Victoria McPartland, FAA's highest academically ranked cadet with a GPA of 4.6 delivers the following powerful speech before an audience of over 1,000 guests, family members, friends, and fellow cadets.

“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” An inspiration to us all; Helen Keller’s words stand as a constant reminder that the only ones who can truly limit our aspirations and achievements are ourselves. By taking the life-altering step to attend Florida Air Academy, every one of us sitting proudly before you has done nothing short of soared; many of us even literally. We’ve competed in physical training, academics, and marching; we’ve excelled in flight, special teams, and martial arts; we’ve devoted precious time to mentoring, comforting, and inspiring. Most importantly, we’ve worked (and none of us without help) to become the leaders who, tomorrow, will be sent out on our own to achieve our dreams.

I know I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for my family, which has sacrificed an immense amount of time and money to ensure that I was happy and where I wanted to be. My mother has inspired me more than I thought anyone could. My best friends, Sarah Maples and Autumn Lewis, have helped me to see more clearly when my vision was cloudy…even if it meant tackling me and forcing me to let my hair down. Nick Sottile helped me move forward when I was too stressed to even think. And I could never forget Mrs. Miller, Major Liles, Major Sanders, Doctor Sereno, Chief Hudacek, and Chief Fitzgerald, who have encouraged me and let me know I was capable of anything, regardless of what other people told me.

My experience of FAA life, as were the experiences of the other nine girls who graduate as “the first” today, was unique. These past two years have enabled us to become so unbelievably close; we’ve endured trying times which have defined who we’ve become. More important is the fact that we’ve endured both the pain and the excitement as a team- a sisterhood. I remember in October of 2004 when I heard over the radio that FAA was going co-ed; I was so excited that I ran up to fellow grad, Sarah Maples, my best friend since kindergarten, to relay the good news. To my surprise, she replied excitedly, “I know!” Her good friend Billy Lewis, who also graduates today, had already told her. Thus began my journey through Florida Air Academy.

I’ve enjoyed being “one of the guys” the last two years. We’ve all worked together at various times; even last year when we were juniors, the class of 2007 was always more spirited and outspoken than even the seniors (no offense, Addison). Leadership School 2006 was a feat in itself; at the beginning of the week, my flight was the sloppiest, most uncoordinated flight present. We helped each other out, answered some questions, and fit in some extra practices, and ended up winning the drill competition at the end of the week. For a more recent situation, about half of the senior class was caught in a strong rip current at the Senior Picnic. How a group of teenagers- living in Florida- could find themselves in this situation is beyond me, but the point is we worked through it together. There wasn’t even a need to look past gender or nationality, because we ’ve been doing that all along.

The previously mentioned situations share a crucial characteristic: each circumstance was a difficult or painful one. Earlier this year Chief Fitzgerald told me a story about an emperor moth. The moth was struggling to burst out of its cocoon when a man came along, saw the trouble the moth was having, and so slit open the cocoon for it. The moth came out, yes, but soon died; it was not given the chance to develop the muscles necessary for flight by bursting out of its cocoon. What Chief was trying to tell me was that struggle is necessary for growth. It is vital to endure trying situations because they provide us with the path to strength and endurance. How would we appreciate the sweetness of accomplishment if we didn ’t need to do any hard work to get there?

It’s easy to complain when the universe keeps throwing us curve balls and nothing seems to go our way. Instead of curling up into a corner, afraid of the world, take it as an opportunity to stand up for yourself, to become a stronger person. Don’t let someone tell you that you are incapable. It’s easy to smile when things are going well; it’s when life gets rough that one’s true character shows.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Class of 2007, congratulations; we truly are “only the finest.” We came here young and untested…now, with wings strong enough to carry the world, we’re prepared to do nothing but soar.