Congratulations to the many students who are celebrating their high school graduation this month.

As a father of two, with my youngest graduating this year from a public district school, I’ve seen how hard students and parents work to reach this milestone.

This is a time to celebrate your achievements and reflect on the future. Each decision you’ll make from here will shape what path your life will take, whether that’s a trade school, community college, university or employment.

Making thoughtful decisions with the help and input from your family, teachers and other role models will help set you up for independence and success.

Whether you want to seek a profession in the education, utility, agriculture or industrial and mining industries, you will need more education to achieve a successful career and support yourself and a family. My job at the capitol is to ensure each child and every student has educational and occupational opportunities, as well as to ensure our state has quality roads, healthcare and water infrastructure to continue to make Arizona a great place to live and work.

I hope each one of you are successful in what you want to achieve and always remember parents want our children to be even more successful than us and the only thing we leave behind in this world is our lineage and our reputations.

May God bless each and every one of you and keep those dreams alive by focusing on them and your goals every single day.

David Cook , State Representative LD8