Presented by Chaun Johnson
Empowering Growth by Bridging Education, Leadership, and Faith!
Discipleship Graduation Address Leadership Strategy Vision youth
Rites of Passage Ceremony (Holy Family School, September 4, 2024)
A rites of passage ceremony is a traditional ritual marking significant life transitions such as birth, coming of age, marriage, and death. Historically, these ceremonies have deep roots in various cultures and religions, serving not only to celebrate milestones but also to reinforce social norms and cultural values. For example, the Bar and Bat Mitzvah in Jewish communities signify the transition to adult responsibilities, while African Maasai ceremonies celebrate youth transitioning into warrior status. These rituals, integral to community and cultural identity, provide structure and meaning, helping individuals navigate key changes in life.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is an absolute honor to be with all of you today for the Rites of Passage Ceremony. I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Johnson for facilitating this wonderful event and to all the dedicated teachers present here. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. Your positive energy is truly contagious. Your smiles light up the school and impact the students in ways you may not even realize. I urge you to keep that positivity shining. What you display is reflected in your students’ actions. Thank you for your unwavering commitment and for inspiring our future leaders.”
I grew up and taught in the Humboldt Park and North Lawndale community. My first teaching job was there, and I later became a Dean of Students and Social Science Chairperson. Concerned about how our children were being treated and educated, I decided to become a school principal. I wanted to teach others how to educate our children effectively, regardless of their background. I also became a pastor in this community. Therefore, I want to emphasize that North Lawndale is not a wasteland, but a promised land. If you live in this community, you are a promise, a solution to the challenges we face. Dr. Martin Luther King saw promise in this community, but his assassination led to conflict. Instead of tearing down our community, we should uplift it and show that it is a place of promise. We are promises, and we can fulfill them.
In this rite of passage, where are you going? Okay, so you are being recognized with pearls and a star for this rite of passage, but there is a higher calling to create and accomplish your goals, as you just heard from Principal Spencer. Your Divine calling is from the unchanging, Almighty, uncaused cause, who exists before time, after time, above time, and underneath time. If you trust Him, you’ll find out that he’s always on time!
He is not confined to space-time and matter but exists beyond them. He is the almighty God. Don’t let anyone tell you that he doesn’t exist. You believe in a toothache that you don’t see but can feel it. Don’t let anyone try to persuade you otherwise. Remember, I said He’s the beginning and He’s the ending? He’s the beginning before the beginning, and He’s the ending after the ending. In the Bible (Greek), they call him Alpha and Omega. He encompasses all—from Alpha to Omega, symbolizing completeness. He is:
That means He is:
Alpha Beta Gamma Delta Epsilon Zeta
Eta Theta Iota Kappa Lambda Mu
Nu Xi Omicron Pi Rho Sigma
Tau Upsilon Phi Chi Psi Omega
Did you wake up this morning with a goal in mind, or did you say, “I’m just going to school today and it is just going to be another day?” Shame on you! No wonder some students misbehave in classrooms—they have no goals! It’s just another day! Where are you going? What is your purpose? How are you going to get there? Your vision is not enough!
Every single day that you wake up in the morning, ask yourself, “What’s my goal? How am I going to get there? Who is on my Dream Team?” You are going to have some hard times. You are going to shed some tears. But by persevering, you can win! You are a winner already! Can I prove it to you? You’ve won at birth, you’ve made it this far. You’ve made it through pain, disappointment, and depression! There’s no stopping you, 8th graders! It’s good to have the vision, but it’s not enough. You need to create your path and fulfill God’s higher calling. Write it down and make it plain so your peers can read and reproduce it! Thank you all so much.
