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Jordan's full remarks at 2017 King of Hearts Gala

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good evening everyone my name is Jordan Boyson and I am a senior at Christ the King  on the second youngest of four children on June 9th I will be the first one to walk across the high school stage to receive my diploma I would like to thank my beautiful mom who is here tonight for raising me to be the responsible and compassionate young man that I am today thank you Mom and Dad he's also tonight when I first got to Christ the King I was very introverted did help Lucy looking to fit in I will Goof Off in class and try to be cool to make friends instead of actually paying attention in trying my best go for the first time in my life I see my grades drop tremendously mr. finger my freshman algebra teacher Express that he knew my potential did I knew the material but chose not to apply myself  he would keep me after class to tell me that he knew how capable I was succeeding and that I could do it he also told me that ultimately it would be me who had to grow up and want better for myself to make a change over the next few months I made up all of my missing work bringing me from alodi to the very top of my class I'm grateful that ctk has such support of faculty and staff mr. fingers here tonight I don't know what it is but thank you mr. finger also a Christ the King we are required to work at a corporate job what day is each month tell PR tuition my first two years I worked at Advocate Christ Medical Center over and Oaklawn and I currently work at katten muchin rosenman the law firm located in downtown Chicago  an advocate I learned the importance of being thorough and how to manage my time but started working at Katan it was my first time in such an intimidating corporate environment now instead of doctors and nurses in Scrubs there a lawyers and power of suits instead of delivering Hospital meals I was delivering court documents in settlement checks I felt so small I didn't feel as if I belong there then my work matter could me this 16 year old kid driving a corporate job like I remember my work-study training before my freshman year has started and I decided to fake it until I make it I would say good morning and male coworkers are trying to fit in I would ask about people's days you no common courtesy that my mom taught me at home  over the weeks that followed do you begin to realize that my role was important to  I was able to communicate more effectively with those around me overtime I be invited to lunch with my workers my supervisors and even several secretaries this meant so much to me I felt as if my work ethic and my efforts to be poor or finally paying off  being viewed as a peer made me so proud in for the first time I saw myself as a contributing member of the corporate world  this is an opportunity that my friends are other schools don't get thank you to all of you in the room who are cdk students my newfound confidence also carried over into my social interactions at school I began to get more involved in extracurricular activities help toast retreat participate in service projects and even took on leadership roles like pure Ministry National Honor Society and Appalachia service project  all the what eventually lead to the opportunity to go on a trip that has forever changed my life  this past fall I was one of four students who were invited to it the ignition family teaching the teaching is an event in which students from Jesuit High Schools and universities all across the country meet and washing DC to discuss social justice and political issues  the trip was also a chance to visit Capitol Hill to discuss issues about the community the thank you munity with our Congressman Danny Davis  we also attended several sessions to learn about race sexuality Justice spirituality and even love  highlight of my experience was spending the day with students from redcloud a Jesuit High School for Lakota Dan's in South Dakota  at the time they were going to the crisis concerning the Dakota access pipeline issue but they were always so happy with infectious smile I wonder how could they be so positive despite their land being taken away and their water polluted assume realize that despite the is a gun violence and police brutality I was fortunate enough to have something as basic as clean water  all I had to do was realize it as I sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and listen to Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech I reflected on how grateful I was to sit at the heart of history  bite in Christ the King I have had many amazing opportunities like the teaching your support here tonight makes this possible thank you from my time here Christ the King I've come to realize them passion lies in art music and creative writing  so far I've been accepted to Dominican Coe College SIU be a college Ohio Wesleyan in this week Howard University and currently I'm waiting on a few more including my first choice Savannah College of Art and Design but going away isn't my farewell  I look forward to coming back to Chicago go after receiving my degree to teach at a school maybe even like Christ the King what do you think mrs. pain  will you have a job for me in 22 I want to give students that same support and encouragement that mr. finger and others have given me Christ the King has changed me and in turn I hope to change the world thank you for listening to my story tonight and for your support of my classmates and me good night

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Jordan's full remarks at 2017 King of Hearts Gala

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