.
Congratulations and thank you, Live Oak.
Have a happy, healthy summer!
Приемная комиссия
Школа Live Oak School приветствует и принимает студентов любой расы, цвета кожи, национального и этнического происхождения, статуса гражданства, гендерной идентичности, гендерного самовыражения, сексуальной ориентации и веры во все права, привилегии, программы и мероприятия Школы Live Oak School. Школа Live Oak School не допускает дискриминации по признаку расы, цвета кожи, национального и этнического происхождения, статуса гражданства, гендерной идентичности, гендерного самовыражения, сексуальной ориентации и веры при управлении своими образовательными правилами и программами, правилами приема, программой адаптированного обучения, а также спортивными и другими программами, находящимися в ведении школы.