President Barack Obama told the graduating class of Joplin High School in Missouri on Monday that its community’s spirit is a “source of inspiration” for a city rebuilding after a deadly tornado destroyed schools, homes and churches a year ago.
“You’ve learned at a younger age than most that we can’t always predict what life has in store for us,” Obama told the students. “But here in Joplin, you’ve also learned that we have the power to grow from these experiences.”
“We can define our own lives not by what happens to us but by how we respond,” he said. “We can choose to carry on and make a difference in the world.”
At the commencement ceremony, held at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin after the tornado destroyed Joplin High School last year, Obama honored the memory of the victims and praised the city’s resilience.
The deadliest tornado since 1950 flattened about one-third of Joplin on May 22, 2011, killing 161 people.
