This year I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at Drummond Montesorri’s graduation. The students who were graduating were in 1st grade when I first started at CPS. I was truly humbled to be asked to speak.
Hello…
My name is Hector R. Hernandez, but I think most of you prefer… Mr. Mr.,
I use he/him as my pronouns.
Before I begin, I want to thank Mr. Gonzalez & Ms McCarthy for their hard work and dedication to the class of 2018. Without their guidance, we wouldn’t be here watching you graduate.
Drummond means so much to me. I’m not afraid to say, I miss you much… I want to state what an honor this is for me, and I am extremely humbled by this.
So… a few questions.
Where is Drummond, who is Drummond, why is Drummond?
I’m going to let you into a little secret… When I first applied to work at Drummond I didn’t really know how Montessori worked. I knew that we were suppose to “follow the child” and that you the students got to do your own thing, learn at your own pace… but for me, more importantly, that you were suppose to become independent, that it was a different way of learning, and that it encompassed a lot of my own personal ideals in regards to how education should be, more than academic success, social-emotional success.
When I started at CPS, you were all in first grade. Like I just said, I had no idea how Montessori worked in practice, only in theory…. That was, until all of you got to third grade and I just saw how advanced your thinking was, how emotionally centered, and how resilient you had become in those short years. Your growth not only showed me how important the Montessori practice is, but how important Drummond is as a school and community.
I saw you begin to thrive in writing, math, interpersonal relationships and problem resolution. You know, the things us adults are still try to figure out, you were already mastering it in third grade.
So, Why is Drummond?
Why can’t all CPS schools be like Drummond? Have a real sense of community, pride, be socially aware, and be active within their communities? Not to say that the other schools don’t… but nothing to the extent that I’ve seen here at Drummond, where not only the kids and teachers participate, but the parents as well. Everyone here at Drummond is invested in the future of all of you.
These past years Drummond, along with your parents and caretakers, have hopefully helped you begin to find who you are. To start defining yourself.
The purpose of Drummond isn’t just to give you academic strength, but it’s also to give you an awareness for your surroundings, the community you live and participate in. Really, Drummond is about participating in a positive manner within the communities that you live and navigate in.
As many of you who know me, I love music. One of my favorite and most influential albums of all times seems just as relevant today as it did when it came out when was graduating from eighth grade. Not only is it relevant, but I feel that it embodies what Drummond is. In Rhythm Nation by Jannet Jackson, she states:
Let’s work together
To improve our way of life
Join voices in protest
To social injustice
A generation full of courage
Come forth with me
I’m currently in school for a masters of social work… if it weren’t for my friends in class, including Ms. Rodriguez, I wouldn’t be pushing myself as hard as I should be, I wouldn’t be asking what’s next? My classes, along with the community of Drummond have taught me just how important it is to not only find your own personal success, but to ensure that others around you also participate in their own success.
Ms. Rodriguez and I were recently awarded a fellowship that will pay for the rest of our masters program and even give us a stipend for the year. Yes, not only did we just get all our school paid for, but we just got paid to finish school.
In your classes, you learned about equity. We as a society can’t survive if we allow people to slip through societal cracks. Drummond isn’t just about academics success, but also social-emotional success. But not just your own personal success, the success of the people around you, your community.
Which brings us to…
Who is Drummond?
To me, the beauty of Drummond is how much of a family dynamic it has. Even if you weren’t in my class, I knew you just as well as if you were. And, I think I can say that about all the teachers and staff at Drummond.
I have so many memories that I hold dear. Whether it was bringing a football for the girls to play with since the boys wouldn’t let them play football, girl power. I remember many of the different conversation we had in the hallways, either trying to find a resolution to a problem, talking about self confidence, or just helping on an assignment.
I was so glad that I was asked to help with the variety show…
Seeing so many of you perform at the variety shows. Let me tell you, I always felt so proud seeing perform your art. And the talent wasn’t just on stage, but even the help making the show run. It was when your grade was able to assist with the variety show that it was really ran by you. The teachers and I were just there for insurance reasons.
(Insurance jokes never land…)
I think one of the things that I enjoyed the most is all the inside jokes I had with many of you.
For those of you who entered Drummond a little bit later… I hope you found some sense of home here like I have. I hope that you feel as welcome as I did when I first arrived. I hope you were able to find new friends, and find your own personal success.
In life we tend to gravitate towards groups that have similar thoughts and ideas, tastes in music or culture… Some of us are academically strong, some of us are empathetic, others are artists, some of us are quiet, some of us are loud, some of us are introverted/extroverted…
One thing you need to know is that no one group is stronger than the other, but all are needed for society to succeed. Each one brings some type of strength to the table. We are all humans and we all have or need a sense of belonging.
You belong.
If someone like me, who attempted college six times before I actually succeeded at it, then that means I expect everyone in here to continue in their education. If it’s not college, then make it a vocation, if not a vocation, make it your art… but do not stop learning and pushing your talents.
In case there isn’t someone in your life asking you this question, let it be me… What’s next? Don’t stop asking yourself what’s next in your life… Parents, continue to ask your kids what’s next… don’t let them settle.
Here comes the question I have continually asked about Drummond. Most of the people you’ve met didn’t get the same style of education you did. So, did we prepare you to be able to navigate through a society that may not be as aware as you, or do we ask you to go out and change everyone?
Which finally brings me to…
Where is Drummond?
To answer that, we have to go to Maria Montessori’s “Follow the child…” You’re going to have to navigate your life the way you see fit. You’re in control.
Growing up there was a movie, some of your parents might know… It was called City Slickers. I loved that movie… though I don’t know why it was more of a middle age crisis type of movie. Come to think of it I’ve been having multiple age crisis throughout my life. Anyway, It’s about a group of friends who decided to go on a vacation trying to be cattle ranchers (which actually sounds very Montessori).
In this movie, the head cowboy shares the secret of life. He says, “The secret of life is easy, it’s this” *raise one finger*
It’s one thing. But that one thing is different for each person. So that’s what you need to do, find the meaning that represents your life.
I think that the single greatest thing you can do for yourself is find love. I don’t mean you have to get married, or find a life mate. Be it your family, your work, your art, find something you love and continue to let that drive you. Let that be your meaning of life.
(Play I Miss You Much by Jannet Jackson)
The piece of paper you receive at the end of all of this is only a small portion that defines who you are. Continue to decide for yourself – who you should be. Don’t hear the story you want to hear, create the story you want to be in.
Follow the child…
Now that you’re moving on from Drummond we don’t plan on stopping… we will continue to follow you. We at Drummond didn’t teach you to just coast through life. One of the most important things you have is your drive. There are systems in place that may slow down your goals, but don’t allow them to stop you. We hope to see great things from all of you. And if you ever get stuck… please reach out for help. Someone will hear your voice.
With the class of 2018, spreading throughout Chicago, Drummond will not only live at 1845 W. Cortland, but every person you reach with your brilliance.
The question isn’t what if all CPS schools could be like Drummond, but what if society could be like Drummond? This ceremony today gives us a glimpse of that. Don’t stop asking what’s next. Class of 2018, I congratulate you, your families, your teachers, and faculty.
Do right.
Do good.
Be well.
Love will never do without you… Thank you
