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Former secretary of state speaks at Woodgrove | LoudounTimes.com

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FormersecretaryofstatespeaksatWoodgrove
Friday,Jun.1,2012byLauraPeters|0comments|Emailthisstory| Video

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TimesMirrorStaff Photo/BeverlyDenny FormerSecretaryofState MadeleineAlbrightwas thespecialguestspeaker atWoodgroveHigh SchoolsClassof2012 awardsceremonyJune1.

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Former secretary of state speaks at Woodgrove | LoudounTimes.com

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Callsweremade,favorswereasked,butnooneknewwhowouldbe appearingJune1atWoodgroveHighSchoolinPurcellville.LoudounCounty PublicSchoolofficialsweretightlippedaboutasecretspeakerwhowassaidtobesurprising WoodgroveHighSchooljuniorsandseniorsduringtheirseniorawardceremony. Astheauditoriumslowlyfilledup,whispersandhushedvoicesweretryingtodeterminethe identityofthesurprisespeaker.EvenWoodgroveteachershadnocluewhoitcouldbepriorto theevent.ThenformerSecretaryofStateMadeleineAlbrightappearedonthestage. Albrightisafamiliarfacetosomegraduatingseniors.Sheappeared12yearsagoatHillsboro ElementarySchool,whichnowfeedsintoWoodgrove,duringaseriesofeventsentitled, SecretaryintheClassroom. Albright,whoservedunderformerPresidentBillClintonfrom1993to1997,notedher experiencewasbothdauntingandoneofthebestpositionsshesheld. WhatIfoundveryquicklyisthatashardasItriedIcouldntalwaysavoidmakingmistakesor besparedcriticism,shesaid.AndnoteverychoiceImadewastherightone.Eventhegood dayswereaccompaniedbyworriesaboutwhatwouldcomenextbecausetheworldwas constantlyevolving.Therewerealwaysnewissuestoconsider. Albrightofferedsomeinsighttothegraduatingclassandspokehonestlyaboutthechallenges theymayencounter. Werecertainlyinneedoffreshthinkingbecausetheworldthatyouyoungpeoplewillinheritis indeedatroubledone.Infact,ifIwereinyourshoes,orflipflops,orwedges,orchucks,or whatever,Iwouldasksomequestions,Albrightsaid.Forexample,whyhasnttheold generationdonemoretocreatejobsandtoprotectoureconomyfrom[the]risingtideofdebt? Whyinthefaceofoverwhelmingscientificevidencehavedonesolittletopreservethe environmentalhealthofourclimate?Whyhaveweallowedsuch[a]gaptoopenupbetween richandpoorinourowncountryandoverseas?Andwhydoourpoliticianssooftenremindus ofkindergartenerswhorefusetosharetheswing. BorninCzechoslovakia,AlbrightandherfamilyfledfromNaziinvasiontoLondonduring WorldWarII. Becauseofthatexperience,IlearnednevertotakefreedomforgrantedorforgetthatAmerican idealsandleadershipcanmakeanincredibledifferenceinpeopleslives,shesaid. Addressingtheaudience,Albrightsaidtheresnothingmoreexhilaratingorfrighteningthan movingintothenextpartoftheirlivesbuttheyshouldntfeelhinderedbywhathasbeenput infrontofthem. Nowincitingthesequestions,Idontmeanourgraduatesthisyearareentitledtofeelsorryfor themselves.Struggleispartofthehumanconditionandthefailuresofonegenerationhave alwaysprovidedatestforthenext,shesaid.Forthemembersoftheclassof2012thatpositive testingwillsoonenteramoreintensephase.Whetheryouregoingofftocollegeorbeginninga newjoborstillplanningonwhattodonext,youhavearrivedatapointwherethepathyouwill followisincreasinglyyourowndesign. Heradvicetothenextgenerationwastokeepinmindwhatdoesntchangeintheeverchanging world. Neverbesatisfiedofwhatyouknow,becausebyaskingquestionsandlisteningtoothersyou canalwayslearnmore.Takeprideinwhoyouare,butleaveroomforotherstoexpresstheirown pride,Albrighttoldtheseniors.Whenyourewrong,dontbeafraidtoadmitit.Evenasyou
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6/13/12

Former secretary of state speaks at Woodgrove | LoudounTimes.com

strivetokeeppacewiththelatesttechnology,rememberthereisnotechnologicalsolutionstothe teststhatmattermost.Aboveall,havefaithinyourselves.Liveeachdaywiththeknowledgethat youractionsandchoicestrulycountandthateverychallengesurmountedbyyourenergy,every problemsolvedbyyourwisdom,everysoulawakenedbyyourpassionandeverybarriertojustice broughtdownbyyourcouragewillinspireothersandenrichyourownjourneyonthisearth. Theceremonyacknowledgesoutstandingseniorsineachschooldepartment,clubs,teamsand otherschoolactivities.Certainstudentsareawardedwithcertificatesandscholarships. Manyof[thestudents]havegiventheirowntimeandefforttomakeWoodgroveHighSchoola betterplace.Everythingwedoatthisschool,fromacademicstosportstoclubstoartstomusic, alloftheseendeavorsconnectustoeachother,saidWoodgrovesocialsciencesteacher,Tim Greening.Toputitsimply,education,likelife,isaboutrelationships.Thatiswhatwearehere tocelebrateaswell.Bothyourindividualaccomplishments,butalso,andmaybemore importantly,ourcommonbonds.
TimesMirrorStaff Photos/BeverlyDenny FormerSecretaryofState MadeleineAlbrightwas thespecialguestspeaker atWoodgroveHigh School'sClassof2012 awardsceremonyJune1.

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