Good evening, Bishop, Fr. Roger, members of the diocese, faculty, staff, families, and my fellow classmates.
My name is Jade McDaniel, and standing here tonight feels both surreal and deeply meaningful because this isn’t just the end of a school year… It’s the closing of a chapter that began for me in the sixth grade.
For the past seven years, St. Elizabeth’s hasn’t just been a school; it’s been a place that shaped who I am. It’s where I learned not only how to solve equations and write essays, but how to grow, how to lead, and how to keep going even when things felt uncertain.
When we first walked through these doors as middle school students, most of us couldn’t imagine this moment. Back then, “senior year” felt so far away. And yet, here we are: older, wiser, and forever changed by the experiences we’ve shared.
Each of us carries a different story. Some of our journeys were smooth, others more challenging. But what we all have in common is perseverance. We showed up. We pushed through. We became stronger than we ever expected to be.
As someone who has had the honor of serving as president of the National Honor Society, I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about titles; it’s about responsibility. It’s about lifting others up, even when no one is watching. It’s about choosing integrity, choosing effort, and choosing to stand for something bigger than yourself.
My journey here has also given me a unique perspective. There were moments when I had to find my voice and grow into my confidence. Moments where I had to remind myself that I belonged just as much as anyone else in this room.
But those moments didn’t hold me back… they pushed me forward. They taught me confidence. They taught me resilience. And most importantly, they taught me that our differences are not something to hide; they are something to honor.
To my classmates: never underestimate the power of your story. The things that make you different are often the very things that will set you apart in the world.
This year, many of us took on new challenges, whether through dual enrollment courses, extracurriculars, or preparing for life after high school. We balanced expectations, responsibilities, and dreams of what comes next.
And now, we stand on the edge of something new.
For me, that next chapter will take me to the University of Oklahoma. For others, it will be different schools, different paths, different callings. But no matter where we go, we carry a piece of this place, and each other, with us.
So, as we move forward, I want to leave you with this: Don’t just chase success; chase purpose. Don’t just follow the path; be bold enough to create your own path. And don’t wait for permission to be great because everything you need is already within you.
To our teachers and families, thank you. Thank you for your patience, your guidance, and your belief in us, even when we didn’t fully believe in ourselves.
And to the Class of 2026… we did it. Not perfectly, not easily, but faithfully, courageously, and together.
Congratulations to us all.
