Andrew's Retirement Speech

It’s good to see you all here. Even though I know that some of you are just here for the free food.

When I started this company forty years ago, I never imagined we would accomplish as much as we have. My partner Sarah and I started this company to combat global warming. Remember when that was still the hot issue?

Since then, we have made so much progress. I started out as our chief architect, Sarah started out as our chief artist, and Bobby over there took care of the business side of things, and John Fletcher, who is unfortunately no longer with us, gave us the capital we needed to get started. What visionaries we were.

I’ll never forget the day we got our first huge contract, from my hometown, Washington DC. We were to completely redesign their school facilities. Us – a small startup green architecture company – we were to design over a hundred energy-efficient buildings. They even let us install solar-panels on the roofs – something we had dreamed of but had never imagined that any contractor would let us do. Our company’s size multiplied by at least ten times in that year – We hired Sandra, our head lawyer, who has since saved our company countless times. We found Joe, one of the brightest kids I have ever met, who will soon be assuming my job.

I can’t continue this speech any further without mentioning my mother and father, and what influences they had for me – raising me in my liberal-hippie household, encouraging me along this journey. My mom was convinced I would switch my major from engineering when I went into college, and she was right. I don’t know, however, if she anticipated me switching back. My father, always the optimist, seemed to believe I would excel at whatever I would do, no matter how unrealistic the goals I set for myself were.

We all felt so good about what we were doing – not only did I enjoy my job, but I really felt like I was making a difference. Environmental organizations would frequently endorse us, which was a spectacular feeling. Eventually, some competitors tried to employ some of our ideas into their work, and I could not have been happier. Sure, I loved making money, but I loved even more that we were making such a difference that others were following in our lead.

Some people have asked me why I never assumed the role of president in this company. I must make it clear to everyone that being president never appealed to me. I was perfectly happy being the head architect. I felt like a family, not a network of employees.

Thus, I conclude my career as Chief Architect at Green Horizons. Thank you Sarah, for sticking with me in this dream. Thank you Joe, for doing what you do so well. I will continue to remain on our board of directors, but, to be honest, I’m really going to enjoy my free time. You can be sure that I will still show up at company events and act like the life of the party.

So, as I say my thanks, I want you all to know that I am not saying goodbye. In fact, you may not even notice any shift in my presence for awhile. You have all been great to work with, and I cannot have imagined a more desirable way to have lead my adult life.  

Farewell-Kira

Tonight was my last performance. I will no longer sit in my wood chair by the window overlooking Manhattan as I learn lines. I will no longer enter the black box theatre above the bakery to rehearse scenes. I will no longer sit at a makeup desk and apply pounds of makeup so I don’t wash out on stage. No longer.

I hate to be dramatic, especially now that I am leaving the theatre. But, I cannot contain my emotions as I reminisce over the years I’ve spent on the stage. I need to express my appreciation for what theatre has given to the world and to me, specifically.

Theatre brings many important issues into light in stages around the world. In today’s society, where people often look to the media and entertainment for information and instruction, theatre offers an important medium for exploring a variety of topics ranging from politics to ethical dilemmas to personal relationships. On television, people can witness battles between politicians, cultures, and families from a distance. This disconnect prevents the viewers from empathizing with the situation at hand. Yet, whether it is a hilarious parody of daily life or a heartbreaking story of despair, watching these stories unfold on stage brings “the issue home.”

According to last year’s Nobel Price winner, Dr. Jefferson, society learns best by reading books, attending lectures and undergoing personal experiences. Theatre blends these activities. Its scripts are the fabric from which issues of life are woven and displayed to an audience for contemplation. The actors push forward these themes through their deliverance on stage. Because of theatre’s intimate setting, a play creates a bond with the audience that leaves the viewers personally connected to the story that unfolds before their eyes.

I will certainly miss this connection and more.

Theatre has given so much to me in these past few decades. I know that my character doesn’t fit into easy pigeonholes. Maybe that’s why the most important thing in my life has been theatre. On stage, there are no fixed personalities. Anybody can play anyone and identity is only what you create. On a stage, I’m not tied down by social expectations or any of those superficial things that melt away in the bright lights. I love acting because theatre expands my persona. On stage, I can release my emotions and be every “me” that I am.
Unfortunately, my body can no longer handle the stress and pressure of acting. Those emotions, which once provided the rush that kept me performing in live-theatre, are now forcing me to step down.

Yet, theatre has given me a platform that I hope to use to promote the ever-increasing need for environmental action. While I am saying goodbye to the stage of theatre, I hope you will continue to support me on my next stage in life.

Thank you.

Retirement Speech - Lele

My fellow faculty members,

I leave you in sadness, but I leave you with hope. I feel I must leave you purely due to consequence of my age. One of the most important qualities a teacher must possess is an overabundance of energy, and then some. As this degree of physical energy fades within me, a new kind of enthusiasm arises. An enthusiasm for spending time with my children and grand children, traveling the world, finding a new home to retire in with my husband, taking up some new hobbies, and generally having the time to do things leisurely. This may not seem like much of a plan for the rest of my life, but just wait until you are my age. My plan is to have the time to do whatever it is that spontaneously grasps me.

My 17 years here in the Math Department at Potomac have been truly remarkable. It has been an amazing opportunity to work at the high school that I went to. I cannot say that my initial dream in high school was to come back here as a teacher, but eventually it did. In fact, in high school, all I wanted to do was get away from Potomac. But as soon as I spent a few years away, I had to come back to send my 4 kids here, and then teach once they all graduated. I think that that is a real testament to Potomac’s core values and priorities.

As teachers, we are supposed to uphold these values in our classrooms everyday. But how does one go about this? How can you teach English, Algebra, or Biology while keeping a constant undertone of “Generosity of Spirit,” and the values of honesty, respect and community? I have realized that these are things that have to come naturally and somewhat subconsciously from each individual teacher. It is our unwritten duty to devote our free time to individual students, to be honest with our students by sharing our life experiences with them and by putting schoolwork into perspective. We must respect each student by trusting them and by looking beyond their past work to see that each class can be a new beginning for anyone who needs it. And community but be formed by humor: laughter between teachers and students. I hope that if I leave anything last here, that it is that crucial bond of a tight community between teachers and students because this is what encourages a happy learner.

It was years before these qualities came to me naturally. The people I must thank who helped me get to that point are my husband, John, my four kids, Erin, Conor, Bennet, and Helena, my sisters, and each of you. Individually, in somewhat or other, you have all been there to help me deal with difficult situations with students or by supporting me when I needed it most in my life, when my parents passed. Going into this job, I never thought I would get so personal and close with all of you because I was still thinking of Potomac teachers and authority figures from my high school. Although I came into this job well into adulthood, I have grown up so much through this career experience. I have enjoyed working with you all immensely and I will be sure to see you all around campus form time to time next year.

Kit's Retirement Speech

As I stepped up to this microphone a moment ago, I faintly heard the “pop” of a bubble. For forty years I have lived my dream. But now, my bubble has burst, and it is all over. Looking back on my career, I realize that it was defined by two major aspects: French food, and the golf course.
French food is what persuaded me to become an international man. At the young age of 13, when everything in my life centered around food, I made my first overseas voyage, in which I traversed the country of France. At the time I was severely allergic to eggs (a disease which I have thankfully grown out of by now) and so I was forced to be acutely aware of everything I ate. However, I began to enjoy talking to the locals about their cuisine and the care they put into every aspect of the food process. It was then, before I had even entered high school, that I realized I wanted to extend my life globally. France was a place special to my heart after my trips in both 8th grade and my year abroad in college, and when I decided to enter the government, I knew that was where I wanted to go. When I ascended to the position of Ambassador, I finally had realized my dream, and I count those eight years as some of my best. However, after the Presidential change in ’44, I felt that the country was going in a different direction than I was, so I stepped down with little fanfare.
After my retirement in ’44, I spent plenty of time on the golf course, and trust me, in those four years, I got pretty good at the game I love. Yet, it was on a course in central Virginia where I played with then presidential-candidate Milhouse. It was then that he informed me that he wanted me to run his State Department should he be elected President. With the blessings of my beloved family, I decided to accept his offer, and with his narrow victory (way to go Idaho!), I assumed my role in his cabinet. Secretary of State is a position which required great amounts of energy and focus, but was immensely enjoyable as well, as I quickly found that giving orders was a lot better than receiving them. But all good things must come to an end eventually, and with another presidential change on the horizon, I knew (this time for sure) that it was time for me to pass the torch. My family and my golf game are calling me back, and I will go to them with no doubts in my mind. I see leaders rising up through the ranks, such as Senator Fitzgerald and Secretary Delano, who are bringing new ideas on how to keep our country strong. So, while my time may be done, a new era is dawning, and our future is brighter than ever.
I thank all of you that came today, family, friends, colleagues and teachers, for giving me so much support and joy. As I move on to this new stage in my life, I only hope I can give back as much as I have received. Thank you.

Kenzan's Retirement Speech

I can still remember my first tour of duty in Iraq. I remember hot summer nights and even hotter summer days. I remember sweating until my fingers pruned. I remember when, for twenty bucks, our platoon officer decided to try and capture a camel spider with his bare hands. I can still hear his screams and my laughter. I remember mystery meatball and cardboard spaghetti rations. I remember shower less days and weeks.

But then, I remember puddles of scarlet, rotting corpses, and maggots. I remember shooting and killing children a quarter of my age. I remember trying to wash away the smell of death from my clothes, my hair, and my skin. I remember falling asleep to the sound of children crying.

I remember the conflicts that followed: the military occupation of Mexico, the North Korean incursion, the Panama Canal takeover, the war for Chinese freedom. I remember President Schwarzenegger saying, “We must fight for the freedom of the oppressed and exploited.” I remember believing those words.

I can see now, with the clarity of sight that comes only with the passage of time, that we weren’t fighting for the rights of others; we were only fighting for our own rights. We fought whenever our interests – political or economic – were at stake. The Iraqi conflict endangered our supply of oil; the chaos in Mexico threatened to spill over the border; the North Korean dictator was becoming too ambitious in his nuclear weapons program, the Panama Canal needed to be protected from insurgents, the Chinese government threatened to eradicate cheap labor in China for American companies. Where our interests were not at stake, we turned a blind eye. We ignored the genocides of Darfur, Congo, and India because American interests weren’t at stake.

When the oil in Iraq dried up, we abandoned the free people of Iraq. Within months a Muslim autocracy replaced the established democracy. When Nicaragua made a larger canal, the Panama Canal became a moot point, and we betrayed the Panamanians and left them out to dry. The ensuing and ongoing civil war has claimed upwards of a million lives.

I saw that the principles of democracy were only a cover for the vested interests of American power and money. I saw that our American democracy was not run by its citizens, but by big business.

With my retirement from the American military as of January 11, 2057, I am freed from my obligations to the American nation. I ask you today, my family and friends, to forgive me for what I am about to do. I have seen the injustices of America, and aim to bring about change.

As for what I am about to do, I will only say that people will mar my name in what mud they can find. They will call me a terrorist and a threat to America and curse my name in vain. In the coming months and years, I ask you only to remember this: Madison and Washington, our greatest patriots, were called terrorists by the British. Perhaps one day, I too, will be called a patriot.