RHS Class of 2011 Speaker's Address: Mike Rinaldi

The following transcript was provided by Mike Rinaldi and published by Patch unaltered:

Thank you Mr. Jaslow for that wonderful introduction.  To start, I would like to thank all of you who have taken time to be here with us today.  Our outstanding faculty and administration who have guided us through these four years, our Principal Jeffrey Jaslow, Superintendent of Schools Deborah Low, members of the Board of Education, and to anyone else who chose to partake in this celebration of the class of 2011. 

I think I can speak on behalf of the class when I say congratulations to another group of people this afternoon. The difference between this group and those wearing gowns is that they are graduating from sleepless nights when their child had safe-rides and from the incessant stress visiting colleges across the country or from fear their child would appear in the Ridgefield Press police blotter. This group of course is our parents, and I know we all owe a sincere thank you to them for all they have done for us.

Last but not least, I’d like to thank any other town leaders with us today, including the board of selectmen, and even, the board of finance.

It must be hard being on the board of finance. I’m sure it’s normally a difficult job making tough, budgetary decisions that affect the livelihood of students. But this year, really, how hard could it have been cutting money from the school budget?

I mean really, 4th grade string music? Have you ever heard an eight year-old play the violin?

German? German? Who needs German? It’s soo old Europe.

And more technology positions across the district? Who needs more technology experts? It’s not like someone’s going to hack into the computer system.

That reminds me of the joke about the time Albert Einstein died and went to Heaven.

When Einstein died and appeared before St Peter at the gates of heaven, he was concerned that no one would be smart enough to engage him in conversation.

So St. Peter said “don’t worry Einstein; you’ll meet plenty of smart people up here.  Go in and see for yourself.”

Einstein entered and asked the first person he met what his IQ was.  The man said, “175”.  Einstein said “Great!” We can discuss my theory of relativity and quantum physics. 

He moved on and asked a second person what her IQ was.  The second person said, “130”.  Einstein said “that’s good,” we can discuss theology and philosophy.

He asked a third person what his IQ was and this person responded, “65”.

Einstein said, “Did you enjoy being a member of the Board of Finance?”

Just kidding of course, and on behalf of the class, thank you to everyone responsible for this great school system.

Also, I think it’s integral to congratulate our students for making it this far in our still fresh, vibrant, and almost-innocent lives.  With this same group of erudite eighteen year olds in mind, I begin to reflect on our short past and ponder on the long future that looms ahead. 

I suspect that at times we’re all guilty of taking for granted many aspects of our lives and suffer from a tendency to lack the perspective needed to see how fortunate we truly are.  It is for this reason that I would like to talk to you all today about the value of being ready, of being focused, and of being engaged.

The other day I was reading the newspaper and ran across a story that made me stop and think; so I would like to share it with you. 

It took place in France. As you know, Europe has been convulsed with protests and recriminations about budget cuts and fiscal austerity.  This story occurred in Paris, where there was an organized mass protest to the proposed austerity measures.

Anyway, shop owners on the route of the demonstration feared that their businesses would be damaged, so they closed their stores early.

One restaurant owner frantically tried to bring in all his tables before the protesters arrived.  In his haste he forgot to retract the awning attached to his restaurant.

The crowds came and went, and life in Paris returned to normal.  A pedestrian was walking down the street soon after the protests and noticed a young child seven stories above the restaurant. He was standing at the edge of an open French door that served as a window.

Without a moment’s notice, the child fell out of the window, sending high-pitched screams down the Parisian street.  However, instead of watching the tragedy unfold, in this moment of chaos the passing pedestrian was somehow able to anticipate the trajectory of the child.  The child proceeded to hit the awning, and bounced into the arms of the waiting pedestrian, exactly as he had calculated mid-fall.  The toddler, an eighteen month old child, was completely unharmed. 

I began to think about this young individual’s life. How different would it have been if this passerby had not caught him? Perhaps dead, perhaps permanently disabled. Who knows what he will go on to accomplish. How much better will the lives of his mother, father, and siblings be having averted the tragedy?

I thought about the pedestrian, and his actions.  Would I have been keen to the situation around me and even have noticed the child? And if so, would I have thought so fast on my feet and positioned myself in the exact place the child would land? Would I be engaged, or simply watch it happen? Would I be prepared to act?

Those of you who know me and know of my supreme athletic prowess are all now obviously nodding in unison and muttering, “Yes Mike, you’d do it.”  I appreciate your support but personally, I’m not so sure. I’m not even alert enough at a Mets game to catch a foul ball, yet this man caught a child that fell from the seventh story of a building, and in turn, changed the lives of many.

This man embodied the characteristics that we need to carry with us each day of our lives as we move on to bigger and better things.  He observed a situation, developed a plan, and executed it to perfection. Think of the tasks and opportunities that are presented to us each day.   When an opportunity presents itself, will we be ready?  If each of us can have this same seamless stream of preparedness, we can be that much more successful.

So what are you waiting for? Will you be focused when facing the challenges ahead? Will you be engaged in building the life that you want? Are you ready to accomplish all that you can achieve?

I’ll leave you now with one of my favorite Bulgarian proverbs to dwell on: “Grab the opportunity by the beard, for it is bald behind.”

Thank you.