Darien grads ready for next starting line

DARIEN -- The last four years of Stephanie Ko's life have been a race, she told the hundreds of guests assembled at the Darien High School Stadium Field for Monday's graduation.

"As freshmen, we all began at the starting line together," the Class of 2010 salutatorian said. "As seniors, we're all standing at the finish line together."

But whether her classmates go on to join the work force, opt for a gap year or attend a university, she said they are all preparing to line up at a new starting line, preparing for another whistle so they can start all over again. This new race, she said, will not be without its obstacles.

For Ko, she will pack up and move to Ithaca, N.Y., to study engineering at Cornell University.

"She's going to see if that's her calling, and set her own path," her father, Jim Ko, said as he stood in front of the bleachers, camera in hand, watching his daughter's classmates cross the stage in blue and white caps and gowns to accept their diplomas.

"I think she'll do well academically. And she's a social individual. I'm hoping she'll make a new group of friends there, as she did here in Darien," Jim Ko said.

Christina Linegar, was one of 285 Darien seniors to receive a diploma, Linegar will be studying music at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

"I just can't believe it happened already," she said. "Next year I'll be living on my own."

UConn is the most popular college choice for the Class of 2010; Linegar will be accompanied by more than a dozen classmates.

Class Marshal Clarke Glavin will be attending Miami University of Ohio, along with six classmates.

"I'm entering a new phase in my life," he said. It will take him 700 miles from his hometown, and about 500 miles from his twin brother, Henry, who will attend Alfred University in the fall.

Principal Dan Haron told graduates to attempt to overcome future obstacles, even if it seems likely they might fail.

"Very often in life when we are faced with opportunities that force us out of our comfort zone, our fear of failure drives our decisions much more than the anticipation of success," Haron said. "This type of thinking, common to most of us, can have a stifling impact on progress and personal growth and to the extent that we acknowledge this fact and try to combat it, the better off we'll be."

He spoke of American icons like Thomas Edison and Michael Jordan, who encountered their fair share of failures before reaching ultimate success.

"Failure ... is not only common to highly successful individuals, it is an indispensable ingredient for their success," he told the graduates.

"As you embark on your future endeavors and are faced with opportunities that might seem risky, with failure lurking in the shadows, remember all those famous and successful people that failed many, many, many times prior to succeeding," Haron said. "Take a chance with that opportunity, especially if your hesitation stems from a fear of failure. And if you do end up failing remember this proverb: Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get back up."