In The News: NHS Class of 2017 ready for the challenge of the real world

Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic 

Commencement speaker Cyrus Hostetler urges the 345 graduates to embrace failure as the path to great things

Although he has gone on to become a two-time Olympian since graduating in 2005, Cyrus Hostetler told the Newberg High School class of 2017 that he was no different from them during graduation ceremonies Friday night at Loran Douglas Field.

Hostetler did, however, want to stand out from all of the commencement speakers he watched on YouTube, which is why he said that instead of following their lead and encouraging them to do great things, he took a different approach.

"I challenge you to go out into the world and fail," Hostetler said. "Because let me tell you something, if I am failing, I am challenging myself. What good is success without road blocks? How sweet is victory if it is just handed to you? This is the reason I challenge you to fail because when you overcome failure, you will find happiness. Go big. Wear your heart on your sleeve, try to be less comfortable, push your limits and it will pay off."

Hostetler told the 345 soon-to-be graduates that with more than 30 major injuries in his career throwing the javelin, including ACL tears in his knee in back-to-back seasons, his journey was anything but easy.

As he became more elite, he said, the more he realized it was work ethic that separated the best at the highest levels, not talent.

"I'm not saying that if you just try, you'll become an Olympian," Hostetler said. "Actually, trying doesn't lead to success at all. The only guarantee I have is that trying will bring about failure. I think I've failed more than I've ever succeeded."

Hostetler kept the mood light with some well timed jokes and references to current staff at NHS, and got a bigger reaction from the graduates for having hung out with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and LeBron James than for his athletic achievements. He even reassured those who may be worried because they are unsure about what to do with their lives.

"I'm here to tell you that it's okay because in four years every one of you will be moving back in with your parents," Hostetler said. "I'm here to tell you that's okay, too."

In addition to urging the class of 2017 to embrace that kind of mindset, he had some specific advice, including to learn how to do your taxes because no one will teach you how to do it.

"How cool you are in high school does not matter, so embrace your weirdness," Hostetler said. "It is your weirdness that makes you unique and it is also your weirdness that someone will fall in love with. And it's your weirdness that will create something amazing, so embrace it."

The year's 13 valedictorians echoed many of the same sentiments as Hostetler, each giving a short address about a quality they believe has been crucial to the success of the class of 2013.

These ranged from drive and dedication to hope and heroism, while Josh Butorac caught the crowd a bit off guard by espousing procrastination. He insisted that producing good work under pressure and at the last minute is not only difficult, but surprisingly efficient.

"But I'd say that by practicing the procrastination method, you truly set yourself up for the greatest chance of success," he said. "Think about it. If you wait until the last possible moment to do something, it is impossible for you to waste any extra time working on it. This leads to the development of healthy time management skills. As the old saying goes, procrastination makes perfect."

The overall theme was growth, which was represented visually with the painting of a leafless tree produced by classmate Gwen Thomas.

After their address, each valedictorian added their hand print, in blue or yellow paint, to complete the picture. Emily Weiler concluded by challenging her classmates to embrace the qualities just listed and to "take every experience as an opportunity to grow."

"As graduates, we hold the power to help others grow, simply by the influence we have had or will have on their lives," Weiler asserted. "So, class of 2017, make it count."