Graduation Speech : High Education

Growing up in a Hispanic household has shaped and built my values in life. At Appleton North High School, I am one out of the few Hispanic students. Knowing that my parents have migrated to America to give me a better future has motivated me to make it happen. Although, as a Mexican-American, I have felt out of place as a minority. However, with time I learned to accept my cultural differences. In fact, to this day, I thank my widowed father for the sacrifices and greater opportunities he has given me. My goal is to keep representing the few Hispanic students in college by working hard to achieve my career goals; not all Hispanics are fortunate enough to attend college. I also work to inspire young Hispanics to find their potential and follow

Growing up as a first-generation college-bound Hispanic woman has proven to be a difficult journey. Both of my parents left their home countries at a young age and came to this country without any ideas or real opportunities on where to begin. At a young age, I have been taught that having a higher education is the key to having a successful and plentiful life. However, the journey towards achieving my dream of receiving a higher education has been filled with moments where I have challenged the stereotypes about getting pregnant and dropping out of high school, facing my grandma’s unexpected illness that affected me both academically and mentally, and the challenge of being a first generation college bound student in my family.

Every fall, millions of students return to school to learn about math and science, English and history, every weekday until summer finally returns. Year after year, the same fundamental classes return and, time after time, seem to faintly impact the students. Schools have been designed so you learn the same information, slightly more in depth, from kindergarten to senior year. What about topics that would further the student in their future after graduation? Schools emphasize the same core subjects throughout the years, but not the real life obstacles millions of millions of people face. What if schools required classes on survival, job interviewing skills, studying, how to pass the SAT- all classes which would further students in their

Nowadays, teenagers and young adults are graduating high school and college and are unable to find jobs. A lot of them lack the basic skills needed to survive during adulthood. Institutions exist mainly to educate people on what they need to maintain a somewhat decent lifestyle. Students have been forced to take classes on a variety of subjects throughout high school, most of which have nothing to do with what they need to prepare them for life after education. Even in college, a majority of students do not know what career field they would like to enter, so when they graduate it is hard for them to get a job anywhere. Institutions are not arming students with the proper information needed to excel after education. So, new classes should be created and required for students to pass before graduating. They will be based on basic skills such as money management, customer service skills, and credit understanding.

When I finished junior high school I enrolled in a training program to teach elementary students in some of the most remote regions of Mexico. I was excited about the prospect of teaching reading, writing, and mathematics to underprivileged students in areas of my country that needed education more than anything else to bring them into the modern era. I had seen the difference a few good teachers had made in my life. It was one of my earliest ideas to help the youth in my country rise above the limitations of their past and see the possibilities available to them with hard work in school.

John Dewey once said, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." As the eldest daughter of immigrant parents, I want to be able to do what my parents did not have an opportunity to do: acquire an education. Setting goals for the near and distant future is essential to accomplish them. Some of my goals for the near future consist of serving as an example for other Hispanic students, finishing my second semester with outstanding grades, and obtaining financial security in college by obtaining scholarships. Being the only Hispanic female student in my graduating class was not easy; when you are labeled as being different, all you want to do is to fit in with the rest of your classmates. Eventually, I came to understand

Many individuals believe that attending college directly after high school is a life changing experience This stance can hold true for many reasons regarding the positive aspects for the completion of a college degree. Students should attend college directly after high school because they are more experienced and have great opportunities and benefits rather than waiting to go later on in life.

Growing up in a low-income household, I was told to always focus on my studies and go to college so that I can have a career and not work minimum wage jobs for the rest of my life like my parents. Since my parents are both immigrants to the U.S., with little to no high school education, they weren’t given the same opportunities that me and my siblings have, being American citizens. My parents would tell me, “I work these long days and nights, so that you won’t have to” and I always took this to heart because I want to make sure that my parents sacrifice would not be in vain. I came from a low-income community where many of my peers did not continue their studies because they felt that it will just prolong their entry in the workforce. Many of my girlfriends did not have the same family support that I had growing up, and ended up pregnant and high school dropouts. Living in this environment, where being a Latina can either lead to teen pregnancy or lack of education caused me to work twice as hard as anyone else to ensure that I can do something better with my life. Through long hours at the library, taking AP classes and attending college workshops in the weekends, I became the first in my family and my friend group to graduate with honors in high school and go to college. Being a first-generation college student, it was tough to adapt to a higher paced environment, since I came from a semester system.

Growing up, all I ever heard was the word college. From the old days of kinder garden and especially up until senior year of high school my entire life revolved around what college I wanted to go to. I believe that most people see a college education as a luxury, a grand accomplishment. There’s many different type of colleges to go to; community college, state universities, and so on. For me, the biggest thing is not where I go to college. For me, the biggest thing is simply to finish my college education and be able to walk across a stage and receive my diploma. A college education is valuable to me because it will help me in life. I will benefit from a college education career-wise, financially, and personally.

Going to college can be a very rewarding experience for a traditional, or non-traditional student who wants to go back to school. More money on a paycheck can be a reason why someone would want to presume their education. Another reason why someone would want to go on to college would be to increase their intellect so they can be more sophisticated in life. Someone might also want to further their education because college teaches your life skills. A college education can be very rewarding for a traditional or nontraditional student by making more money, more intellect, and learning life skills for the world.

Many people have different high school experiences or stories about when they finally felt like a highschooler or felt like they belonged. Some people might not even have had that experience yet and are still trying to belong at Wahlert Catholic High School. Personally, I have had many experiences when I finally felt like a high schooler. Such as my first year playing on the Wahlert Freshman Baseball team, talking to upperclassmen, my first year playing on the Wahlert Freshman Basketball team, or all of the times cheering in the Wahlert Volleyball, Football, and Basketball Eagle’s Nest. But, one experience truly stands out in particular, the school-wide pep rally for homecoming week.

It has become apparent now more than ever that having a college education is an unavoidable requisite in order to better ourselves. Every year thousands of students graduate high school and start to enroll in college. Another key factor in the decision towards obtaining a college degree is the example the young student saw at home; however, not all of the young students entering college come from a family with college graduate parents, which can play as a huge motivation in their path toward their college degree. Many people see this as the start of a new journey into the path of success since most Americans grow up with the idea that a college education will help us better our lives as well as to bring us success. According to Scott-Clayton from Columbia University, “Individuals with bachelor’s degrees earn about 60 percent more than those with just a high school diploma.” Today, we must not only acquire a high school education, but also graduate with a Bachelor’s degree. A college degree itself won’t guarantee you success, but it would give you the necessary tools and knowledge to achieve economic and personal success. In the future, the knowledge you achieved from your college education will become beneficial in plenty of ways.

Everyone is entitled to have the opportunities to succeed in their education, however, not everyone has the privilege to receive a great education from the start. Due to the factors that might interfere or hinder education, such as economic and geographic matters, many programs have been developed in order to help students with their journey throughout college and high school. The Puente Project is one of the many programs that has been around for three decades assisting underrepresented students to further their education. The program believes in the potential of their students, especially when given the right tools and opportunities to achieve academic success.

High school and college are both important periods in a student’s life. It’s the two most important stages in which students prepare to be professional in their studies. In high school students prepare to be successful in college. In college students prepare to be professionals in their careers. Although high school and college each serve as a place for preparation for students they are very different in scheduling, grading, and paying their education.

In order for higher education to continue to look attractive to incoming students, it must improve with the current trends of the world. Higher education is changing daily due to the demand of improvements from the student body. A school must have the newest and best opportunities for their students in order to keep the doors open. The following paper will take a closer look at the similarities and differences in technology, safety, and opportunities and challenges faced by today’s students in student affairs.