Glenbrook North commencement speech: 'We've seen each other's smiles again'

Editor's note: Following is the graduation speech Glenbrook North senior Andrea Chacon Ruiz delivered to her classmates as part of the school commencement ceremonies June 4.

Before writing this graduation speech, I consulted the wisest people I knew: my 9-year-old siblings, of course.

As I drove them home from karate, I asked, "What do you guys enjoy most from elementary school that you will miss when you go to Northbrook Junior High?"

My younger brother, Juan, proclaimed, "playing Gaga Ball during recess with my friends" (which I'm sure is a long-lost favorite among many of us), while my sister, Sophia, said, "Painting whatever I want in art class."

To counteract this, when I got home, I asked the second-wisest people I knew, my parents, about their favorite memory of being adults. They both replied, "Forming a family."

I then went upstairs to reflect on us, Glenbrook North's graduating Class of 2023.

Us. We're both here and there.

What I mean by that is our inner child leads us to play pickup basketball with our friends at the YMCA or mess around with Nerf guns.

Meanwhile, the adult in us allows us to be leaders, guide freshmen in Peer Group, plan school activities through S.A. (Student Association Executive) Board, and represent our sport as team captains - to name a few.

The adult in us wants to plan for our futures: What career suits us best? Where do we want to end up in life? Who do we want to be?

We get so caught up in these questions that we forget to focus on where we are now.

Graduates, let's take a deep breath. We're done.

Pause your worries about the future for a second, and focus on everything you've accomplished and where you are now - the endless studying, the community service or jobs you've held, the days, weeks, even years, practicing for your sport or instrument, and so much more.

Our journey began freshman year. People in the same roles we've acquired just this year introduced us to GBN - the Peer Group leader's smiles and high-fives terrified us as we shyly walked through the tunnel they made for us at orientation. A few days later, we got lost in the halls all by ourselves.

We experienced our first cafeteria cookies, homecoming, turnabout, and our first (and hopefully only) ... pandemic?

On March 13th, 2020, we were looking forward to "two weeks off" high school. We all know how that went.

Now, I don't want to use this speech to review our Virtual Reality experience (after all, classes of 2020, '21, and '22 have already done that for us). Instead, I want to focus on where we are now.

Now, we are sitting here maskless and within 6 feet of each other, having experienced a normal awards ceremony, prom and, currently, graduation with our loved ones by our side.

GBN has experienced dozens of wins in sports, fine arts, and academic programs during our time here.

We've seen each other's smiles again and experienced happiness together rather than alone.

Let us not take this for granted. We all now know feelings of isolation and loneliness; let us go ahead and use that understanding for good, wherever it may be.

If our path leads us to college, let's be a light in others' lives. If we're looking at a gap year ahead of us, let's make the most of it and learn more about ourselves and those around us.

Wherever the future takes us, let's take advantage of everything we've learned here, at Glenbrook North, and the countless opportunities we've been exposed to.

To each and every member of the GBN faculty, thank you. Thank you for enduring these difficult times by our side and leading us by setting the example along the way.

To our peers, thank you for helping us grow and learn together, for being there for each other.

Finally, to our parents and guardians. Thank you for enduring all our complaints when we were trapped at home, giving us the support we needed to lead us toward a brighter future, and for the sacrifices you've made for us. We hope to make you proud from wherever we are.

To the Graduating Class of 2023, I wish you all the very best in your future. I know our inner children are proud of how far we've come, and the adult in us is excited to witness the lives we'll freely paint for ourselves.

I'm sure every person in these seats will go on to do incredible things.

Thank you!