Rome Kadi '15 Delivers Graduation Address

On Thursday, June 15 Parkside alumnus Rome Kadi ‘15 gave the the alumni address during the Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony. Here is the full transcript of his speech:

Oh, and I did not make ChatGPT write this so let’s just cut the tension right away.

Before I get started today, I would like to thank a few important people who made this all possible. First and foremost, my parents, Judith and Gary Kadi. They raised me to be who I want to be in this world and have always been there for me through thick and thin. Love you guys. I’d also like to thank the two people who are the reason that we are all here today, Albina Miller and Leslie Thorne. Thank you for allowing me to stand in front of you today and for creating such a wonderful school where kids like me can develop into great students and people.

Eight years ago, I remember sitting in these exact chairs. I was wearing a watch with the Miami Marlins logo on it because it was my favorite baseball team at the time. Around this far into the graduation, I looked at the face and was thinking: “Man, when is this going to be over?” Little did I know: once that graduation finished and I would begin the next chapter of my life, it wouldbe so special. But, first, let me tell you about who I am and what brought me to Parkside.

At two years old, I was diagnosed with a learning disability and it completely changed me and my family’s life. Once my parents found out the news, they were distraught at first. But, as my dad would say, they got into warrior mode. They did whatever they could to get me better by doing different treatments and therapies including going in those hyperbaric chambers and wearing those helmets that made me look like an astronaut. Whatever it was, my parents sacrificed to put me in the best position possible and, with their efforts, I got healthier. So, thank you guys for putting me first through all of those hardships. I can’t possibly thank you enough for that.

Now, you’re probably wondering how I got to Parkside. When me and my family moved to New York from Arizona in 2008, my mom was looking for a special needs school. There were only 2 options: Parkside or a school in Chinatown with a messy storage room that was supposed to be an occupational therapy room. Let’s be real: we sure as hell weren’t taking the latter. In all seriousness, Parkside was an amazing fit for me and where I was at in my development process. I have met so many great people that went through those big red doors every morning, whether that be teachers, occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, students, you name it. Every one of them played a role, whether big or small, in helping me on my path to success after Parkside.

So, today, I’d like to shout out a few teachers that I’ve had the chance to learn from over the course of my time here. Mr. Vargas: I loved being in your library class. I remember you used to make me belly laugh so hard with your jokes and always brought charismatic and fun energy every time I was there. I also remember you had that signature catchphrase after seemingly every page of a children’s book that you read: but wait, there’s MORE! Mr. Cruz and Mr. J: You guys always brought positive energy and a smile to my face every time I saw you, and that continues in the years since I’ve graduated, so thank you guys. Ms. Ferraro: I remember being in music class with you and Ms. Lin at the time. Being in that class was so much fun because I was able to learn all about music and drama in an exciting way. Towards the end of my time here, I was in two school plays: Oliver and Les Miserables. It was a lot of fun getting to learn my characters and be a part of something bigger than just me. Even if I was too nervous to do something, you seemed to always push the limits and show me what I’m capable of so I cannot thank you enough for that.

Last and certainly not least, my favorite teacher I’ve ever had, Ms. Ament. Listen, I just got to say this up front: you are one tough cookie. You always have been. That’s what I’ve always appreciated about you. You never backed down from anybody giving you a hard time and have always stood up for yourself. That’s something I want to take with me going into college and beyond because I know it’ll serve me well, so thank you for that. But, you also helped prepare me for what was waiting in middle and high school. Don’t worry, I remember doing those book reports every month. Even though I was annoyed that I had to do it, I worked my tail off to put together a great product. Because of that, you helped me sharpen my work ethic, which has helped me immensely in the years to come. Lastly, I remember you religiously taught me and the rest of 5-2 how to clean up our crumbs after we ate something. I could just hear it now. “First, you put your hand on the table where the crumbs are. Then, put your other hand under the table. Finally, slowly brush those crumbs to the edge of the table so that the other hand can catch it.” Ms. Ament, it was truly a blessing being able to learn from you and I’m sure this version of 5-2 is lucky to have you as their teacher this year.

Lastly, to the Class of 2023, I have three pieces of advice for you.

1. Embrace the unknown: Listen, I was in your shoes just a month ago, when I graduated from York Preparatory School. I’ll be honest, although I’m really excited for my next chapter at Arizona State, I’m also a little nervous about it. College is something new for me and frankly, if you’re going into any type of uncharted territory, it’s natural to feel uncomfortable about it. Point is: it’s okay to not know everything yet. If you keep an open mind and are willing to learn throughout your school careers, you will be in a great place for years to come.

2. Find something you are good at and stick to it, you never know where it might lead you: For me, it was sports broadcasting. Early on in my middle school years, it was a dream of mine to be a broadcaster for a living, but I wasn’t sure how to really put that dream into motion yet. During the summers of 2020 and 2021, I went to the Bruce Beck Sports Broadcasting Camp…..on Zoom of course. When I was there, they had me practice exercises like working with a teleprompter, doing play-by-play broadcasting, doing game highlights like they do on SportsCenter, and much more. It was there that I realized that I really wanted to do this….and I was pretty good at it too. Long story short: when I got back to school and COVID was not as big of a threat, I managed to pull some strings with the school’s athletic department and started doing play-by-play for the school’s boys varsity basketball team. For you, your dream might be to become a firefighter, police officer, engineer, doctor, whatever it is. Once you find that thing you love to do and wouldn’t trade it for anything else, keep doing it because you have no idea where it could take you in life.

And 3. Make an impact that outlasts you: The new head of my old school said this during her speech at my graduation and I thought it was pretty good. So, thanks for the idea, Ms. Magg. When you turn the page and enter your new chapters as middle school students, I urge you to make an impact in your school communities. Now, believe me, I can speak from experience, it doesn’t happen right away. You need to build trust with your fellow classmates and teachers, while continuing to better yourself as a student and person. However, if there is any opportunity for you to help out your classmates and give back to your school community, please do so. Whether that means helping your classmates with their homework or mentoring younger students, it’s so important because it’s a nice thing to do for someone and it helps make their struggles easier to handle.

I figured that I would end this speech with a quote. “One day, you will tell your story of how you overcame what you went through and it will be someone else’s survival guide.” Today, I hope my story can inspire someone else on their path to success.

Thank you Parkside for everything and congratulations to the Class of 2023!