Benjamin (Ben) Tucker, valedictorian of the Class of 2013 at Sayre School and a Beaumont neighbor, was recently named the winner of a national contest for the best high school graduation speech in the country by Own the Room Speakers Corner, in partnership with Parade Magazine.
Ben gave a "light-hearted ode to his alma mater," urging his classmates to attend their first reunion because after all, they are family who love and care for each other. Ben echoed one of the school's core values when he stated, "What we won't care about, shouldn't care about, is what your job title is or how much money you make. That is absolutely irrelevant. What we will care about is what kind of person you have become and the character you display in your daily life."
Ben beat out finalists from nine other states.
Ben will attend DePaul University in the fall and plans to major in Digital Cinema and Television Production. "Ben has been active throughout his high school career in a variety of areas from student leadership to drama productions," said Upper School Director Timothy O'Rourke. "He has especially excelled as a writer, winning numerous awards for his fiction in school competitions as well as in the community. His valedictorian speech represents Ben at his finest, and we are proud of all he accomplished as a Sayre School student."