Good afternoon ISA. Before I begin, on behalf of the first-ever graduating cohort at ISA Science City, I would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all the guests and fellow students present here today. Your time and support have been invaluable throughout our journey, and none of us could have reached this milestone without each and every one of you. Using this special occasion, I also want to say a big thank you to my parents, who brought me to this wonderful world and supported me no matter what.

大家下午好，在开始之前，我代表爱莎科学城创校以来的首届毕业生，向在座所有来宾和同学们表示衷心的感谢！你们对于我们的支持和陪伴，在我们的心中是非常宝贵的，我们今天能够站在这里，离不开你们每个人。在这个特别的场合下，我也想对我的父母道声谢谢，是他们把我带到了这个美好的世界，并在我成长的路上无条件为我付出。

My speech revolves around the theme of 'the past.' While it is true that we often emphasize the importance of looking towards the future, which you will hear from my fellow graduate and captain, Izwa, who will eloquently discuss it, I would like to take a few moments to talk about the significance of honoring the past—my past, our past—and how it has shaped us.

我今天的演讲围绕着“过去”这一主题。虽然我们确实经常在强调展望未来的重要性，比如我的同班同学、也同样身为学生会会长的同学Izwa，就将围绕“未来”这一主题演讲。但此时此刻，我想花点时间向大家分享尊重过去的意义，谈谈我的过去、我们的过去，以及过去的经历如何塑造了现在的我。

Some of you may have forgotten that this school only came into existence just three years ago when a few graduates, including myself, joined as tenth graders. At that time, half of the campus was still under construction, a significant portion of our classes were conducted virtually due to travel restrictions, and our sports teams could only compete against one another. However, look at how far we have come. Through unwavering effort and dedication, the school provided us with a campus to freely explore. They assembled an exceptional team that delivered offline education during the challenging times of Covid. And our sports teams have amassed numerous trophies, a source of great pride for me as I played an active role in the sports program. 

不知大家是否还记得，这所学校仅仅在 三年前才成立，当时包括我在内的几位毕业生作为十年级学生加入。当时，(受疫情影响)校园甚至尚未完成全部建设。而上学期间，受疫情管控影响，我们经历了不少“网课”时期，各种体育比赛也只能在校内开展内部比赛，无法与外校学生同台竞技。再回到现在，看，这些“困难时期”，我们也一一度过了。为提供一个供学生可以自由探索的校园，学校通过不懈的努力与付出，组成一支优秀的师资与后勤团队，在疫情严峻的时期也排除万难，尽可能为学生提供线下教学。我们的体育校队也在过去几年逐渐积累了众多的奖杯，在这些奖杯当中，也有不少我积极参与的功劳，这点让我感到非常自豪。

My journey at ISA began in 2015 when, as an eleven-year-old who spoke no English, I could never have imagined standing on this stage, addressing you all at my graduation ceremony. I never thought I would have the opportunity to lead. I was fortunate to be offered leadership roles by Coach Cedeno in the basketball team and Coach Maj in the soccer team. Although I may not have been the most capable leader, my commitment to my teams and every game I played was unwavering. I attribute my position here today to the "luck" of being given opportunities to lead, change, and make a difference. I am immensely grateful to everyone who offered me and us those opportunities, including my incredible teammates and brothers who supported me wholeheartedly and gave their all for the team. Let's continue to fight on, Lions.

我与爱莎结缘于2015年。当年，我还是个不会说英语的11岁孩子，相信当年的我也从未想过，数年后的今天，自己能够站在这个舞台上，当着这么多观众的面致辞；也从未想过自己能有机会去作为学生代表领导一个团队。过去三年，我认为自己真的很幸运，能够获得篮球队教练Cedeno先生和足球队教练Maj先生的赏识，被赋予领队的角色。虽然，我可能不是最能干的领导者，但可以肯定的是，我对自己的团队，以及每场比赛的投入都是全情、毫无保留的。我把直至今日所取得的所有成绩归功于“幸运”，是因为我在校期间得到了领导整个团队的机会——一个可以让人去实践、做出改变并有所作为的机会。我非常感谢为我们提供这些宝贵机会的每一个人，包括那些全心全意支持我并为竭力为团队荣誉争光的队友们，你们太棒了！未来，也请身披狮子赛服，继续奋斗吧！

Sir Isaac Newton once said, 'If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.' The six of us have reached where we are today by standing on the shoulders of our parents and teachers—the giants who selflessly devoted themselves to our success. Perhaps we were unfortunate not to have the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of those who graduated before us, as there were none. However, that will change from now on. For the classes of 2024, 2025, 2026, and even the class of 2123, you will have the privilege of standing on the shoulders of one graduate class after another, continuously reaching new heights. Today, I proudly declare that the Class of 2023 of ISA Science City is both fortunate and honored to be another giant upon whom future graduates can stand.

牛顿曾经说过：“我能看得更远，是因为我站在了巨人的肩膀上”。正如我们六个毕业生之所以能获得今天的成绩，是因为我们站在了父母和老师——这些为了我们无私奉献的巨人的肩膀上。虽然我们作为第一届毕业生，没有机会站在学长学姐的肩膀上，但是，此刻开始就不一样了，对于未来2024届、2025届、2026届….甚至百年后的2123届毕业生，他们都可以站在一个又一个已经毕业的校友的肩膀上，不断超越、达到新高度。今天，我骄傲地宣布：2023届、也是作为首届毕业生的我们，荣幸地成为了未来爱莎科学城学校未来每一届毕业生的巨人。

Thank you all once again for being here with us today. Together, let us honor the past, embrace the future, and continue making a difference. Thank you.

再次感谢大家今天和我们一起见证这个重要的里程碑时刻。此刻，让我们带着回忆给与的力量，去拥抱更美好的未来，成就更卓越的自己！谢谢大家。

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” 

“改变是生命的法则，那些只看过去或现在的人，一定会错过未来。”

The future is nothing without passions and ambitions fulfilled by a will to act on them for yourself. Where you start is often out of your control, we do not all get dealt the same hand, but what you decide to do about it right now is what matters, and that is the control we all have over the future. What the class of 2023 started with is not the same as what the class of 2024 started with and what the class of 2025 will start with, but what each of us has control over is what we will do to shape ISA in the future, and what we will do to help ourselves in the future. 

如果一个人没有热情和雄心去实践，那这样的未来毫无意义所在。人生起点各不相同，人们无法控制自己的出身，但是人类可以决定此刻自己的行动，这才是人可以把握住未来的法则。正如2023届、2024届和2025届学生的起点都是不一样的，但是每个人能够通过行动，携手塑造爱莎的未来，谱写自己的未来篇章。

But we must not only look at what will be done because a lot has already been accomplished. We must look at the past and learn from our failures and mistakes to build a better future. In the coming years, what we have done will be built on, and what we could not do will be explored, and that is the beauty of growing up, of anticipating the future –– there is always value in any action taken in the present moment. 

然而，我们也不能盯着未来将完成的事情，也必须着眼于过去，从过去的失败和错误中总结经验、不断学习，以实现更好的未来。在未来的时间长河里，优秀的经验将流芳百世，而未解之题也将不断被后人探索，最终找到解决的办法，这正是代代进步带来的美学以及预测未来带来的魅力——人类在当今时代的任何行动都有其存在的价值。

In 2009, the most significant change in my life happened. I moved from my safe little community in Beijing, China, to Toronto, Canada. It was just another day; I was too naïve, too innocent to comprehend what was happening. Sitting on that aeroplane to venture on a 13-hour flight that would change my life, I did not fear what was to come; I was busy spotting clouds and city lights from the window seat in excitement. When I landed and had my first interaction with an English-speaking adult, that is when the realization hit –– I was in a completely different place, with a completely different culture and a foreign language first and foremost. Even at such a young age, I worried about what will happen in the next few months. But before I knew it, the first day of first grade came around, and even the first week of first grade ended. I could speak English fluently by the end of the first semester as I began assimilating into the diverse culture at school in Toronto. Now here I am, 10 years later, about to graduate and dive into another experience–university. 

2009年，我迎来了生命中最重要的转折之一。我从中国北京的一个小地方搬到了加拿大的多伦多市。那时候，天真无邪的我还从未想过未来的自己会拥有怎样的光景，也从未想过那趟历经13小时的飞行将彻底改变我的生活，当然，当时的我也没有对即将到来的新生活感到害怕，记得自己还兴奋地望着飞机窗外的云海以及下方城市的灯火。当我抵达加拿大，第一次和当地人进行纯英文的交流时，我才意识到，作为一个在中国出生的加拿大人，我身处的地方是多么的陌生，这里有着和中国迥然不同的文化和语言，于是我开始对接下来即将发生的事情感到担忧。就这样，我在加拿大开始了一年级的学习，第一个学期结束时，我的英语已经很流利，也开始融入了多伦多学校的圈子。十年后的今天，我站在了这里，即将从高中毕业，踏入人生的下一征程——大学。

Changes in life, like moving to a new city, graduating from high school, experiencing the loss of a close one and going to another country to pursue your dreams come with challenges, but those changes are precisely what make the idea to strive for the future exhilarating and motivational. With these challenges come opportunities; with a new school like ISA, many challenges were presented, and with COVID-19 came many challenges, but in the long term, great opportunities emerged from both. Online learning saw advancements that allowed many people to continue their education regardless of personal circumstances, and ISA allowed the 6 of us to grow independently in these past two years. However, talking about changes and the challenges and opportunities that arise, we must remember our supportive relationships. I am here today proud and excited having accomplished all that I have because of my amazing parents, friends, and teachers. Most importantly, I am here because of me, my fellow graduates are here because of themselves. 

生活本身就存在着诸多变化，例如搬到一个新城市、从高中毕业、经历失去亲人的痛苦，或者渠道另一个国家追寻自己的梦想，所有的一切都将带来挑战，但也恰恰是这些变化，让人产生不断为未来奋斗的想法。挑战也意味着机遇，对于爱莎科学城这样的新学校来说，从创校到现在遇到了无数的挑战，比如疫情的影响，但从长远来看，挑战也让学校有了更多成长的机会。学校组织的“网课”让我们可以不受地域影响，在家也能完成课业，学校也在这个过程中见证了我们这6位毕业生的成长。今天，我怀着激动且自豪的心站在这里，发自肺腑地感谢我的父母、朋友及恩师，以及最重要的我自己(的努力)，人生把握在我们自己手中，无论你我，我们都是自己人生的主角。 

It is often easier to get stuck on the failures of the past than what could have been done; you could be the master of your faith, and you could be the captain of your soul, but you must realize that life is coming from you and not at you. To work for an idea of the future is not a success, but to work for the growth and letting the future reveal the fruits of your hard work is real success. Your life is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be worth it, and there is a difference.

人们往往容易陷在过去的失败上，而忽视当前还能做什么。实际上，你可以成为自己信仰的主人，成为自己灵魂的船长，你必须认识到，并不是你的命运在主宰着你，而是你去谱写自己生命的篇章。仅仅为了未来单个想法而努力并不是成功，真正的成功体现在你为了成长去奋进，以及奋进的成果能够为你的未来添灯加彩。要记住，生活从来不是容易的，但生命确实值得被喝彩。

I wish the best for everyone in their future endeavours, and thank you for being here, celebrating the beginning of a new future for the first graduating class of ISA Science City, for the class of 2023. 

祝愿大家在未来，无论是学习还是生活，都能收获多多。感谢你们今天的到来，也祝贺爱莎科学城第一届毕业班在2023年未来的日子能有一个全新的开始。