At our Valedictory Muster yesterday, Vice Captain Tiger Liu addressed the graduating Class of 2025. Now in his final weeks as School Vice Captain, Tiger delivered a speech that resonated deeply with students, staff and families alike. His reflection on curiosity, belonging and authentic leadership reminded us all of the quiet power of connection and courage. Here is an excerpt from yesterday’s speech:
“Every heroic journey begins with a difficult first step. I remember my own start here feeling detached, caught between places, unsure where I belonged. That internal uncertainty was increased by an external force known as the ‘cringe culture.’ It’s the voice that makes us second-guess our passions, that causes a hand to lower before it’s raised, all for fear of a single, dismissive comment.
I’ve learned this fear is a symptom of a lack of curiosity. It is the easy, lazy response to the unfamiliar. The solution is to choose curiosity over quick judgement. When we are genuinely curious about a classmate’s passion, a friend’s tradition, or new music, we perform a magic trick: we turn judgement into understanding. Replacing judgement with curiosity is how we lift each other up; it’s the key to building a community.
This strong feeling to belong is universal. Many of us have felt like a single drop in a vast ocean, tempted to carve off pieces of our identity to fit into a mould. But I learned a hard truth throughout my journey here: belonging purchased with self-compromise is a worthless forgery. Your heritage, your unique experiences, the very things that make you feel different, are the foundations of your strength. Never compromise that for something as shallow as fitting in. I would rather stand alone, self-respecting and whole, than be a hollow echo in a crowd. Self-respect lasts forever while other people’s opinions may change.
So, where do we find true belonging? I found it not by caving inward, but by reaching outward. It didn’t come from carving pieces out of myself, but from extending myself with a genuine interest in others. When you shift your focus from ‘Do they like me?’ to ‘What are they passionate about?’, a transformation occurs. When you are curious about what values other people stand for and the wisdom they carry, you stop being a drop in the ocean and start becoming a part of the current — you start to connect.
Every person you meet knows something you do not. To walk past them without curiosity is to ignore a universe of knowledge. I believe this to be the essence of human connection: the mutual exchange of our stories, creating a shared understanding greater than the sum of its parts.”
You can watch Tiger’s full Valedictory address in the video below.
