Kinsey Wang

Hi, my name is Kinsey Ziyu Wang, and I am honored to be here today.

Welcome friends, parents, honored guests, teachers, admins, and of course, the class of 2023. As we celebrate our graduation, allow me to first say to all of you congratulations. We will be entering society with the knowledge of making L3 connections to a 16th century poetry or calculating the magnetic force on a charged rod through the Biot-Savart Law, you know, things that adults always do in their daily lives.

Today, is the day we have been preparing for for the past 3 years.

Well, HFI class of 2023, we are a truly special class. We, as a team, started at the rock bottom.

I still remembered the disappointment on Wendy’s or Toby’s faces when we created HFI history by scoring the lowest point in PSAT ever, or the famous exclaim “You are the worst class I’ve ever taught” from teachers when someone was marked NP for sleeping in class who believed they were just “closing their eyes for a minute.”

But look how we have changed as a group or individually by being one of the most successful classes in HFI.

Speaking of change, it has been our constant companion, guiding us through the twists and turns and preparing us for the paths that lies ahead. Months later, change will come again to our doorsteps.

Most of us will be attending college this fall, leaving our friends and families and moving out from the HFI building full of loving teachers and supportive staffs. We will be living in new places, making new friends, and studying under new teachers.

Sure, change, as a noun, can get pretty uncomfortable sometimes, especially when you ran out of uniforms but bumped into Sheldon, when you have to walk an extra 100 meters to family mart because 711 was closed for reparation, when you “accidently” sleep past the 1st period during online courses, and when you discovered your crush suddenly change a girlfriend/ boyfriend but was just sweet-talking you last night.

Yes, we hate changes, but it is also the only thing that can bring progress.

As a resilient class of 2023, we always managed to come through our obstacles in life. Under the uncertainty of international day switching from offline to online, then online to offline, we nailed it, raising over 850 thousand yuan for charity.

Facing one of the toughest college applications, we stood tall and proud, impressing colleges with our efforts and passion.

Throughout three years of bothering Harky Eric and Joanna for our sometimes illusionary activity plans, submitting essays in the last minute, and trying a new sketchy 螺蛳粉 store at the Huafu backdoor, we have learned to embrace the unknown, to find strength in uncertainty, and to seize opportunities hidden within the winds of change.

Change, as a verb, also shines bright through HFI hallways. Change doesn’t have to be some Nobel-prize winning influences, but it depends on every one of us who engage, influence, and enlighten.

MAKER’s built an entire online room reservation system, and every click on your website saved a piece of paper on Harky’s desk.

Fusion impressed us with graceful dance moves, and every show you performed glorified the whole activity whether it is HFI got talent or Halloween party.

Crows athletes form comradery bonds through games of brutal smashes with guys weighing over 120kg, and every freshmen you recruited on your naked dormitory parade learned the lessons of trust and team spirits. There are also the student council, CLAP, Drama Club, Basketball Club, Colorscope, the Peerbuddies, and so much so much more.

Each one of us strived to make a difference, to challenge the status quo, and to shout out our voices for the marginalized in our communities and beyond.

As we enter the real world today, there will be times when we meet an obstacle we can never cross or a height we can never reach. We may even eventually accept our own mediocrity someday, accomplishing nothing for half of our lives.

In these desperate hours, while I cannot tell you the path to turn around or the path of success, I want you to remember: just make a change. Fix some bad habits from time to time. Step out of your comfort zones once in a while. Then you may still find a bright new world in front of you.

Today is our last day of high school life in HFI, and there is still one thing left that we can change: fractured relationships.

Any friends you haven’t spoken to in a while because of your pride.

Teachers you never thanked since you take their support for granted.

Parents you didn’t apologize to when you spitted out heart breaking angry words at them in wrath.

Just do it. Take the step to heel the wounds on the thing that bond us together. And I’m going to make a first start.

To Carl, Andy, Jeff, Hanson, Leo, Edison, Edoardo, Harry, Ariel, Fiona, members from the student council, crows athletes and those whoever supported me or positively influenced me, thank you for helping me through my ups and downs and making my three years in HFI one of the best times in my life.

To Wendy, Susan, Marry, Lillian, Rachel, Yoee, Reece, Delia, Toby, Mike, Mr. Redfield, Jenny, Mr. Dunn, Yolanda, Matt, Mr. Six, Erin Ma, Jasper, Aifeng, JoJo, Mr. Cullen, Priya and Alex Li, thank you for your devotion in education as you not only taught us much in academics, but also lessons of life.

To Yuki and all other teachers in HFI college counseling team, thank you for guiding us through the tough jungle of college application, offering meticulous advice at 1 am for our personal statements which would be dued tomorrow.

To Eric, Harky, Joana, Chanel, Keeva, Marshall, and the rest of HFI admins, thank you for supporting HFI everyday operation and student affairs in obscurity. You are the silent heroes who help turn our dreams into reality.

To Daniel, Sheldon, and Ford, thank you for keeping the whole HFI together. It was your decisions that led HFI smoothly through the turmoil of COVID-19 and numerous challenges in the past 3 years.

Finally, to all the parents, thank you for supporting every decision we made, tolerating our grumpy characters at home, and always thinking about what’s the best for us.

Thank you all, and congratulations, HFI class of 2023.

Thank you！