Greetings.  Last night our family attended the annual "Awards Ceremony" for Montgomery Blair High School here in Silver Spring, Maryland.  The event was a wonderful tribute to students who have worked hard to excel in academics, athletics, the arts, and school and community service.  It was also a great chance to gauge our future and to sense the limitless potential of a new generation.  It's a generation that is very different than we were–in how they dress, what they watch and listen to, how they communicate, where they hang out, and what ideas and people they pay attention to.  But they seem particularly committed to making the world a better place by helping others who are less fortunate, restoring the environment, and protecting all of us through service in the armed forces.

They are also very different in the remarkable breadth of their diversity and their appreciation for, and comfort with, each other.  At Blair, the student body comes from every part of our community and just about every corner of the globe.  In fact, the school's students speak several dozen different languages in their homes and it was noted that several award recipients did not speak a word of English before they came to high school in America.

And as I watched them cross the stage and listened to their names being called for math awards, science awards, language and humanities awards, performing arts awards, writing awards, citizenship awards, ESOL awards, public service awards, Gates Foundation scholarships, National Merit awards, Navy and Marine Corps awards, the U.S. Presidential Scholars award, student-athlete awards, and more, I was struck by the remarkable beauty of the differences in their names.  And by the remarkable similarities of the smiles on their faces and the glows in eyes of their families, teachers, administrators, and friends.  Names that included:

Abrahalei…Adamson…Asavarungsrikul…Barrientos…Cao…

Castellon…Chen…Emambu,…Fuentes…Gu…Habib…Harley…

Islam…Jones…Kibunja…Ko…Li…Meeks…Mengiste…Noubossie…

Novello…Nguyen…Petersen…Puttagunta…Rabinovich…Ruggieri…

Santos…Smith…Suryadinata…Williams…Zhang…and Zientarski

But mostly I was struck by the unique talents, perspectives, and dreams that each student brought to this school and will, hopefully, bring to the world we share as they head off to college, military service, "gap" years, or a first full-time job.  The same talents, perspectives, and dreams that we will need if we are ever to reach our collective potential.  Talents, perspectives, and dreams that can become even more remarkable when brought together in a tapestry of genius.

If our grandparents and parents created the great American melting pot, then this new generation is creating an even more diverse fusion of possibilities.  In one auditorium, in one city, on a night devoted to appreciating curiosity, hard work, determination, creativity, and genius.

We win in business and in life when we recognize the special talents of everyone around us.  And when we finally learn to see our differences as the most powerful gift we all share.

Cheers!