Sisterhood Transcends
Distance and Time
By Elizabeth Ann Whiteman, Valedictorian
G
rowing up, I always wanted a sister. And although I adore
my brother, I yearned for the incredible and unbreakable
bond between two sisters. On August 18, 2010, I walked
into the halls of Carondelet for the first time with two-hundred
strangers. Today, I leave for the last time—with two-hundred
sisters.
It is only fitting that the roots of our sisterhood here at
Carondelet come from the strong example of the Sisters of St.
Joseph and their enduring faith. We were blessed enough to not
only receive an incredible education here, but also a Catholic
education that is deeply ingrained into our hearts and minds.
We entered Carondelet as anxious and excited girls. Today, we
leave as enlightened and educated women. With God’s love and
guidance, we all were able to transform in our own ways. Maybe it
was your teammates’ drive and encouragement to do your best in
your sport that made you realize your maturity. Maybe it was an
exhilarating performance on stage that boosted your confidence
in yourself. Maybe it was seeing the excitement on the students’
faces after they experienced the Welcome Back Rally you planned
that made you understand you could make a difference. Here, at
Carondelet, we truly embodied “all of which women is capable”.
Thanks to our hardworking administration and the tireless efforts
of our teachers, we were able to realize our potential. Not only
did we excel in the classroom, we also excelled as human beings.
We contributed tens of thousands of community service hours
each year. We connected with each other, ourselves, and God as
we experienced Frosh Unity Day, Corazon Retreat, and Kairos.
We came together as a school to make sure children had happy
Halloweens, the homeless had food at Thanksgiving, and we made a
difference in ending violence against women. This is where the heart
of the sisterhood lies: in our capacity to love and live out our faith
every day.
The biggest question we face as we graduate today is where do
we go from here? I am confident that our sisterhood will transcend
both distance and time. We will carry our strong minds, hearts, and
souls as we move on to the next chapter of our lives.
Among us are future doctors, CEOs, Broadway stars,
philosophers, teachers, and anything else we set our minds to. I
invite you all to never forget the sisterhood you came from and what you have learned at Carondelet. I know
you will not forget the delicious Carondelet chocolate chip cookies or the night you danced your heart out at
Senior Ball or the countless Friday night football games. However, keep in mind the strong bond we all share as
sisters, your deeply-rooted faith and love, and the amazing Catholic education we were blessed with receiving.
I thank you all for going on this incredible journey with me for the past four years and for becoming the
sisters I always dreamed of having.
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