Alumni Corner: Inspiring Words from Dr. William Chakar (Class of 2005)

Dr. William Chakar delivering the Alumni Speech for Arborland's 2025 Graduation.

To the graduates of the class of 2025, let me be among the first to congratulate you on this

achievement. And to the parents, family, and friends here today, to the teachers, faculty, staff, and Dr. Chen, today is also a celebration of your hard work and sacrifices. If you did not hear it enough this past year – thank you for all you have done to help educate and develop the next generation of leaders before us.

Let me share a little bit about myself, my name is William Chakar, I graduated from Arborland

Montessori in 2005. My sister Christina graduated from Arborland as well before me in 2002. After Arborland, I attended St. Angela Junior High in Brea, where I graduated as my class Valedictorian. I then attended Servite High School in Anaheim, where I again graduated as my class Valedictorian. I received my bachelor’s degree in biology from UCLA. And I completed my education journey by graduating from the USC School of Dentistry with honors in 2021. My education after Arborland stretches long – over 16 years – and I credit my ability to succeed on the foundation of independent, hands-on learning and the ability to maintain an inquisitive mind that Arborland provided me with. I did not always like school, however. I’m a little bit embarrassed to share this, but I cried every single morning when I was dropped off in preschool and Kindergarten. I wanted to go back home and sleep in and watch cartoons. But, I want to thank Ms. Snider, Hayes, Martinez, and Dr. Chen for their patience. I don’t think UCLA and USC would have let me do that every morning.

And I have so many other teachers and educators from Arborland that I can thank for my

formation through the years: Ms. Libertad, Ms. Shepherd, and Ms. Foy to name a few. Through

the years, I have kept in contact with many from the Arborland community. And, even when I

was not the best at keeping in touch, Dr. Chen and Ms. Foy always made sure to periodically

track me down and check in on me. They have cheered me through accomplishments such as my

own graduations and helped me through adversity such as after the loss of my mother. Thank

you for that. Graduates, Arborland will remain a life-long, and unique identity of yours. I know I

speak for everyone here when I say never be afraid to reach out or check in.

I feel I’m aging myself, but if you do the math, I graduated from Arborland 20 years ago. A lot

can happen in 20 years. To give you an idea, we went from dial-up internet to high speed Wi-Fi,

from pagers to cell phones, and even from one Montessori campus to two. I even remember Dr.

Chen’s daughters coming to play with us on the playground, and now Veronica is principal!

Your education will be your passport to approach this ever-changing world, and your dreams and

aspirations will take you to your desired destinations in life. I remember the sense of intrigue and

wonder I would have on field trip days. Putting on my yellow and green Arborland shirt, riding

on a bus, and excited to see and learn about something new. Before you know it, instead of

taking your first ride on a school bus, you’ll be taking a ride in your first car (I know that already

is making parents here anxious). You’ll be graduating from high school and college. You will

choose a career. Maybe you will even be sending your kids to Arborland one day.

And this brings me to an important point: Graduates, you are entering a world of both vast

opportunities, but also, we have to be honest, one of difficulties and setbacks. Consider this: Our

ceremony today takes place in the Nixon Presidential Library. Richard Nixon, a native son of

Orange County, lost both a gubernatorial and presidential election before ultimately becoming

the 37th President of the United States. I did not get an A on every exam I wanted to, I fell short

of my own personal goal lines plenty of times. I often remembered the words of Ms. Foy who

told me that as long as you stay sure of yourself, you can stay sure of your dreams.

And so, you too can and must remain steadfast in your goals; do not be deterred. Look to your

experiences at Arborland as motivation. The Arborland community is filled with teachers who

will give you life-long mentorship, the diversity of immigrant families who have overcome

obstacles, and friends who you will stay in contact with for the rest of your life.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

So graduates, please believe in your dreams and above all else, believe in yourselves. The future

belongs to you.

Thank you, and, once again, congratulations!