CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - Before the Class of 2026 received their diplomas, valedictorian Hellen Dollar offered words of encouragement to the graduating class of John Jay High School:
"Good afternoon, family, friends, faculty, and most importantly, the Class of 2026!
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Hellen Dollar—and with this slightly unusual last name, I’m sure money is the first thing that comes to mind. Now, it’s easy to understand that two dollars are better than one, three dollars are better than two, and six dollars? They say money can’t buy happiness, but now it can buy a Bobo’s iced chai, which is pretty close. As it turns out, there are six Dollars in my family, and luckily, I had three older sisters to test-drive the high school and college experience for me. They gave me advice along the way, and today, I want to share some of that wealth with you as we head off to college and our adult lives.
The oldest Dollar sister, Emma, has taught me many things—but most importantly, to follow what I’m passionate about and not be afraid if my path looks unconventional. Right out of college, Emma landed what she believed was a dream job in the publishing world at Penguin Random House. But recently, she announced that she is leaving her job to attend graduate school and pursue creative writing. You might ask, “What is she thinking?” We all did. But Emma believes that everyone should pursue their dream, even if that means changing the major you’ve been sure about since middle school or finding your passion in a random elective class.
Ayla, the next Dollar, taught me something else: don’t wait for opportunities—create them. Ayla never shies away from going after what she wants, which, to my parents’ dismay, has meant moving across the world to Australia after college graduation. But it has also meant that she has never strayed from her true self. Following Ayla’s advice means asking a professor for an opportunity in their lab rather than waiting to be offered one. It means jumping into the unknown, not knowing whether you’ll succeed, but knowing that at the very least, you’ll end up with a good story to tell your family and friends.
Zoë, the closest Dollar in age to me, has always advised me to prioritize the relationships in my life. There will always be other priorities competing for our attention—like watching the new episode of Love Island, studying for an exam, or, for many of us this year, finding an open bathroom so we can avoid the B hallway. But Zoë says, “When you’re dying, what matters is who’s beside you and who has been there for you—not work or what grades you got in high school. Meaningful connections can truly get you through anything.”
And finally, we’ve come to me, the last Dollar. Each one of us—our classmates, our families, and everyone sitting here today—has different perspectives, values, and experiences. Even though some opinions are clearly wrong, like when people say mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste, opposing ideas can and will challenge us to grow. This becomes more and more important as we live in a society where groups of people can become locked into one idea or mindset, unwilling to truly hear the perspectives of those they view as different.
Our class has always been told that we’re the future generation of changemakers—the ones who will solve the many problems our world is currently facing. We’ve often hated the weight of this responsibility, but we can begin by being open to different perspectives and by meeting people who make us think critically about ourselves and the world around us.
Over the past four years, we have already started doing this. Some of our best memories have been the community circles in our classrooms—especially when we convinced our teachers to extend them for the entire period. We answered questions that ranged from “What Thanksgiving food represents the person to your right?” and “Who is least likely to survive The Hunger Games?” to “What is your biggest fear going into the next four years, and how do you hope to change as a person?” We listened as our peers—some whom we may never have spoken to otherwise—shared their perspectives and ideas. And we can continue to challenge ourselves by remembering that everyone has a unique point of view that can help us grow.
Similarly, each Dollar has its own unique story to tell—different pockets it’s been shoved into, different people and experiences it has witnessed, and different value to each person who holds it. Some Dollars tell us to pursue our passions, some to go after what we want, and some to prioritize the relationships in our lives.
With just my perspective, we only have one dollar. But with the help of my sisters, we have four. And like I said at the beginning—four dollars is always better than one, right?
Thank you, and congratulations, Class of 2026!"
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