Talladega, AL - What started as a long-shot request from Talladega High School became a reality Thursday night. Former Secretary of State delivered the commencement address. It's the only invitation from a high school graduation she accepted this year. As 148 seniors walked across the stage, Rice greeted each of them with a handshake.

From the podium she said, "Whatever route you take a whole world of opportunity awaits you."

Before the ceremony Rice spoke exclusively with ABC 33/40s Jeremy Campbell in a one on one interview.

Campbell: Why Talladega High? Why now?

Rice: Talladega High school asked and I love Alabama. It's my home state. I know that all kids have challenges these days and in towns like Talladega the challenges of tradition and modernity is there and I thought it might be great to talk to the kids about what might be possible for them.

Campbell: Do you see yourself in these young people at all as someone who grew up in Alabama?

Rice: Well of course... I remember that sense of the road being open and what was I going to do.

For Rice that path led from Civil Rights Era Birmingham to Washington.

She explains, "You can come from any circumstance sand do great things.... and i'm delighted to be back here and give these kids a little optimism on this very important day for them."

Campbell: What did you learn about optimism as Secretary of State?

Rice: Well I learned if your not optimistic you cant get up everyday and do the hard work of trying to make the world better.

Campbell: These students you're speaking to tonight, they were ten years old when the Bush administration began. Now as graduates under a different administration with a lot of different opinions especially on torture and interrogation...

Rice: Let me stop you right now. I think what we're seeing is the country is coming to understand what it takes to protect the us. And there are many disagreements about how we did it, but I'm very proud of how we protected the us. There was never another attack on our watch.

Now that she's off the political clock, Rice focuses on education as a professor at Stanford University.

Rice adds, "I look forward to seeing kids like these kids who graduate today in my classes."

Secret Service agents followed Rice while in Talladega. Agents were assigned to her for six months after her term ending on January 20.

See more of ABC 33/40's exclusive interview with Condoleezza Rice (web | news | bio) Friday at 5pm

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