Miami Palmetto High School has provided a firm foundation for future success for thousands of graduates during its nearly 60 years.
More than a few alumni have reached the national and international spotlight, but it is rare for these superstars to return and speak to current students. Class of 1994 valedictorian, at age 16, and the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, did that on May 18.
Senior Shelby Loeb had reached out to him some time ago to present her school project on e-cigarette use by teenagers, a public health issue near and dear to the heart of the former nation’s top public health official. Loeb’s presentation of the results of a survey of Palmetto students, echoed findings of a 2014 national survey on the disturbing rise of e-cigarette use among young people.
Murthy pledged to himself to follow up when it crossed his desk. A Barack Obama appointee, Dr. Murthy said the silver lining in his recent dismissal by the Trump administration is the ability to spend more time advocating for the things that most matter to him personally.
At Loeb’s invitation, facilitated by the administration, Murthy stopped by the school while in town to speak at the Silver Knight Awards Ceremony and visit his parents, who still live in Pinecrest. Over 400 students attended the “fireside chat” format presentation, led by Loeb, Student Council oresident Jonathan Roth and Student Council events chair Charles Noguera, who were seated informally on stage with Murthy. After each of the three student leaders asked their questions, a microphone was passed to the audience.
Murthy spoke with a warm natural ease, clearly at home in the auditorium where he likely spent many hours as a teen. He was alternately educational, encouraging and inspiring as the conversation flowed from “the wide Palmetto diaspora.”
He discussed his background and path in life, potential careers in public health and, of course, the status and dangers of e-cigarette use, particularly on the more vulnerable developing brains.
He cautioned students on the insidious nature of nicotine, a highly-addictive substance so many of his patients have expressed regretted over ever using. He added that there are still many unknowns about the effects of “vaping,” especially with the flavored tobaccos popular with youth.
“Think about it,” Murthy said. “Do you really want to be an experiment?”
He congratulated Loeb on her entrepreneurship, and encouraged students to do more about risky behavior, including speaking out when friends are making poor choices.
“It’s an important time of life for you. The decisions you make now about your body and your education are very important,” he said.
Dr. Murthy took a gap year after high school and was interested in not only medicine, but economics, history, and technology. He advised the students to “follow your interests because your initial expectations and plans may change over time.
“Sometimes, you only connect the dots looking backward,” he said. “Ask yourself what you are passionate about and you will do the right thing.”
In closing, he expressed thanks for the help he had had along the way to his successful career from parents, friends, and teachers. “Success is not a solo journey,” he stressed, encouraging students to keep in contact with people as you go forward in life.
Three of Murthy’s teachers still teach at Palmetto — Lynn Evans (Anatomy) Pete Migli (Statistics) and Cullen Bullock (Biology). They were seated front and center to hear their famous former student.
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