SPS Graduation Speech

Dear administrators, teachers, parents, beloved friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 8th grade graduation. It’s a pleasure to be standing in front of you today on this beautiful day to express the happiness we all feel.

I have the distinct pleasure of welcoming all of you into the National Honor Society, a group built off of high standards of achievement, not only in the area of academics but also in character and leadership. I congratulate each of you and your parents.

(Graduates of Saint Joseph’s University class of 2020, I, Nicole Schall welcome you here today to this wonderful celebration. It is so nice to see all of your smiling faces together one last time. I would like to thank President Reed, the administration, and that crazy professor who almost who almost failed me freshman year for the opportunity to speak here today. The one who almost caused me not to be standing here today. First and foremost, graduates, congratulations on all of your achievements thus far. Parents, professors, friends and family you should be proud of each and every graduate sitting here on St. Mary’s lawn today. Give yourself a round of an applause. (round of applause sound effect) Can you believe it is already graduation? Time really does fly when you’re having fun am I right? I can only speak for myself, but I’m sure many will agree with me that freshman move-in day seems like yesterday. But truth be told you all have grown since freshman move-in day, not just in height, or from the freshman fifteen, you are all smarter, brighter, and ready to take on the world.)

On May 24, 2014 the graduates of Maharishi University all gathered to hear a speech by the well know comedian and actor Jim Carrey. The purpose of the speech was to get the graduates thinking about their future beyond school. JIm started his speech in a very funny, yet clever way. He used jokes to ease the tension that he could sense in the room. With the use of jokes and making the crowd laugh he grabbed their attention and continued to hold that attention throughout the speech. Jim wants the students to realize that “What we really want seems impossibly out of reach and ridiculous to expect, so we never dare to ask the universe for it” (2).

When I was in high school, college was something I only dreamed would one day be an opportunity for me. Coming from a tough childhood with little opportunity, college was one of many things that I felt was just out of my reach and unattainable. With hard work, perseverance, and dedication I made my dream come true. One of the proudest accomplishments of my life was earning my Associates in Arts, and continuing on to my Bachelor of Social Work. This experience has taught me to value my ability to work hard toward what I want to accomplish, dedicate myself to what I am passionate about, and persevere even when things get especially hard. These factors make me a strong candidate for entering the Master of Social Work program at Western

Good evening. We’ve done it graduates, thinking about this day since september 2016, tonight, we gather together as one graduating class and a community to celebrate a journey, an adventure. Staff, parents, guardians, siblings and friends we are glad you get to experience the graduation of the class of 2017 with us. Each one of us has come so far since our first day in kindergarten no matter what school we went to. As I look around at each and every graduate in this room, my mind is flooded with memories. 10 years ago, when we all started elementary, a lot of us were most likely scared of the grade 8’s who were older and more knowledgeable than us. But now, just short years later, here we are, wondering if the little ones are frightened by us. Another year at Orchard park has gone by quick, but this one, being our last. Many memories have created this time In elementary school to be one of a kind, and it is an honour to be speaking on behalf of each and everyone of us.

According to the 2015 National College Health Assessment, over 85% of college students have felt stressed or overwhelmed in the last year. As an undergraduate, I am fully aware of the pressure we, as students, feel. We are a machines, constantly trying to balance studying, our classes, working, having a social life, and preparing for our future. And we are still expected to get eight hours of sleep every night? I know first hand how this feels. I wake up early every morning, go to class, spend countless hours studying and doing homework between classes, attend more classes, come home, clean, go to work, and study some more. Every day is a work in progress of what I will become in the future. What will be my occupation? How much money will I make per year? How am I going to pay off my student loans? These are all questions college students ask themselves everyday. William Zinsser reflects on his own college experience in his article “College Pressures” and discusses why college students feel such an intense load of pressure these days.

“I always thought I would sink so I never swam”, but Peirce showed me that I wouldn't sink. My eight years at Peirce is something I will never forget. Something that I’ll think about if I’m ever down. Something that makes me realize that I can do it, and I will, because my success is up to me, and only me. Over the years I have learned such an immense amount that it’s hard to even begin. My time here left me with so much more experience and skill that if you were to tell me eight years ago how amazing and supportive everyone is to help you succeed, I wouldn’t believe you. Everyone staff member, every student, everyone wants you to do your best. We are a community of supporters, and that's the best kind of community. Together everyone has grown and grown and there is still much more to come, but I’m sure everyone one of us graduating class of 2017 will be ready for it.

College students have two choices when it comes to spring break, either go home or to go on a wild vacation with their friends. I recently had to make a similar choice between going to Destin, Florida, which includes partying with my friends or going home to Chicago, Illinois to rest. In order to make a decision it was best to compare and contrast my two choices.

In the United States, the outlook for recent college graduates seems bleak. In 2014, graduates left college with both a degree and an average of $28,950 in student loan debt (“Survey of the States” 1). In addition, over half of all millennials are having trouble saving for the future and seventy five percent were unaware of late payment charges on their credit cards (ibid). All of this builds up into the current situation in the United States, where collectively, college graduates have over one trillion dollars in debt, the second largest debt category (ibid). Now, the spending and saving of money starts at an earlier age than ever before. Students fresh out of high school are being asked to make thousand dollar investments in the

Actually, in the high school students got test as the SAT where every student had to write about a topic in just twenty-five minutes, for to prove the improvement and skill of every student in redact, analyze and write an essay. Because the importance of the writing in the High school is focus in the making of new texts and the comprehension it, which good oriented and structured would convert in knowledge. The apprenticeship based in the writing; potency a whole of ideas, and generate bases for the elaboration of own writing that contain arguments; may be reference of others writers, but develop the essence lexical, linguistic and analytical that the students acquire and expand in that process of accompaniment, education and monitoring. In addition, there are students cannot develop a good essay neither understanding it, but it is by the lack of put their ideas in order and consistency in it. Smith says, “Last spring, at the same time that English professors across the country were suffering the every-semester hell of grading final papers, high school juniors were receiving scores for the first SAT writing section essay. Immediately, there were complaints: No one can write well in twenty-five minutes! The scores reward length!”(Smith 16). It for this, I am a favor in every student should to have the level adequate when he is in college. Given the reason that there are tools for improve the writing where help them to grow mentally doing it more easy for make an essay, also

Higher education is important to me and probably many other people because it gives a person new dream, outlooks, greater job opportunities, and most importantly, it is self-improvement. Going to college takes someone on a journey; a journey of finding one 's self, learning responsibilities, and finding the inspiration deep inside that says, "no matter what comes my way I will fight, I 'll fight to the end because this is important to me". I respect and hold the following quote in my heart to help me on my never-ending journey; "Life should not only be lived, it should be celebrated. Those who only live don 't live in reality only those who celebrate live. And, each moment has to become a celebration." (Osho, 1984, p. 47) I try to make every moment a celebration so I can look back and see where I started to where I am at now. I try to take on challenges in life that I have never done before, e.g. writing in APA format and Citing. College helps me take these new challenges head on, so I can stay on the right path in life.

As spring comes to an end and summer is soon to begin, many high school seniors will embark on their last true summer before going off to college. Many of these kids may be receiving a scholarship or a grant, or a bill to help pay for school, and have to pay the rest out of pocket to cover the remaining expenses. With the economy still not being as strong as it once was, and many people trimming down their budgets, economic resources may be scarce, many people resort to the only choice they have left and take out student loans. Which in essence is what is crippling our economy.

College, whether community, private, public, or vocational, encourages a creativity and belief within students, offering the explanation that their futures increase ten-fold just by having a degree. It proves the ability to learn and connect concepts and to think critically and efficiently, skills highly useful in their careers and endeavors. It instills within students, the truth about the world around them and how interactions with staff and peers will guide them for their future encounters. College means opening doors which would normally be inaccessible for a high school graduate because the learning goes beyond the classroom and allows them to connect their studies with real life application. Students are encouraged to apply their passions and studies to gain skills such as independence, networking, critical thinking, and socialization.

High school seniors are typically in 17 to 19 years old. Because these students are relatively young and sometimes inexperienced, society often views them as naïve. Ironically, this same society pressures them to make critical life decisions. For instance, the majority of these students must determine whether to attend college or not. The students who do end up choosing college as their next step in life must then carefully select a major associated with their desired future career. Only a few students lean toward majors that match their passions. However, why do the rest of the students end up choosing the “prosperous” majors even if they are not passionate about it? The root of this dilemma lies in how society shows favoritism for “prosperous” majors, such as science, math, technology, political science, and business majors. Since society perceives them as the ideal majors and pressure students into choosing these majors. Because parents have a position of authority, they also play a significant role in this process and may even manipulate their child into choosing what they think might be best for them.