My dear children,

I stand before you today, with a heart full of hope and a spirit full of urgency. The time has come to speak of a matter most dear to my heart—education. But I must tell you at the outset, education is not what you might think it to be. It is not merely the memorization of words or facts, as many may have led you to believe.

Memorization, my friends, is a simple talent, an ability to repeat what has been fed to you. Yet, it is not a true form of education. When you are forced to memorize, to regurgitate answers for paper tests, know this: you are being tricked into pretending to know. That paper you hand in, filled with answers you’ve memorized, tells little of what you truly understand or care about. It is not comprehension—it is imitation, a shallow mockery of learning. Be ever mindful of this. When you are asked to memorize, you are asked to pretend. Do not be fooled by the hollow glow of grades and scores. Real learning is not a test of how well you can repeat, but a test of how well you can think, understand, and connect.

Real education is not something that can be handed to you by another. It is the relentless pursuit of your own curiosities. I urge you to ask yourself, what is it that excites your heart? What question stirs your mind? When you chase after what you truly care about—when you follow that spark inside of you—that is when you learn. That is when your mind opens and expands. True learning happens when you do not simply repeat, but when you seek, discover, and create knowledge. And know this, my young friends: only self-directed, self-paced education will set you free.

You must seek to learn for the joy of learning, not for the sake of pleasing others or to pass tests. Let your education be about gathering treasures—real treasures—into your mind and your heart. When you pursue knowledge with passion, each new discovery enhances the last, and the sum of all your learning becomes something greater than the parts. Your understanding will grow, your wisdom will deepen, and the light within you will shine brighter. That is what true education looks like.

But remember, the path of education is not confined to the classroom, nor to the four walls where your lessons are assigned. It is in the world that you must venture, in the vast unknown, where the real treasures are hidden. The Great American Trails will test you, teach you, and inspire you to become something greater than you could have ever imagined. The Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail—each of these is a journey of not just distance, but of the spirit. These trails will show you the power of perseverance, the strength of your will, and the vastness of the world you must come to understand.

As you walk these paths, you will discover that they are the true graduation. Each step will test you, each moment will teach you. The trails will demand that you rise above your fears and your doubts. They will challenge you to grow, and in that growth, you will find your way to becoming all that you were meant to be. You will be a student of nature, a philosopher of the world, and a scholar of your own soul.

In closing, my dear children, remember this: to grow up is not simply to grow older—it is to grow all the way up. You must rise to become the best version of yourselves, to stretch your mind, your body, and your heart to their fullest capacity. You must aim not only to live a life, but to live a life that leaves an undying legacy.

So, take this to heart: Pursue your curiosities with a fierce determination. Let the trails, the questions, and the wonders of the world guide you. And in the end, let your life be a testament to the power of true education—one that was never confined to a classroom, but one that reached the very heights of your soul.

May your hearts be bold, and your minds be ever open.

With all my love, Abraham Lincoln