Del Toro to Mercersburg Academy grads: 'Reimagine these lines'

MERCERSBURG, Pa. — Academy award-winning actor Benicio del Toro stood to give Mercersburg Academy's 125th commencement address on Saturday.

But, before he began, he turned the lectern so he could speak directly to the 132 members of the Class of 2018.

While he didn't profess to having everything figured out or being able to share secrets to success with the seniors, he had one important thing in common with the graduates — he graduated from Mercersburg in the Class of 1985.

“What I can tell you is how I felt when I sat right there where you are sitting today,” he said. "Looking back at my experiences, I can basically put all these pieces together and make something that may come in handy to some of you."

A month before graduation, del Toro said he felt late or behind the curve.

“I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life,” he said.

So, he sought out his brother's insight.

“He came right out and said, 'You should be an actor,'” del Toro remembered. “It was so out of left field, but in that moment, it sounded right.”

But del Toro's great idea was quickly shot down when he shared his acting dreams with his friends.

“The response in that room was unimpressed,” he said. "One of my friends told me that it's a terrible idea, impractical, profoundly unlikely. It took 10 minutes for my idea to flatline."

But, then del Toro said his commencement came, and he found renewed encouragement from the words of his commencement speaker — the late Sen. Charles "Mac" Mathias of Maryland.

Mathias quoted Spanish cellist, composer, and conductor Pablo Casals: “Every leaf on every tree is different in the same way every human being is unique. And in the millions of years of human evolution, there has never been anyone like you.”

“As I sat here in the front row, I thought about my friends telling me how risky and reckless my plan (of being an actor) was," del Toro said. "But, then I thought, 'Why should I give up trying?' So, I tried.

"Everyone is going to draw lines for you, especially when they think you should have achieved something or proved something or become something by a specific time,” del Toro said. “But it's your job to reimagine these lines — to cross them, to jump them, and in some cases to ignore them altogether."

Students in the graduating class represented 21 states, the District of Columbia and 19 nations.

With commencement falling on Memorial Day weekend, Head of School Katherine Titus took a moment to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

“Mercersburg Academy has 177 graduates that we hold in our hearts this weekend,” she said.

Then she asked the Class of 2018 to thank all the family members present.

“You have made an incredible sacrifice of time by letting them go,” she said. "I also believe that your sacrifice was one of the greatest gifts you could give your child as they have used their time here to develop their voices and their independence."

Class President Elizabeth Gregg presented the class gift of $6,000 to the school's annual fund, which will be matched by a member of the board of regents.

Salutatorian Thai Minh Khong reflected on his transformation while at Mercersburg. Coming to America at age 15, Khong said he was a shy kid who hated public speaking.

“Yet, I am here in front of you, eager to tell you about my transformation from the ninth-grade hermit crab to Thai-yoncé,” he said, referencing pop star Beyoncé.

He told his fellow graduates that it is OK to feel different.

“It is OK to not have a direction in life,” he said. "Feeling lost is a part of growing up, and it pushes you to navigate your own path."

Valedictorian Xiang “Victor” Li chose a unique way to address his class.

“I have always hated speeches because I have never figured out where the thin line between meaningfulness and cringeyness lies,” he said. “So, pretty much what I'm saying now is I can't and I won't do a speech.”

Rather, he shared his message through a guitar piece titled “The Sycamore” that he finished two days prior to commencement.