Seniors, it’s been a pleasure to serve as your principal the last three years.  To show my appreciation, I cannot dismiss you before you hear this all too familiar phrase one last time: 

• Good afternoon, New Albany High School Class of 2017. This is Mr. Carter with a few parting Words of Wisdom.
  
  
• Be sure to have someone in your life that you hate to disappoint.
  
  
• Read books for pleasure, not just for a grade.
  
  
• Take time every day to reflect on your thoughts, deeds, and words.

• You will soon realize that your parents and guardians know way more than you think they do.  
   
• It’s difficult to have peace with others without peace within yourself.
   
• Setbacks are a part of life. Embrace them, own them, and learn from them, for they are merely a setup for a comeback.
   
• Take the time to listen to other people’s stories without fear, condemnation, or judgment. You’ll learn more about yourself and others in the process.
   
• Live your life in such a way that no one will question what you stand for.
   
• Learn your “why”, live your “why”, and back it up with what you do and how you do it.
   
• Your beliefs will guide your behavior, your behavior will create your experiences, and your experiences will create meaning in your life.
   
• You teach others how to treat you. 
  
  
• Finally, when using social media, use discretion and pause before you post. 

With something to think about, this is Mr. Carter. Make it a great life… or not. The choice is yours.