By MARIEKE ANDRONACHE

Special to The Press

“What if we fail?”

That is the question Mohammed Saad Javed asked his classmates gathered for graduation at Northwestern Lehigh High School’s Tiger Stadium, on the evening of May 31.

The theme of his address touched on resilience, an important trait to succeed in whatever path one chooses.

“Life is unpredictable. In adversity, we are, in many occasions, destined to fail before we can succeed,” Javed said.

Reflecting on some of history’s greats, such as Walt Disney and Thomas Edison, who both faced early setbacks but persevered, Javed recounted the story of a wounded Army veteran who inspired him to forge past obstacles and make a better life.

Class of 2024 President Jordan Allen alluded to unexpected challenges in her own address, recounting their first year of high school, which was in front of a computer monitor.

“Although we did not have a traditional year, I’m sure we made up for it,” Allen said. “High school for most of us was more than grades and tests.

“It was about discovering our voices, pushing boundaries, and of course, learning how to open our lockers.”

Allen also spoke of what would happen next.

“We are standing on the edge of our future,” she noted.

Allen ended her address, quoting Dr. Seuss.

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Principal Aileen M. Yadush then addressed the soon-to-be graduates.

“Remember that your next transition begins today,’ Yadush said.

Today, you start a new phase in your life - one that extends beyond the walls of Northwestern Lehigh High School.

“As you begin this journey, we hope that you create new memories along the way and pass on what you have learned to those who walk behind you.”

School Board President Todd Hernandez explained to the Class of 2024 how they celebrate Northwestern Lehigh’s 67th annual ceremony.

“As defined, commencement is not an end. It is the beginning,” he said. “You are at the threshold of where you will go from here.

“Reflect on the experiences you have had here to get to this point and think of the support you have gotten through the years from your teachers, coaches, families and friends.”

Assistant High School Principal Matthew Givler highlighted the work of 63 seniors who received a total of $51,000 in scholarships.

The money was gifted from the school district, Lehigh Career and Technicial Institute, and local businesses.

Before the diplomas were handed out, Valedictorian Timothy Burnard spoke on “Our Northwestern Journey.”

“When we began our educational journey, way back in elementary school, the world certainly looked much different than it does today,” Burnard said. “Smartphones were just starting to become popular, and we spent our time playing with LEGOS, Pokemon cards, fidget spinners and those little rubber band bracelets.”

He spoke of the new friends middle school brought, and the return to elementary school buildings in seventh grade due to a mold issue.

Then, the unexpected happened in eighth grade as the world shutdown.

Burnard spoke of friendships, classroom memories, and lessons learned in and outside the classroom.

“And, when we look back on our years in school, I think we’ll find the most important lessons we’ve learned here don’t come from some textbook or 45-minute lecture but from the experiences we’ve had - the good, the bad and the ugly that have shaped us into the young adults we are now and the people we will become,” he said.

“We’ve learned how to communicate with a diverse range of people to step out of our comfort zone from time to time.

“We’ve learned there is no substitute for hard work, and we can accomplish quite a lot if we put our minds to it.”

As the sun set over the hills behind Tiger Stadium, members of the Class of 2024 received their high school diplomas, marking an end to one chapter of their lives, and the start of the next.