Graduation Speech: Hadley 8th Grade

I have been going to school since I was four years old and, that means that I have been attending school twenty to twenty two years, including kindergarten, middle school, high school and now college. As every student, I had my ups and downs in school; I had some failures and some successes. One of the failures that affected me the most and that I will always remember was the time that I was in high school during my junior year. I failed almost all my classes and, I only passed two classes and with a C. In the other hand I had some really good success. The most recent one and the one that I am still happy about is getting my Family Development Credential. We learn from our mistakes and also from our successes, these two times in my life

During our three years at Cupertino Middle, we learned a lot. Not just about quadratic equations and the solar system, but also about friendship, kindness, and courage. We worked hard, had fun, and went out of our comfort zones everyday. Who new that we would survive the roller coaster ride of middle school and be here getting our diplomas. But we did. Now we are going to high school, hoping we can change the world for the better. Using the skills and formulas we learned, we just might be able to make a difference.

The fifth grade school year ended very quickly, Mrs.Cullen retired, and my classmates and I moved on to the next chapter of our lifes, sixth grade. As the next school year arrived, I went about sixth grade the same way I had started about fifth grade, I had a ton of friends in my class, and I thought that sixth grade would be a walk in the park. My advisor was Mr.Ferry, and having to write about 1000 times I will not disrupt class, I finally began to approach sixth grade in a different way. In sixth grade I learned the importance of mindfulness, and doing what I loved from

Starting middle school was a mixture of anxiety and excitement. There was a brand new campus to explore, but we were also nervously anticipating the academic program that was about to begin. Most of my grade had been together since the age of four and by this time there were clear social divides. There were the girls who were seen as popular, and then there was everybody else. You could say that I was part of the popular crowd, though at the time I didn’t notice myself standing apart from the others. As a group of friends we got on well, we’d hang out, go to the cinema, have sleepovers, all the usual things friends do. Then things gradually started to change.

My time at Crone Middle School has come and gone so much faster than I would have ever expected. I can still recall my fifth grade memories as if they occurred just yesterday. If you told me these three years would fly by in a second, I would have never believed you. My fifth grade self thought that middle school would take my entire life to finish, and high school was a whole other topic. As a fifth grader, I was so excited for lockers, new friends, and new classes. I forgot all the other factors that play a role in middle school. This includes grades, homework, tests, quizzes, etc.

Soon enough preschool was over and here came our elementary school days. Everyone met many people in kindergarten. Many will be my friends throughout high school and beyond. Kindergarten was filled with arts and crafts, my portfolio, 2008 handprints, and stamped tee shirts. Suddenly kindergarten graduation was here, everyone was paired up and danced with a partner. First grade flew by and then came second grade with Ms. Foisy and Ms. Okabioshi. Ms. Okabioshi was one of the best teacher assistance we have ever had. Third and fourth grade with Mrs. Schuler and Ms. Ittes. These years were filled with warm fuzzies, a lot of reading and writing, and a lot of fun playing on the playground. The class watched Shilo and everyone hated the evil father. After that came fifth grade with Mr. Sifferman, also known as Millie’s cousin, he gave the hardest tests we have ever taken, but the most fun and memorable times we have had. After that year many people changed schools, I moved to California.

Time, like always, blew by. Middle school brought its own challenges, as it does for all kids. You struggled with the person you wanted to be, made hard choices about what you valued. Dad and I tried to guide you, but you made decisions on your own, and they were always the right ones. We could clearly see that you were a natural leader and persistent worker. High school only cemented those traits about you, and then, amazingly, you were again ready to move to a different world.

When I first entered Hillsborough Middle School as a student nearly two years ago, I admit that I was slightly nervous for what was ahead of me. I expect all of you to have similar experiences on your first day, and if you say otherwise, you must be lying. Entering a new and unfamiliar setting can take some getting used to. Making your way through the halls was surely difficult that day. On the other hand, the feeling of uncertainty that I was facing was mixed with excitement. New classes meant new friends and experiences. I could not wait to discover

We didn’t get here on our own. That is why we thank our classmates, families, teachers, counselors, and administrators for supporting us throughout this journey. Most importantly, I thank and glorify God for giving us endless opportunities. I hope tonight is a night to remember because it marks the start of something new. After tonight, we gotta go our own ways because high school wasn’t meant to last forever. Right here, right now, it’s time to break free from dress code and standardized tests. As we go our separate ways, let us continue to support one another. I know our teachers are still here to help, whether with college coursework or advice for our futures. We can step into the world confidently because we have solid

My middle school experience was nothing short of the typical cringe-worthy school pictures, embarrassing fashion ensembles, feisty friendship fallouts, and awkward bodily changes. I nonetheless made the most of my three years in the “big kid wing” of Owensville Community School.

Near the end of Elementary School, many teachers from Sacajawea came to Wilson to explain their classes and what would happen them, over the year. Sixth grade teachers did so as well, to give us an idea of what it would be like to be in Middle School. My friends, classmates and I knew more and more of what was waiting for us, lurking, in the future, due to the guidance teachers gave us, but that didn’t stop anyone from being scared about seventh grade. Middle School seemed a lot more complicated than what it actually was, and a lot more terrifying, too. Even when school finally was out for the summer, I was left worrying about the future, and the homework I had to complete over the summer for English wasn’t calming me whatsoever. The reading and writing I was assigned was new and puzzling, and I felt that maybe the classes I had registered myself into would be too much for me; but there was no turning back. What if I fail the classes I chose? I thought, fear swirling around in my stomach like the most gigantic whirlpool in the sea. Though I was fearful, I finished the work, and did as much revising as possible.

In just a few short weeks I will be a freshman. So for the next 3 paragraphs I will reflect on my middle school experience. My most memorable moments would be when I met all of my friends they were all at different times. But over the three year of middle school i’ve managed to become more outgoing and gained many friends. While gaining friends i've also gained many other things like, better social skills and better studying skills.

The bus hissed to a stop and I stepped on for the first time that year. It was my seventh-grade year and I was finally in middle school. The middle school scared me. The big halls, multiple buildings, and two gyms! I had been in the building before but it never seemed real. Stepping off the bus, I finally realized that it was a huge school. I was overwhelmed the first day, but I soon got used to it. However, now I’m an eighth grader. I can officially say that I have survived middle school. The halls aren’t so big anymore, the two gyms are normal to me, and multiple buildings have combined into one. Over the past two years, the middle school has become home to me and I will never forget the wonderful memories that happened in this building. The past two years have become a blur and I have learned more than I could ever have imagined. I have new friends that I can call family, my responsibility, and new

High school is supposed to be the place where you have fun and a time in your life you’re supposed to enjoy. Movies often trick you into believing that high school is an amazing time in your life and there is nothing but parties and fun. In Bring it on, they portrayed the fun and exciting part of high school cheer-leading, however they intentionally leave out the tough times high school students’ face in school and in their practices. In other popular movies, such as High School Musical the students have no pressures other than the next basketball game. In reality, this doesn 't happen. The constant pressure is affected by the grade level you are in. In high school, students can be classified based on the pressures that are faced in each grade level into the categories of freshman, sophomores/juniors, and seniors. I am here to help you make your high school experience less stressful.

The first year, the time to prove myself had arrived. Classes, rooms, teachers, and some students were unfamiliar. Eventually, minutes melted into hours, hours to days, and days to weeks. It didn’t take long before my schedule was routine, something of second nature. Humor and happiness were found in the form of my advisory family, where school was transformed into something more than going through the same motions of day to day activity. By the closing point of sixth grade, I was having a hard time letting go of what I’d adapted to. “What’s wrong?” my dad asked when I was getting into the car after being picked up early on the last day. I explained how distressed I was that my first year of middle school exceeded my expectations, and that it had to come to an end. Although his outlook viewed my reason for sorrow as trivial, I didn’t.