Graduation Speech: Trimble Technical High School

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

I had thought that high school would be no different than the past. Work hard, pay attention in class, and meet standards for every teacher. I was wrong. My teachers were supportive and only held the most basic of standards for all their students. They worked hard to provide us with assistance to succeed in class and be caught up in lessons. By the first grading cycle, I had exceeded all previous expectations my family had of me. I was both joyous and sad though. Now that I had reached the only goal I ever cared for, I was unsure of what to focus on next. This led me to ask my peers for advice and I realized that most of them also did not know what they wanted in the future. Thusly, after thinking and conferencing with others, I began thinking for myself what I wanted for my future. I was still being held at a high standard by family and friends, however I now had time for myself. I was free to decide what kind of future I wanted. Though afraid as I was of my unknown future, I was

Starting high school, I was not a perfect student. However, over the past three years, it is clear that my grades have drastically improved. Whether it was adjusting to AP classes or balancing extracurricular activities and homework, I became proficient at handling the twists and turns of high school. By smoothing out my rough edges, I have become a student with distinct goals and a strong work ethic. Having experienced both low and high ends of academic success, my abilities and mindset can be molded to any situation. I am confident that I have the talent, ambition, and the adaptive abilities to become part of a guaranteed

My public high school had misbehaved students and kids who didn’t care much about school. This resulted in the school having a poor academic system, although I did well it didn’t do a good job of preparing me for what was next. I attended Trevor Day School which at the time was a top 50 private school in New York City. They were granted the privilege of being on this list by having great teachers, a good learning environment, and one of the most rigorous curriculums in the city. This was a very cutthroat society that I had yet to encounter. As expected it was a drastic change, everyone was wealthier than me, there was racial tension, and in some ways it felt as if these kids were somehow smarter than me. Nonetheless, I had yet to realize that they weren’t in fact smarter than I was they just obtained the necessary tools to succeed in such an environment. I was one of the only colored guys in the school and I was on the basketball team. It was obvious that I was on financial aid and many people thought that I was granted with too much and I would fail off. Up until this point in my life I earned everything I received, but this was different; this time it was given to me. Therefore, with a lot given to me there would be a lot expected of me. I knew this prior to arriving at school, there were already a lot of eyes and pressure on

Like any other school there were the “cool” kids and the “not-so-cool” kids and like most people I longed for the feeling of fitting in. I tried so hard to buy the right clothes and to talk the right way. I became so caught up in my own life that I did not take a second to stop and think of someone other than myself. Last year, in eight grade, I had the chance to be apart of the “it” group, but during that time I lost myself. Peer pressure had pushed me into a corner where I was unable to think for myself and as a result I lost my ability to establish my character.

Welcome to Mt. Edgecumbe High School! Coming here, far away from home may be nerve-racking, but you just got accepted to one of the best schools in Alaska. Not everyone who applied got accepted, which is why you shouldn’t take this opportunity for granted. Attending MEHS, Mount Edgecumbe High School, is way different from being at home; for instance, you’re not living with your parents anymore and you have to teach yourself to be independent. This may seem frightening, but by coming here you can get a better education than from where you live, which is why I encourage you to stay all four years. Since you’re a MEHS Brave now, I am going to tell you some things that I personally like and dislike about MEHS. I will also tell you what to expect while you’re

There were students from all around the world who had different cultures, religions, and hardships. I perceived that high school is a race, a race where I can run at my own pace and my goals are the prize. I entered an environment where the opportunities were endless and I was allowed to accomplish whatever I want. My confidence began to flourish. I started involving myself in school work and began to participate in class. During my sophomore year, I engaged in numerous group activities such as the school play, science competition team, and advanced arts. I earned respect and developed a reputable character in school. I reached a milestone in my journey during junior year when I was inducted into the National Honors Society, played varsity tennis and became class

During my time at Junior High i’ve always had things come so easy to me, and I loved it. I would get decent grades without having to study for the tests, the homework was straightforward, and the teachers loved me. Being the average know-it-all child I was, I thought this would’ve carried out into high school. I spent my freshman year struggling because I didn’t quite understand that yet. It wasn’t until my second semester of sophomore year I finally made a change, and it showed a considerable amount. I kept the ambition up throughout my junior year, received a job as a CNA, and stayed busy managing wrestling.

During the last three years of my attendance here at Mt. Edgecumbe High School, I could not think of a teacher who has influenced me more than yourself. You’ve taught me to not only appreciate music, but to appreciate life. I’ve spent a total of four semesters in your Choir class and one semester in your Accounting class. We’ve traveled to two music festivals through Choir class, which are two of my most memorable experiences here in MEHS. I’ve also been apart of the MEHS award-winning Radio Club under your supervision. You’ve certainly witnessed my development as a maturing adult. It would be an honor to have a letter of recommendation from a teacher like yourself. Thank you for making my high school years enjoyable. If you choose to write

So … snaps fingers … wow! This is a lot of people. Well, first off, congratulations everyone; you all made it this far. Hopefully you will be able to make through this speech. According to page ten of the Chisago Lakes High School Student Handbook, all of you have earned at least 28 credits in a variety of disciplines throughout the last four years. And for those English nerds out there, I do have a properly formatted works cited page if you would like to fact-check me. Don’t worry.

High school ended, as well as summer. I was on the plane ride back from vacation to start college. I was in the tight and rigid economy section, while my sister, my father’s only princess, was enjoying herself in the luxury of business class. But that wasn’t the issue. I can’t say that I was fueled with excitement starting this new chapter in my life. I mean why would I be, I was on the honor role all of high school, took Ap’s, captain of all sports, manager, president of the student athletic council, I was even an assistant to the principle for large school events, and yet I couldn’t get into the school that I was most interested in, the Grove School of Engineering.

Throughout my freshman year of high school, I had a difficult transition from middle school. I attended a school that offered minimal assistance to incoming freshmen, and I became unmotivated due to the environment that surrounded me. My lack of motivation was fortified by the discouragement that came from teachers as they too, did not provide a strong backbone for students to get help from. My self-esteem lowered as I thought that the difficulty experienced in my classes was something that would remain. With no one to help me, I struggled to do my homework and allowed for failure to define me. Slowly, I stopped caring and gained comfort in receiving "C's" on my report cards and believed that the effort I put in was up to my capability. I realized I was wrong when my parents decided to move so that I could attend a high school that offers as much help as needed. Now, I am constantly motivated and with the help of my peers and teachers I developed great studying skills and can reach out to them when I need them. I knew deep down freshman year, that the effort I was putting in was nothing like me, yet it took me time to realize the importance of education. I am now a student who never gives up and during times of struggle, always seems to find a way of getting through academic difficulties.

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.

Upon entering high school, I made a goal to myself: I wanted to become a better version of myself, realizing my own strengths and weaknesses and, ultimately, preparing to be a part of a completely different atmosphere beyond high school and even college. From the beginning, I knew I was going to find a way to improve academically, as a member of Kingsway’s STEM Academy and Superintendent’s List throughout my high school career. However, I would never think that I, as an eighth grader, would ultimately rise above my classmates, eventually being third in my class freshman year and still enjoying the rigor of taking as many AP and Honors classes as I possibly could fit in my schedule. By being recognized and awarded for my achievements, I finally realized that being this type of student, one that strives to do the best and remains self-motivated no matter what difficulties are faced, gives me a purpose as student and overall enjoyment.

It was 2016, and I was finally a senior in high school. Being a senior in high school was something that I had dreamed of since my early middle school days, and at last, I was there. It was the last year in one of my least favorite environments, and I couldn’t wait to graduate and move away from the only place I had ever known. I had lived in the same town for seventeen years, and I had gone to the same school with the same people for thirteen years. I was looking forward to something new in my life. I was most excited for my senior year because it was the year that I was going to choose where I wanted to move away to and what school I wanted to spend the next four years of my life at. As the year moved along, I slowly realized that I wasn’t moving away and that I’d be staying home to attend college, which was one of the most difficult decisions that I ever had to make.