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Commencement Speech
THE GIFT OF ASJ DNA

High School Graduation Class of 2014
By: Maril Medina, ASJ Alumna 84, ASJ Mother 12, 14


Good morning Padre Ricardo Hernndez, Sister John Christian, Mrs. Gladys Rosado,
faculty, graduates, parents and friends.
30 years ago I was sitting at this graduation stage with my fellow Blue Ladies of the
Class of 1984. Dressed in my blue cap & gown.wearing my white gloves and white
pumpswaiting anxiously for my diploma, after having studied for 12 years at
Academia San Jos.
Today, I am unexpectedly standing here again, dressed in blue (but no white pumps
or gloves!), to address my beloved Blue Ladies, graduating Class of 2014. Without a
doubt, this is one of the most meaningful days in my life. I hope to make my alma
mater proud, and especially my favorite Blue Ladies - - my daughters Carolina Beatriz
(Class of 2012) and Laura Isabel, who is graduating from ASJ today. I thank you Padre
Ricardo, and especially Sister John Christian the soul of ASJ - for bestowing upon me
this extraordinary honor, which I accept with humility and a lot of love in my heart.
Class of 2014: Today you are receiving not one, but two gifts from Academia San
Jos. The first gift is your diploma, which recognizes the completion of a long journey
of academic excellence, and which has helped you achieve acceptance in the best
universities in Puerto Rico and the United States. That is a precious gift. Trust me, an
ASJ diploma will open up many doors for you in the future.
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I want to focus, however, on the second gift you are receiving today. And what is that
gift, you may ask? It is the gift of ASJ DNA. Or as you may like to refer to it: (hashtag)
#ASJDNA.
When I graduated 30 years ago, it wasnt immediately apparent to me that I had
received this gift. I realized it through the years, as I navigated the sometimes rough
waters of adulthood, and always relied on my ASJ DNA to safely reach the shore. I
realized it as I met fellow Blue Ladies along my journey, and was so inspired by them as
women, as mothers, as friends, as professionals, as volunteers. I especially realized it
this past year, when so many Blue Ladies banded together as sisters to help save ASJ.
So what is this mysterious ASJ DNA? What is it comprised of? What will it instill in you?
Simple. It the quality of LEADERSHIP. Blue Ladies of the Class of 2014, each and every
one of you is a leader. Whether you like it or not! It is very possible that you have
never had a title like class president, student council treasurer, club vice president. But
trust me, you are all leaders! It is in you.
Blue Ladies with ASJ DNA have a special kind of leadership. It has nothing to do with
position, titles, or money. It has everything to do with two things: COURAGE AND
SERVICE.
First, lets talk about COURAGE. ASJ DNA makes you all courageous leaders. It does.
Its instinctive. A Blue Lady will always do the right thing, even if its hard, even if its
unpopular, even if no one is watching. A Blue Lady acts on her beliefs, even if they
cause her pain. A Blue Lady is not afraid to say what needs to be said, but always
does it respectfully. Above all, a Blue Lady always acts with dignity and integrity.
A Blue Lady is a courageous leader because she is passionate about everything she
does, and always follows her guteven when everyone tells her shes crazy. When a
Blue Lady believes in something, she never gives up. A Blue Lady doesnt whine she
is action oriented. She sees a problem, she confronts it, and she focuses on the
solution, not the obstacles. A Blue Lady leads change, and always envisions a better
way, approaching it with determination and an open mind, seeking and respecting
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diverse points of view. To quote Winston Churchill, Courage is what it takes to stand
up and speak; Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
And thus, Blue Ladies we all expect you to use your ASJ DNA and the courageous
leadership that comes with it for the good of your communities.
Second, lets talk about SERVICE. ASJ DNA makes you all servant leaders. A servant,
you may ask? When one thinks of a leader, one usually thinks of someone in a position
of authority, who gives commands, and expects others to obey and follow. But that is
not the quality of a great leader. Great leaders distinguish themselves by serving
others. Every one of you, graduates, is a servant leader. Blue Ladies thrive in the
service of others.
Above all, a servant leader is humble, and welcomes opportunities to serve not as a
chore, but rather as an honor and a privilege. Blue Ladies let go of the need for praise
and instead give the credit to others. Blue Ladies dont wait for opportunities to be of
service to others, they actively SEEK those opportunities. They roll up their sleeves, and
get to work, period. Whatever it takes. And work they do! With passion. With love.
With pride. With humility. With excellence. And in doing so, they become role models,
and an inspiration for others to serve.
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in
the service of others. So go ahead, Blue Ladies, get lost! Grasp what youre good at,
sense what youre passionate about, and find a way to use the servant leadership that
comes with your ASJ DNA for the benefit of others. It is those individual acts of service
that together will make a world of a difference anywhere you go.
Blue Ladies of 2014: Use your courageous leadership, as well as your servant
leadership, and make us proud. When life gets tough, as it will from time to time,
always rely on two things: your faith and your ASJ DNA. I promise you will be just fine.
Remember that having ASJ DNA is a rare gift, a great honor, so you must pay it
forwardespecially to future generations of Blue Ladies. Today, in honor of the 30th
anniversary of our graduation, my Class of 1984 is giving back to ASJ through a gift of
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$1000 towards the ASJ Scholarship Fund, so that an underprivileged girl can have the
chance as we did - to become an ASJ Blue Lady.
Finally, never forget this Big Blue House, the famous white gala uniform; singing Hay
ngeles Volando en Este Lugar at First Friday Mass; the drama of the Gymnastics; the
grass plot; our Torre de Luz; the Senior Spot, the daily sound of the PA: Good
Afternoon ASJ, please pay attention to the announcements!; giving school tours at
Open Houses; the Techito; and of course, #SaveASJ.
Seniors: You now belong to a magical sorority of women, with a lifelong responsibility:
The future of ASJ is in your hands. Remember, #OnceABlueLadyAlwaysABlueLady
I leave you today with this reflection from Mother Teresa of Calcutta:
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Thank you.