June 15

Brad was among the 43 students there when our school opened in 1982. Brad earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Kansas and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University

Brad is an adviser at Silver Lake Partners - a $10 billion tech-buy-out firm. Most recently, Brad served as the Senior Vice President of Communications and Communities at Yahoo! In this role, Brad was responsible for several of the company's most visible and critical businesses including Yahoo! Mail, the world's most popular webmail service and Yahoo! Messenger, the #1 instant messaging provider.

Prior to joining Yahoo!, Brad served as chief executive officer of Dialpad Communications, one of the world's largest providers of PC-based telecommunications services.

In his free time, Brad participates in triathlons and is a private pilot. He lives in Menlo Park with his wife and three children.

"I'd like to ask all of the graduates to find their parents - you need to thank them! Show them some love! Perhaps the thing that I will say today about which I'm most certain: you won't really appreciate your parents and all that they have done for you and all that they will do for you - until you have kids of your own! Then - if you are anything like me - you will wonder how they did it!

"There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. David Foster Wallace - a noteworthy author gave a commencement address where he told this story: There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way. The older fish nods at them and says, 'Morning, boys. How's the water?' The two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes 'What the heck is water?'

"Now if you're worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, rest assured. I am not the wise old fish (despite my father's allusions to my loss of hair when I arrived last night). The point of the fish story is merely that the most obvious, the most important realities are often the ones that are hardest to see.
I believe one of the most important things you can take away as you head to high school is to realize that knowledge or information - what we perceive to be facts - what you learn every day - is by itself different than wisdom.

"As I prepared my comments today, a friend described to me the following: Wisdom can best be compared to something like frequent flyer miles. If you are lucky enough to accumulate it, it kind of happens by accident - more like a by-product to something else you are trying to do. You can't go out and say, I want to be wiser, I want to acquire wisdom. It is the accumulation of all of your experiences - that can then be cashed in - not for a free flight to Europe - but for a lifetime of better judgment!

"School for me - in retrospect was at least as much about teaching me how to think, and how to learn, as it was about teaching me things - or accumulating knowledge. Unfortunately, it takes that wiser, and almost always older fish to swim by and ask 'how's the water' before we realize the difference between our knowledge and their wisdom.

"Find the courage to leave the comfortable water you find yourself swimming in throughout your life - the courage to learn from experiences that are not comfortable and to say the things that sometimes are not comfortable to say. I left the waters of Kansas, more recently I left the waters of Yahoo. Each time it has been - and no doubt will continue to be tumultuous - change is hard. But each decision led to new opportunities I could not have seen from the comfort of my previous pond or stream. Today, I remember the challenges as much as I remember the successes. And I'm nostalgic for both.

"As I conclude today - my wish for all of you is just that. A high school experience of challenges and successes. A college experience of challenges and successes. I wish you a life of failure and a life of victories. Make sure you fall down. Make sure you have the courage to break something occasionally. (even if, regrettably, hopefully not more than once or twice it's your heart) As I reflect, I know my mistakes have been necessary. I am a better person and I'm certain have a brighter future ahead because of every mistake I have made. I still regret some - even some I made as far back as 8th grade. But know that your mistakes are as important in choosing your path forward as are your successes. I can promise you this: you'll acquire more than frequent flyer miles along the way."

Eighth Grade Class Address (Excerpts)

Joe V.

"For some of us, it's been 10 years. 10 years of nap times, secret handshakes, and the occasional, but all too often burst into song. Our class has made many memories in the halls of Topeka Collegiate. To share (one) of my own, there was me in pre-k, convincing Christine and Mackenzie that there are male cheerleaders call yellow (not yell) leaders. We have grown together, made friendships, and held strong. Topeka Collegiate will be with us like a handprint on our hearts.

"TCS has taught us more than I could imagine possible. We learned what we were supposed to, a little extra, and had a fine time aong the way. As one of our great first ladies once said, 'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.' So with this in mind, remember what you want to do, and make it happen. I challenge all of you to move forward with your lives, but stay close. We may go our different ways, but remember each other and keep those friendships strong."

Eighth Grade Teacher Appreciation Award

Lower School

Luke M., Christine E. and Natalie S. present the Lower School Teacher Appreciation Award. Mrs. Siebert and award

Luke: "The Class of 2009 can be counted on to burst into song at a moment's notice. As we burst into song across the courtyard, we remember the kindness and dedication of a teacher who has nurtured our love of music since we were four years old."

Christine: "A teacher who doesn't mind our occasional bursting into song."

Luke: "And questioned every year at Halloween..."

Christine: "What IS witch's brew gonna do to you?"

Luke: "A teacher who always presents opportunities for us to take the spotlight, but never pressures us to."

All: "Mrs. Siebert."

Eighth Grade Teacher Appreciation Award

Middle School

Bailey E., Hannah W., and Anne W. present the Middle School Teacher Appreciation Award.

Hannah: "This teacher has been a very big influence on me in the area of History Day. I'm eternally grateful for a teacher that works so hard to make a project that is despised by everyone but a special few, into something that is bearable and at times, dare I say it, fun."

Anne: "She has helped not only me, but all of my classmates in one way or another, and none of us could be more thankful for a teacher as dedicated as she is."

Bailey: "Even through the difficulties and stresses of dealing with teenagers, she is always there to lend advice without judgment. She goes above and beyond what is expected and can lend help to a struggling student and a challenge to a bored one."

All: "Mrs. Moyer."

Presentation of Diplomas

Dick Patterson

Mr. Patterson presents a diploma to graduate Mackenzie M.

Said Mr. Patterson, "It is my pleasure to preside over Topeka Collegiate School's 27th graduation, just as it's been my pleasure to serve as Acting Head of School these past four months.

"This is an important day. Graduation is a time of enormous transition. How these students, with your help, manage their transition to the next step will set the tone for the future."

All photos by Nathan Ham.