When Alejandro first told me about the idea of having Hannibal as a commencement speaker before the school year started, my first thought was, “Who the hell is Hannibal Buress?” I couldn’t put the name to his face, but when I looked him up on Google, I surprised to find out that I knew exactly who he was.

I had seen his specials before with my dad, and I had even seen him in his major film debut, “Neighbors.” I knew at that moment that having a Steinmetz alumnus of his stature and talent would provide a very memorable graduation indeed, so I emailed him. When he responded shortly after saying that he was interested, I knew that Ale would flip out when I told him, and that is exactly what he did.

Valedictorian Ashley Komperda invited comedian and Steinmetz graduate Hannibal Buress to speak at the Class of 2016’s graduation.

That was in late August, though, and since that time, Hannibal’s success has only grown , having done a world tour, released a new stand-up special exclusively on Netflix and having a role in half a dozen films that have been released since that time, including “Angry Birds,” “Neighbors 2,” and “Daddy’s Home.” 

However, before all of that, he was just a student sitting in the very seats you are all sitting in today. Let us give a quick thank you to Mr. Buress for taking time out of his schedule to come back where it all started for him.

By Alejandro Hernandez

As Ashley just stated, several years ago, Hannibal Buress walked the same hallways as we have for the last four years. Having the same Spanish teacher, Mr. Ochoa, as he had, I asked him about the type of student Hannibal was. Mr. Ochoa said that he was a very bright kid who hung around the wrong group of friends.

By Hannibal’s own admission in an interview with Chicago Magazine in 2014, he said that his friends were real screw-ups and trouble makers and that he barely graduated with a 1.9 GPA. However, none of that defines that who he is today, and in the same interview, he said he still had a focus on going to college.

Despite this, Hannibal’s story at Steinmetz should not be one that we should ignored despite the lack of traditional academic success. Instead, his story should be honored for the fact that he has been able to achieve such global success in notoriously tough career field despite national statistics saying that he shouldn’t be. His story should be an example to all of us that anything is possible.

No matter what type of student you were at Steinmetz, if you can find something you are passionate about and you can wholeheartedly apply yourself to that one thing, then you will be able to be welcomed into your definition of the good life. So without any further ado, it is with great honor that I present to you one of the funniest men alive and Steinmetz’s very own, Hannibal Buress.

Presentation of plaque

Ashley said, “Before he speaks we came up with an award for Hannibal. It is ‘In recognition for being the funniest and most successful alum to graduate from our school.’

Hannibal Buress responded: “I think Hugh Hefner would have something to say about that.”

See Hannibal Buress’ keynote address to graduates for a transcription of his remarks.

Star co-editor-in-chief Alejandro Hernandez conceived the idea to ask Steinmetz alumnus to speak.

After hosting Japanese students at Steinmetz for in 2015 and 2014 in one-day educational exchanges, this year Principal Stephen Ngo obtained the incredible 8-day opportunity in which the travel to Japan, food and accommodations in Japan are free to all the participants.

The trip is courtesy of the Kakehashi Project, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and made possible by the The Japan-U.S. Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan), co-organized by: The Japan Foundation and The Laurasian Institution.

The students in Japan are Stephanie Alonso, Alejandro Alonzo, Kienna Bariso, Klaudia Batko, Marisol Bernardino, Catherine Delgado, Javier Delgado, Luis Estrada, Jorge Garcia, Melissa Gonzalez, Tyler Graves, Magda Hernandez, Ashley Komperda, Lukasz Kuczynski, Stanley Kurian, Jonathan Ovalle, Jose Padilla, Maria Reyna, Jacqueline Saldana, Lissette Sandoval, Erica Toro.

Principal Stephen Ngo, Col. John Baynes, staff member Angel Gonzalez and counselor Deono Powell are chaperoning the students.

The group left Chicago on March 14 from O’Hare Airport. They arrived at Narita International Airport on March 15 in the afternoon.

The view from Hotel East 21 in Tokyo, Japan, where the Steinmetz group checked in on March 15. Photo by Ashley Komperda.

“Japan is beautiful,” Star reporter Ashley Komperda said.

The 2015 International Baccalaureate graduating class scored above and beyond during the IB exams in May. Twelve graduates received the IB Diploma: Yadira Abarca, Yeovanni Alvarado, Andres Ceballos, Ariana Colula, Stephanie Escobar, Cintia Garcia, Alex Lopez, Paloma Salazar, Guadalupe Saldana, Andriy Suden, Berenice Vara and Maria Vargas.

A common misconception is that all of the IB students earn the IB Diploma, when in fact only a fraction of the class earns it. Students must score well on multiple tests and complete CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) files.

The Star interviewed Nancyanne Ferrarini, the IB coordinator, regarding the recipients and the diplomas:

What is the significance of the IB Diploma?

Earning the IB Diploma is a great accomplishment.  It acknowledges that the student has excelled in seven college-level courses including Theory of Knowledge, which is similar to a college level philosophy course.

The students sit for examinations over a three week period in May. Some subjects have as many as three different exams that are required.

On a practical sense, the IB Diploma acknowledges that a student has perseverance to complete a rigorous program that requires him or her to take advanced classes even in those subjects that are difficult, and that the student has good reading, writing, time management and study skills too.

In addition, the Diploma recognizes that the student in an independent learner and is naturally curious and inquisitive, as demonstrated by the required extended essay.

Finally, the IB Diploma recognizes that we must take our learning out of the classroom and into the real world, and as our students complete the CAS requirement they complete activities that benefit themselves and their communities.

IB Diploma students are recruited by colleges and universities, and IB students do very well when they get there. Earning the IB Diploma is an accomplishment that is recognized around the world.

Can you comment about those who received the diploma?

On the whole, the IB Class of 2015 was a very focused and determined group of students. Still, though, there were some students who were very actively pursuing the Diploma and those who were enrolled in the program because they recognized its value, but didn’t necessarily think they could earn the Diploma. The 12 Diploma recipients come from both groups.

It is always a delight to see students achieve their goals.  It is truly wonderful to see students excel beyond their own expectations.

What is IB?

The IB Diploma Programme is a challenging curriculum for juniors and seniors that fosters critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and respect for global diversity. The students, most of whom began the track enrolled in the freshman and sophomore Middle Years Programme (MYP), move as a group, taking the same classes together. IB DP courses, like AP courses, are weighted heavier than regular and honors course. An A in a regular course is worth four points on a student’s GPA. An honors A equals five points. IB and AP course As equal six points.As our article explains, some IB students earn  the IB Diploma recognized throughout the world.