Bergen County Academies 2021 Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2025

[Music] another day [Music] behind it [Music] yesterday this thing around tomorrow [Music] [Music] me [Music] is [Music] to make it easy do it right here [Music] and right now has just begun good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the bergen county academy's induction ceremony for the class of 2025. we are so happy to celebrate this momentous occasion your induction into one of the greatest high schools in the united states and even the world my name is raymond bath and i'm the vice principal of the bergen county academies and i am here to welcome you to this induction ceremony tonight you will see and hear all things bca incredible learning opportunities and amazing warm school environment and a community of teachers and staff who are committed to your success we hope that tonight's online ceremony will show you just how happy we are to have you as a member of our community we want you to feel special because the numbers show you are special and if you like numbers here are a few of them did you know that over 9 000 students visited our online application portal in addition to you visiting did you know that over 1500 applicants applied for these places in the freshman class and did you know that 291 lucky 8th graders including yourself have been accepted to join us as a part of the class of 2025. at this moment i would like to present to you our flag salute and our national anthem which will be led by two of our bca students and we will talk later just one more word from me welcome hi bca class of 2025 i'm dash beavers your student council vice president please join me for the pledge of allegiance i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you very much and welcome to bca oh say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we held at the twilight last gleaming whose brought stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that her flag was still there oh say does that star [Music] spangled or the land [Music] [Music] r [Music] the solar car challenge is one of the most immersive stem competitions in the country inviting high schools nationwide to develop their own solar powered vehicles and race them every summer in texas and last year the challenge welcomed the bergen tech solar nights when team captain dak ching found out about the competition i was disappointed at the rate at which green transportation is being developed and i wonder what we could do about it as students i've seen colleges build and raise solar cars but why can't high schoolers do the same once i discovered about this competition i thought imagine how cool it would be to travel halfway across the country and race against other high schools and zero mission vehicles that we built with our own hands the tasks seemed daunting perhaps impossible but these were bca students ready to face the world how did we start such an ambitious project while we immediately immersed ourselves in the competition and we started reaching out to competing teams such as the sign answer cartoon after meeting with them in person and having discussions with their team captains we had much more insight into the competition we learned about design principles and mechanical concepts and even financial constraints and team organization but solar panels aren't the only priority in this engineering challenge in building a solar car there are many things to consider there's the solar cells in the batteries and their respective control systems the motor the chassis the list goes on and on and this doesn't even begin to take into account the amount of fundraising and support needed for such a project to complete such an ambitious project careful and thorough planning is needed at every step without the school support this project was destined for failure however bca administrators and teachers were fond of the idea and eager to help the solar knights succeed you might think that as a high school principal it would be difficult to put your trust in a group of 16 year olds who want to build a solar car in your school well when these students came ready with designs sketches and fundraising i knew that i had to support these guys really work hard they spend so much at time in my room brainstorming designing and working on their car so i'm very proud to be their mentor the team's next concern was to find space to actually build the car thankfully mr pantano the auto body shop instructor at paramus tech was willing to guide the team's construction i really enjoyed working with a great team of students being able to show them some of the hands-on skills needed to turn their incredible design into reality was a lot of fun for me being able to see the progress they made after each week made me extremely proud of them team members also valued educating underclassmen about the technology and processes involved in the competition so the team focuses on the tasks at hand we prioritize integrating underclassmen into the team whether it's providing welding tips soldering skills or opportunities for meaningful contributions to our work it's crucial to let them experience it all since they'll be the ones leading this awesome team once spring college alongside technical aspects team members learned a great deal about topics they didn't think they'd encounter we had to learn a lot more than just how to build a solar car we had to learn how to fundraise securing sponsorships from major companies we even had to learn how to deal with u.s customs securing shipments from suppliers in amsterdam and china ultimately the execution of this project is just as important as engineering despite many hurdles the team displays resilience and adapts to prevailing circumstances to ensure the success of the solar car and nothing seems to stop them as they continue preparing for the summer 2021 race for as long as the sun remains shining you can rely on the solar knights to charge their way to victory tenacious t you must be wondering who or what is that well back in 2007 i wondered myself what i learned was that tenacious t was a force of nature passionate with the drive for success adventurous and overall just plain amazing who is this well it's none other than augustina menzikwow your 2025 class induction keynote speaker as a graduate of the 2007 amst academy tina went on to receive her bachelor's degree in neuroscience and global development studies from the university of virginia she didn't stop there she continued to receive her master's in public health and behavioral sciences and health education from emory university she is currently working for the cdc in the division of global health protection as a public health advisor tina will be attending the university of washington in seattle to pursue her doctorate in philosophy of global health this fall it is my great honor to introduce you the amazing augustina mensah thank you miss puccino for that great introduction and thank you to mr lang and mr davis for this remarkable opportunity to be with you today students it's truly an honor to help celebrate the start of a new bca school year my name is tina mensaquow also known as tenacious tea a stage name that i adopted during my time at bca as a health education artist whose short-lived but exciting musical career started at bca it is only fitting that i begin this speech by playing a recent public service announcement that i created during quarantine this is the crucial time this is not a rehearsal you will only have one chance at this stay [Music] [Music] i know it's hard but you should listen being stuck inside's a real tough position we all have a mission and that's to keep each other safe life is precious don't let it escape we have the power to save just gotta be brave so wash your hands and cover cover your face it's the best we can do to try and escape coronavirus this is a psa stay at home [Music] [Applause] [Music] what a sacrifice to put yourself in harm's way please just remember your work is not in vain so thank you thank you is all i have to say protection prevention is public health's mission we got the power to stop the transmission so keep your distance and stay inside let's do our best to survive and thrive stay at home protect yourself and others come on we're gonna make it just stay strong and always remember you're never alone we are now in the greatest medical crisis of our lifetime stay at home what you just saw shows my passion for making music that inspires healthy choices if it wasn't for bca i may have never discovered it nor produce songs like don't smoke and love yourself which led to winning a thousand dollar prize touring with a national health organization and receiving a 10 year full tuition scholarship as a bill and melinda gates scholar now i know you did not think you'd be starting this new school year from home and i sure did not expect to be giving this speech virtually the good thing is you can only see me waist up so i can get away with wearing these pajama pants but in all seriousness you should thank your loved ones let them know how much you appreciate them for all they've done to get you to this point now i want you to follow my lead close your eyes imagine being in the large chile auditorium at bca for convocation with your eyes closed i want you to look to your left and now to your right what do you see imagine being surrounded by some of your best friends who will go on to re to be renowned scientists accomplished playwrights neurosurgeons and much more now open your eyes get ready to embark on this year's journey cultivating connections discovering new passions and being challenged in ways you haven't before each of you is uniquely positioned to thrive and this is your chance to reinvent what that looks like many of you have had to overcome some major hurdles to get to this point whether it was an illness or a parent losing a job or just the anxiety of not having normal social interactions for the past few months to be quite frank i'm not going to tell you it's going to get easier but what i can say is that your perspective is what truly matters over 10 years ago i was sitting in the same auditorium as a freshman a bit apprehensive questioning my ability to thrive in the academy of medical science technology i felt internal pressures to succeed and pressure from my parents who wanted me to become a doctor i'm sure some of you can relate from my fuzzy memory of induction on my right was a short girl with curly hair and on my left a boy with big circular glasses but an even bigger smile little did i know how well i would get to know them both in my homeroom with miss puccino and what great study buddies we'd become little did i know that they joined me on the red team on field day where we obliterated the competition all four years securing bragging rights forever and little did i know that i'd spend the next four years trypsinizing cells with them and eventually be named an intel semi-finalist for my research achievements 2020 has reaffirmed a lesson that i learned very early on at bca and that is to expect the unexpected how we handle the unexpected impacts our future forever so whether you're nervous about starting a new school year or act and sat scores are the top of your mind whether you're gearing up for ap and ib classes or filling out college applications no matter what grade you're entering i implore you to use these three guiding principles that have always been a compass for me on unexpected roads be positive be proactive and be persistent my first point is to be positive working virtually is currently the new normal and i get it it's tough for us all but challenge yourself to be positive i can assure you that once the imminent public threat has subsided you'll have all the time in the world to hang with your bca buddies well not exactly hang more like study i was born in ghana west africa with parents who followed old-fashioned principles positive thinking was stressed in my house and i was raised to believe that not everything goes as planned but to always think positive being an overachiever as i'm sure all of you are when i started vca i was excited to get involved unfortunately i was rejected twice from a peer leadership program called spark i was devastated mainly because all my friends were accepted and i was the odd one out but to be successful in life rejection cannot define you i turned it into something positive and with the help of a friend i started a new organization called unity aimed to strengthen the bonds of communities one memorable moment was when unity members welcomed south korean exchange students sharing experiences and talking about cultural differences another was when we raised funds for a little girl across the world to have an operation through these experiences i discovered my passion for world cultures every thought in your mind is powerful think positively and positive things will happen although this is not the traditional sense of starting high school look at the bright side at least you can get away with all the food you can eat at home and never get detention for eating it in the hallways no i'm not kidding in my day i even got detention for drinking water in the hallways once or twice now in addition to being positive the next point is to be proactive you have tons of resources right at your fingertips after graduating from bca i pursued my undergraduate studies at the university of virginia or uva bca helped me solidify my passions for neuroscience global studies and public health as i briefly mentioned earlier i conducted neuroscience research at bca and i knew i wanted to continue in college by being proactive i reached out to the professors at the universities i was applying to and asked if there were opportunities to participate in research before even being accepted to uva i had secured a position working in a neuroscience lab that is the power of proactiveness during my time at uva i was rejected from yet another leadership program the university guides after being told that i was too performative in my interview that moment made me realize that most individuals too often focus exclusively on one aspect of diversity rather than engaging all kinds of diverse expressions once again being proactive i organize the hashtag we are all uva photo campaign a project that received national acclaim in the huffington post and other news outlets the campaign fostered open dialogue and allowed people to gain insight into others experiences sounds familiar right starting unity at bca allowed me to cultivate a community of inclusion and i continue to do that through the hashtag we are all uva campaign so tap into your resources now and stay connected don't hesitate to ask for help this will prevent you from being reactive later whether it's creating virtual study hours reaching out to a teacher using the web or asking your parents be proactive my final point is to be persistent persistence is key my artist name is tenacious t because of my persistent nature growing up i witnessed firsthand how the lack of financial resources can limit access to healthcare services and lead to psychological distress in low socioeconomic communities experiencing this fueled my passion to persistently pursue a career to increase the quality and availability of health services particularly in low income settings i set lofty goals for myself to get my master's degree which i did and i expect to earn a phd in the near future and i certainly would not be where i am without being persistent about my goals and ensuring that i had accountability partners to this day i keep in touch with my bca friends i even consulted with them as i was writing this speech the friends that you make today may be your support system tomorrow my bca friends are still really close we even have bets on who's getting married next one down six more to go remember your network is your net worth look for accountability partners who will help you with your goals they will challenge you to go beyond your comfort zone they will encourage you to be persistent and celebrate your achievements like getting through your bca exams this was never easy i'm here before you as a proud bca alum with a masters in behavioral sciences and a pending phd creating unity at bca gave way to a college campaign and then to a health advocacy series that i started in graduate school as student government president at emory university my passion for neuroscience led to years of bench research a love for mental health care and multiple research publications my appreciation of differing cultures has led to traveling to over 20 countries under the age of 30. little did i know that all my life experiences would lead me to my current position at the centers for disease control and prevention i work with multiple partners to reduce the impact of global disasters in emergencies and i support a highly trained team ready to deplore deploy anywhere in the world if you told me 10 years ago that i'd be serving as a public health advisor at cdc fighting a global pandemic i never would have imagined i am a product of being positive being proactive and being persistent side note the other day i showed up late to a zoom meeting and they asked for a reason why i confessed you wouldn't believe the network traffic anyway let me leave you with this i want you to internalize this notion expect the unexpected no matter what your experiences are good or bad it's all a matter of perspective never doubt that a group of phenomenal bca students can change the world by implementing these three things starting today be positive be proactive and be persistent thank you [Music] won't you say something a whole new world a new fantastic point of view i'll remember you said sometimes [Music] so far away from the place where we were seven hours ago [Music] then we may fall through [Applause] [Music] so [Music] so [Music] [Applause] um [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] i've got the candles and then four years to come we'll always do one thing that's the love [Music] [Music] um [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] hours [Music] [Applause] [Music] foreign is all i ever needed you to show you saved one love one life [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] my god [Applause] once again good evening ladies and gentlemen and if you remember who i am then you have been listening this is dr bath here vice principal of the bergen county academies here to welcome you once again to our very special ceremony i am proud to stand before you tonight as vice principal of this amazing school and i welcome you to all of the unique opportunities that you're going to have over the next four years on behalf of our campus administration our gifted and talented faculty our amazing students our stunning ppo parent partnership organization and our successful alumni i am here to welcome each and every one of you to the bergen county academy's class of 2025. this induction ceremony is one of our favorite traditions here at bca each spring we welcome a new class of freshmen in a tradition that dates all the way back to our first induction ceremony in 1992 when we inducted 52 students from throughout bergen county who along with their parents were willing to take a chance on a new educational opportunity and just look at what that opportunity has become over these years each of our academies has grown into seven unique outstanding programs and collectively the bergen county academies has risen to national prominence as one of the nation's top high schools yes you go to one of the nation's top high schools you are about to be inducted into an amazing community and through tonight's ceremony we want to recognize your acceptance into our school community i want to commend all of the eighth graders who are out there in zoom land tonight each of you has demonstrated intelligence hard work and the tenacity that it takes to make it through our rigorous admissions process i ask that each of you take a moment to think about the eighth graders who are not being inducted tonight and then reflect on how special it is for you to hear your name as a part of tonight's ceremony that gives you your official invitation into the class of 2025. now take a moment to think about all of the eighth graders who are seated with you many of whom had straight a's in their middle school and worked just as hard as you did each of you will be challenged by our rigorous academic programs and may in fact get a b for the first time in your life our best students were not always straight a students at bca but they were students who had an interesting story to tell because they've taken full advantage of what makes our school unique don't be dismayed by a grade other than a you just keep moving forward with your head held high and move on to your next great challenge i hope each of you are excited about the future and the possibilities that are in front of you i'm grateful to tina menzequal our keynote speaker who shared with you so many interesting details about her journey at bca and her life beyond thank you once again for being a part of the class of 2025 and now comes your induction [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

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Length: 53min 4sec (3184 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 17 2021