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From the Desk of ACS Supt. David Burleson: Congratulations To Seniors for Graduating

Dear High School Senior,

With great pride, I congratulate you on your accomplishment as a graduating senior. Almost thirteen years ago, you began your educational journey toward a high school diploma. I hope and pray that as you look back on this journey, you remember the positive lessons learned along the way that will assist you in becoming a successful adult.

Supt. Burleson
Supt. Burleson

As you look back at those lessons, may you remember more than just the textbook facts you were taught. My desire is for you to also remember the important life lessons you have learned. Treat other people the way you would have them treat you and remember that a kind word or smile is important to people around you. Being a good role model for children is one of the greatest legacies we can leave. It is important to say “please” and “thank you” and to treat people with respect. True friends are hard to find and should never be taken for granted. Staying true to your beliefs and allowing your heart to guide you will take you to the right destination.

Remember the best advice we can ever receive is from those who love and care the most about us. Know that your parents get wiser each day they live and the greatest source of wisdom in our community comes from those who are approaching the end of their lives.

These lessons are not ones you find in books, but these are the lessons I hope you have learned and will take with you. These are the important lessons you have learned from your teachers, principals, bus drivers, teacher assistants, secretaries, cafeteria workers, coaches or custodians who were always there for you. Also, the lessons you learned from parents, Sunday School teachers, pastors, and others in our community who have impacted your life will prepare you for the road ahead. I encourage you to remember those lessons and to allow them to guide you in making choices and decisions throughout the rest of your life.

I also invite you to use the education you have received as a key to unlock the door to a successful future. Remember that learning never stops and that education is something that can never be taken from you. Use each day to learn something new about yourself and the world.

For you, graduation will be a milestone and the marking of the end of your public school experience in Avery County. It is also a commencement and the ushering in of a bright and unlimited future. As you pass this milestone, please know how proud I am of you. I appreciate your dedication, your energy and your determination. These attributes have allowed you to reach this time in your life. You have already learned the lessons and have the tools in place to meet the challenges you will face in the future. As you prepare for and experience new phases of learning and living, I challenge you to keep in your mind and close to your heart those lessons you’ve learned, the strong family ties you have developed, the relationships that have been meaningful, and the resolve that has brought you this far.

I close with a quote from Abraham Lincoln: “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have.”

I encourage you to continue to hold true to your beliefs, to understand what is important to you, and to live your life based on those truths. Never compromise on the truth or in what you truly believe to be right and always strive to do your very best.

May God richly bless you and keep you all the days of your life.

With warmest regards,

ACS Supt. David Burleson