Kell High School’s seniors got a stirring message from one of their classmates during Wednesday’s graduation ceremony at the KSU Convocation Center.
Austin Killebrew is one of the most accomplished members of the Longhorns’ Class of 2025, having been named salutatorian, among other honors. He’ll be attending Georgia Tech in the fall, planning on studying chemical engineering.
But in giving his first public speech, Killebrew shared his origin story that served as inspiration to those like him, who are departing to many places for the next stage of their lives.
When Killebrew was a baby in China, he was adopted by American parents who brought him back to Northeast Cobb in 2009.
He asked his classmates “to reflect on when you last gave someone a chance. When you take a moment to invest in someone else, you’re not just giving them your time, you’re giving them a reason to believe in themselves.
“Never forget where you came from,” Killebrew said. “Because in the end, it won’t be trophies or titles that we hold onto. It’ll be the people who believed in us when no one else did—the people who gave us a chance.”
Principal Peter Giles told the Kell seniors that “where you are going is not where you are right now.” He urged them to “take the time to be the very best that you can become, and don’t be afraid of failure.
“Failure is success in disguise, and it’s how we learn. Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself along the way.”
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