Essay on Graduation Speech

When I was younger, I would often return home to a familiar question: So, what did you learn today? My answer would always be "nothing" or "stuff." As I look back, I never lied, yet, I never told the whole truth. Many people think that you don't know anything with only 18 years of experience; I think they're wrong. I've learned a lot about myself and others from the relationships I have built throughout the years. I believe my most important lessons were "people" lessons. Those are the ones which could never be taught out of a book or in a lecture; you have to go out and experience them for yourself.

WOW! So much has happened since June. The SV FFA and ag department had a rough start to our year losing three of our students who were on the FFA officer team to other schools. Even with this bump in the road, the four officers that remained visited Mt. Shasta City and had a blast bonding and learning more about each other at their officer retreat in August. Once school started we found three new officers and attended COLC (Chapter Officer Leadership Conference) where the entire team learned about their diverse leadership styles and were able to bond together as the official Surprise Valley FFA Chapter Officer Team for the 2017-2018 school year. If you see them around, congratulate President Cindy Hinze, V.P. Maddison Seely, Secretary Maya

American author Christopher Morley wrote, “There are three ingredients in the good life: learning, earning, and yearning.” Throughout past year, I have learned a tremendous amount about school subjects, but also other aspects of my life. I have managed to narrow down my interests and passions in life to decide on a future career, and from that I have also chosen my college. I have learned about myself and realized what works for me and what does not. Within the past year, I have also changed some of my beliefs and made decisions concerning what I will and will not support. My junior year of high school has been a crazy one, nevertheless, it has taught me about school, myself, what I want do in the future, and what I believe in.

Students, faculty, family, friends, on this exciting day, I speak to optimism, laughter, and grins.

Allow me to walk you through a brief summary of this past years that we have had as a class. It all started freshman year. We were the new kids that were trying to fit in, not knowing what a roller coaster highschool would be. As soon as we stepped into this campus everyone around us knew that our class was unique, in our way, but unique. I remember the first time that our class was together. I took a look around, interested in those unfamiliar faces that i was about to spend the next four years with. By that time I thought about everything but graduation, as I was clueless at how fast time passes by. For me sophomore year was a blur. We only focused on the fact that we went from being freshman to wise fools. We were ready to step up and become upperclassmen, not knowing what was waiting for us. Now, Junior year was an interesting year. We all had classes that challenged us and allowed us to grow. We could not wait for it to pass by and finally become seniors, until the year was over and we

Well, this is it, the day all of us have been waiting for has finally arrived. It seems like only yesterday we were picking our noses and flicking them at innocent bystanders or yelling childish phrases like, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" or, wait, that was yesterday. Never mind. Anyways.

Well, this is it. These are the only seniors who were able to survive the culminating exhibition. If I had known that there would be this many open seats, I would have invited my third cousins from Norway. You know, it's funny. As I look around at the familiar faces in the student section, I am reminded about something. Our class, particularly the girls, have been very fashion-conscious over the last four years. Some even seem to be in competition with one another. Well girls, here we are on the most important day of your high school careers, and you're all wearing the same thing. The guys, on the other hand, could care less. I know for a fact that a couple of you aren't wearing anything underneath your tailored tarps.

“Drum majors, Jeremiah Wooten and Scott Smith, is your Corps ready?”, booms the announcer’s thunderous voice as our show starts. Our head drum major, Jeremiah, turns to the crowd and performs his salute initiating the true beginning of our show. I’m standing on the forty yard line of Ames Field in Michigan City, Indiana when I truly feel that I am performing my show in championship competition. Many veteran members told us rookies that the this competition will likely never be my best performance, and I intend on proving them wrong. Our show progresses, and I focus on being the best I can be every second this the show. An instant passes and we are now eight minutes into our eleven and a half minute show, and my body begins to develop

Well Class of 2012, we did it! We are graduating. All the hard work we have done to graduate has paid off. All the final exams, the many steps we've taken up and down Gadd High's halls, to the gym for practice, up to the cafeteria to connect with friends, down to the library, up to the playing fields -- they're all over. After today, our lives will be changed forever. Before that happens, let's take a look at the last four years of memories and even go back to those memories from our elementary and middle school years and collect them into a book; our own book, our book of life. If, some day, people could read our individual book, what would they learn from them?

As graduation has approached, I have contemplated my life's direction and the elements of my past that have combined to place me here, in this moment, as I'm certain we all have. What has inspired us? Do we have regrets? What are we going to do with the rest of our lives? Most importantly, are we truly happy? Frankly, I'm ecstatic! How about you? But what has made me happy in the past? Well, Baskin Robbins, Old Navy, and Survivor to name a few things...But on a more meaningful note, my life has been enriched by compassion. The small kindnesses of others have brightened many a weary day of mine, and my services in return have strengthened my sense of peace. However, I would like to share a memory with you of which I am not proud, one which

As a graduation speaker, I'm supposed to stand up here reflectively gazing out upon the few, the proud, the chosen: the Class of 2012, and point in general directions while saying the cliché, "Among us I see the first female president and a future congressman and the next mayor of Everett." But besides that I would never in my most vengeful moments wish those positions upon any of you, I cannot make those assertions because I am categorically against campaigns of any kind.

High school. I never realized it would bring so many changes. As I walked on to campus my freshman year, my mindset was the same as it was in eighth grade; the young are invincible. And although I was excited to come to high school I had many fears. Would the classes be too hard, would I make new friends, what could I become involved in, and most of all -- what if I get lost? All of these fears eventually subsided and I, along with all of you, found the right classes and the right teachers. We all made new friends. We all got involved in something. During my freshman year, innocence surrounded me and although eventually my shell would crack, not until this year have I broken through. This year I decided that it is time to soar on my own.

Henry Adams once wrote "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." This is so true, every teacher here has taught us much more than the textbook curriculum. Every teacher here tonight has given us students something we will use or remember for the rest of our lives. I really don't think people understand or appreciate the time and effort our teachers have put into us. So tonight I'm not going to give everyone advice on the future, I'm not going to tell you how life is a journey we've just begun, and I'm not going to brag about how great the class of 2006 is. Since we have eight outstanding Valedictorians this year, I'm sure all of those bases are already covered. So instead, I'm going to take a few minutes

There's a recurring question that often presents itself at different points in our lives. We ask it to ourselves in private and are asked by others at any given time. It comes from those we are yet to know well and from those who can see us with their eyes closed. It goes to the tune of, "What do you want to do someday?" or "What do you want to be?" and it rarely comes with a monosyllabic reply. The routine "I don't know," or shrug are devoted companions of this question, though every now and then an individual can focus the future before his or her eyes and give it a name. For the rest of us, the specifics may still be hazy. I can say with certainty that my response to this questions is consistently inarticulate. I do take solace,

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the 2012 graduating class of County High School, I would like to welcome you to our commencement ceremony. As valedictorian of this class I would like to speak to you, and my fellow graduates about responsibility, but first I would like to tell you a little story