Good morning, everyone—friends, family, faculty, staff and my fellow classmates. It’s surreal to be standing up here today speaking to you. Let me begin by saying congratulations to the Class of 2025! Now, I have a confession to make. Something personal I need to get off my chest. What I’m about to share isn’t exactly flattering either, so I hope you won’t look at me differently. Dramatic, right? Do you want to hear it? Well, here goes… I’m not the first Tam to give a graduation speech on this stage. In fact, I’m not the first Tam to perform with Sock ‘n’ Buskin, to compete in speech and debate or even the first Tam to cry through Calc BC—just ask Mr Stellabotte. And yes, I’m also not the first Tam heading to Northwestern for college. Crazy right? But true.
You see, my brother Oliver graduated from Pelham Memorial High School three years ago. He set the bar high. He spoke at his commencement. He earned a perfect ACT score. He played the lead roles in his shows. He was a Roger Rees Awards finalist, a state champion in forensics, and somehow still found time to run our town newspaper. So if I’m being honest, it hasn’t always been easy being Oliver’s little brother.
You know, if I had a penny for every time I’ve been mistaken for him—well, I wouldn’t have much, since pennies aren’t minted anymore—but, hypothetically, I’d be rolling in it! For much of the past four years, I’ve followed his well-trodden path—the same classes, many of the same clubs and passions. Some might say I’ve been understudying his high school career. And yet, despite walking in his footsteps, I couldn’t replicate all the same successes. And for a time, I thought that meant I was falling short, not just of him but of what others expected of “the other Tam.”
I bet many of you can relate—this feeling of not measuring up to a sibling, a friend or maybe even a classmate… like Charlie Johnson. But over time, I’ve come to realize that success isn’t about comparison or keeping up with the achievements of others. It’s about focusing on your own journey and being authentic and true to yourself. While I didn’t book all the lead roles or win the forensics state championship, I can say that my high school journey has been uniquely my own, shaped by collective experiences with our class like the unforgettable Jackpot Juniors Olympics win over the seniors, and the teachers who encouraged us to be the best versions of ourselves. To Mr. Beck, thank you for giving me the stage to grow as a performer and trusting me as your stage manager, even when that meant dealing with lice outbreaks, flu epidemics and the occasional middle-school tantrum. To Mr Beltecas, thank you for helping me overcome my fear of public speaking. I hope you can forgive me for dropping Science Research this year. And to Mr Schleifer, even though you never missed a chance to call me a pessimist, thank you for making me believe I have something worth saying. PMHS will miss you next year.
We are an accomplished class—not unlike the ones who came before us or those who will come after us. Sitting here today, we have WESEF winners, Regeneron Scholars, National Merit Commended Students and Finalists, all-state musicians, collegiate-level athletes, award-winning debaters and standout performers. With such impressive peers and accomplished alumni year after year, it’s likely we have all walked in someone else’s footsteps, whether we know it or not. But that doesn’t diminish our accomplishments. It just highlights the amazing talent and traditions we are all a part of within the walls of PMHS.
So yes, I am not the first Tam to stand up here, and unless there’s a sibling I don’t know about, I’ll be the last. But I’ve spent the past four years walking in my brother’s footsteps. And maybe some of you have too—not in Oliver’s, of course—but in the footsteps of your own sibling, a parent or even just someone’s idea of who you should be. But here is what I’ve learned: It’s not about who walked the path before you. It’s about how you make it your own. So whether you’re running off to college, jumping right into the workplace or charting a completely different course, remember that the footprints you leave behind are yours alone. Once again, congratulations to the Class of 2025. I can’t wait to see where all of your paths lead! Thank you.
Jeremy Tam was one of three students chosen to speak at Saturday’s Pelham Memorial High School graduation ceremony.
