(photo source)
I am proud of each of you today. Because, in the end, you have come a long way. You have to thank your teachers for this. They have always thought of educating you as part of their job, not as part of their job. But most of all you should thank your family. Your parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors — everyone contributes to this. Because they trust you.
The convocation ceremony is an occasion of joy. But today's convocation seems to be even more joyous. Because, I know, many people weren't so optimistic about Booker T. Many thought that the students of this institution would never be able to compete with the United States. Because, this area is underdeveloped, the roads here are broken, the educational institutions are also broken. In a word, the students here do not get much better facilities. But you have proved that each of you has raised his head and said, 'Yes, we can'. Yes, we can too. We can learn, we can succeed. Not where you come from; Rather, it is you who have proved that your true identity is where you want to go.
This is about a year ago. There was a time when only half of the students in this institution could finish their studies. For a long time, only a handful of students were able to continue their studies in this institution. But today you have changed everything!
You have set an unforgettable example for those who are new to this institution. You have come up with ideas, and to see them flush it out, it's really fun. The teachers have confidence in every student here. And as a result, 80 percent of your students today are able to complete their studies beautifully. And most importantly, many of them are now the most educated people in their own family. I'm here today, because I think if the Booker T School students can have that kind of success, the Memphis area can have that success; If this success is possible in the Memphis area, it will be possible in the entire state of Tennessee; And if the state of Tennessee can do that, then the whole United States can succeed.