News & Announcements
TFS celebrates commencement with 70 new graduates
Reprinted with permission of The Northeast Georgian
By: Chamain Cruz/CNI Regional Newspapers
The Tallulah Falls School (TFS) Student Activity Center at the middle school campus filled with white and green caps and gowns Friday, May 17, as 70 students graduated from the school, altogether representing acceptances to more than 120 different colleges and universities and making up about $9.25 million in college scholarships.
Gathered with family, relatives, friends, teachers and classmates, students heard from Rev. Eric Spivey, President and Head of School Larry Peevy, Board of Trustees Chair Gail Cantrell, Upper School Academic Dean Kim Popham, among others.
“Isn’t it great to have all of these wonderful graduates sitting before us about to enter the world?” Peevy said. “I really appreciate what they’ve done while they’ve been on this short journey here. They’ve been a wonderful asset to Tallulah Falls School. … There’s one other group that is special to every graduate out here. Those are the parents and guardians and grandparents of the students who are graduating today. Without your assistance, your patience and support over the years this day might not have been possible for many of our kids.”
After applause and an introduction of the board of trustees, keynote speaker Major General Thomas Carden Jr., adjutant general of the Georgia Department of Defense, shared with students seven things he said he wished someone had told him when he graduated.
Carden told students to start saving for retirement, to be confident, that hard is not hopeless, to be careful about being right all the time, to be careful with their ego, it’s about ‘us and we, not you and me,’ and to celebrate success.
“Despite … challenges I was quickly reminded that educators are special people,” Carden said. “If they see you trying, they are pre-wired to give you additional help. After a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees I am living proof that you don’t need to be smart or rich to succeed in higher education. However, you must be determined. You need to dig in and go as far as you can. Know that you can do it, and you do not need to do it by yourself. If you are confident enough in yourself, no statistic can hold you back.”
He advised students to believe in themselves, work hard, be prepared, get to class on time, always sit on the front row and take notes. “Today the Tallulah Falls School potential in leadership factory is stamping up 70 new graduates,” Carden said. “That’s a huge accomplishment for the school, for the community and for each of you. I hope you take the time to celebrate your success responsibly. This is an important moment in your life and it’s important to your parents, your grandparents, your guardians and friends and your family. “Thank you for what you’re doing,” he continued. “Thank you for what you’re going to do for our state and for our nation. Life is a full-contact team sport. Many of you who are about to leave here today will never see each other again. That’s just the way it is, but take the time to thank each other. I’m sure you’ve helped each other along the way and take the time to say that before you leave here today. It’s important and you didn’t get here by yourself.”
Valedictorian Virginia Griswold of Clarkesville and salutatorian Nyah Williams of Cornelia then gave their speeches. Each of them thanked the people in their lives for helping them reach their goals and accomplishments.
“To the Tallulah Falls Class of 2019, Buddha once said ‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us,’” Griswold said. “The things we hold close to our hearts reveal our true selves. In the grand scheme of things, we have lived only a small portion of our lives. Our life experiences and circumstances have already instilled us with purpose.”
She said her fellow graduates should be commended for their academic and personal accomplishments over their years at TFS, as well as for meeting the day-to-day mental and physical demands of a TFS education. “Cherish the memories you have created here and carry them with you through times of adversity,” she said. “Some of us are going to college; some of us are following other paths, but all of us are capable of achieving success. … A good friend once told me that the best feeling you can have about anything is to be both nervous and excited because it shows you care about what you are doing. No matter which path we choose, we must fill ourselves with the things that we love.”