Induction Ceremony, Brandywine High School National Honor Society
Spring 2007

Good evening students, teachers and parents of Brandywine High School—and welcome to those of you, the reason we gather here tonight—the 2007 inductees of Brandywine High School’s chapter of the National Honor Society. As you stand here before your peers, parents and teachers tonight I am reminded of a poem that describes the paths awaiting you all. As you venture forth from our school into that place we call “the real world” there are many roads and choices awaiting you.

I would like to read you now those words from the American poet Robert Frost. Many of you may have heard these words before, but it is fitting you be reminded of them tonight.

Robert Frost’s
The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Each of you stands at a crossroad tonight. You will soon embark on a journey with wishes, dreams and hopes for your future. You have from many paths to choose. But I would like to ask you to consider this notion. I ask you to take the road less traveled.

Three short years ago I was invited to speak before this very group for the inductees of 2004. Some of your brothers and sisters were inducted that night. Since that night a lot has changed for me—and I am sure for you too.

At the end of the 2004 school year, I left these halls to teach in our Alternative Ed program at the Bell Educational Center. Like many of you will find in life, I found that new environment filled with a great many challenges. For better or worse…

I took the road less traveled.

At the end of that school year I learned I was to be mobilized to serve our nation in its war against terror. As a Navy Reservist, in August 2005 I found myself stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, performing customs missions for the U.S. Army. I proudly served alongside our nation’s military forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Serving our nation is one of the greatest honors of my life that I shall not soon forget. After serving two tours of duty in Kuwait, I returned back home in October 2006.  

But enough about me; tonight belongs to you. I have fond remembrances of many of you as you navigated the halls of the middle school. I am sure many of you remember those days all too well. I know if I mention my mentor Mrs. Marianne Davis you all will conjure up a thought or two of your days in her Social Studies classes. I imagine many of you parents can still hear her voice in your heads too!

You have gone from elementary students to the young adults that you are today. As adults, your role in life changes hence forward.

Robert Frost’s poem alluded to the courage in taking the path few truly know, but he also neglected to mention that the road less traveled is also the one that is more challenging to navigate.

So again, I am here to ask you to take the path of the less traveled—the one with more challenges; the one with more roadblocks; the one that asks more of you; and the one that I believe will provide you imminently greater satisfaction and the one that serves a greater purpose for our nation’s future.

That said, things that come too easily are all too often less appreciated.

As you grow older you will find life is all about choices. Ask your parents, your grandparents or your teachers and elders if the choices they made years ago and the lives they lead today are the ones they envisioned when they were your age.

I dare say many are not. I can tell you little of what I believed as a teen remains unchanged. Life’s experiences have a way of forcing us to examine our beliefs.

In many circles we gage one’s success by the salary we command. I can safely say that each of us parents, like those of the past, want the best for our young. It is my wish that you not choose that maxim as your sole yardstick measuring your success in your lives.

One of the requirements of being a member of the National Honor Society is that you concern yourself for the betterment of life for all… not just yourselves, but for your friends, your community—and our world. Community service is an ideal of selfless dedication.

Thinking again to my days serving Kuwait I can tell you we Americans lead a life unlike anywhere else in the world—we lead lives of luxury; lives of self indulgences and most importantly, lives relatively free of violence—at least the kind that savages the families of the Middle East.

This is not a criticism. BUT it is a call for us to remember that there are great numbers of people in the world who have few of the advantages we so take for granted. Having traveled to many third world countries, I can understand at times why other countries do not like us much. We have so much and yet at times we give so little.

The National Honor Society asks you to lead exemplary lives. Many of those ideals are ones I understand all too well as a Sailor in the U.S. Navy. Sailors are directed to live by our core values of ‘honor, courage’ and ‘commitment.’ Those are the same ideals I ask you to consider as you join this organization tonight.

There are many ways you can give of yourselves. Volunteerism is one of the greatest joys of life you can experience. Volunteerism costs you little, but your time and commitment.
According to 39th President Jimmy Carter:

“Throughout my life, I've seen the difference that volunteering efforts can make in people's lives. I know the personal value of service as a local volunteer.”

Take part in food drives, give of yourselves at the local homeless shelters or visit the homes for the elderly (all too often our elderly are forgotten—yet they, too, have so much to share). Volunteer your time with youth groups and summer camps.

Actor Leonard Nimoy once said, “The miracle is this - the more we share, the more we have.”

And I would be remiss if I didn’t at least give a plug to serving our country’s military. Serving in the military sometimes calls for the supreme sacrifice that one can give.

We live in a world of great hurt. Both its people and our lands and oceans are in need of young people willing to tackle problems that may haunt our future. Your intelligence, your energy and your bodies can fuel a new direction for our world.

In closing, I’d like to quote one of my favorite singers Kate Bush when she said “don’t ever think you can’t change the past and the future.” You see, success in my book is not measured by the size of your bank account but by the size of your heart and by your commitment to make tomorrow better than yesterday.

I urge you to take the road less traveled.