Chris Clark, Acalanes Trainer, Teacher, and Coach, was selected by the class of 2026 to speak at the Acalanes Time of Reflection. His Words…

Carrying the Light

I am honored to be here today to share in this time of reflection for the Class of 2026. I have crossed paths with so many of you across a variety of school settings. Whether as a teacher, coach, athletic trainer, or just as another adult on campus, I feel so fortunate to have interacted with any of you in any capacity.

When I look out at the Class of 2026, I see light. I see brightness. The kind of light you can feel when you’re in it. You all carry a light.  They say that a single candle doesn’t lose any of its own light by lighting another. In fact, the room gets brighter.

Four years ago, you all arrived at Acalanes as individual sparks, nervous freshmen trying to find your way through dark hallways, literally and figuratively. You were focused on your own path, your own grades, and your own future. But somewhere along the way, the mission changed. You stopped being individual sparks and started becoming a collective glow.

We have to be honest: last year, a shadow fell over this class. When we lost Amin, it felt like a light had been extinguished. It was cold, it was sudden, and it was deeply unfair.

But something remarkable happened in the wake of that tragedy. Instead of letting the darkness settle, you all stepped closer together. You realized that when one flame flickers, the rest of the circle has to lean in to keep it from going out. You checked on each other. You sat in the silence together. You shared stories that kept a memory burning bright.

You learned a lesson that most people don’t learn until they are much older: We are the keepers of each other’s light.

As you look back on these four years, don’t just see the trophies, the awards, or the diploma. See the moments where you were ‘the light’ for someone else:

• It was the teammate who picked you up after a loss.
• It was the friend who knew you weren’t ‘fine’ even when you said you were.
• It was the way this entire senior class stood tall when it would have been easier to fall apart.

That light you carry isn’t just about ‘happiness.’ It’s about resilience. It’s the glow of a class that has been tested by fire and came out tempered, stronger, and more brilliant than before.

In a couple of weeks, you all will be leaving Acalanes. You’ll be heading to different cities, different campuses, and different lives. The individual lights that created the ‘big bonfire’ of this senior class will be dispersed.

But here is the secret: you aren’t leaving the light behind in the Acalanes hallways, classrooms, theaters, or athletic spaces. You are taking it with you.

You are now the torchbearers. Every act of kindness you perform, every bit of empathy you show a stranger, and every time you choose to be brave when things get dark—you are carrying that light forward. You carry it for yourselves, and you carry it for Amin, honoring the life he lived by living your own with twice as much purpose.

So, Class of 2026, as you sit in this time of reflection, look at the person to your left and your right. See the warmth you’ve built together.

The world can be a dark place sometimes, but I am not worried. I’m not worried because I’ve seen how you handle the shadows. I’ve seen how you show up for one another.

Keep glowing. Keep leaning in. Keep carrying the light.

Congratulations!

Chris Clark