The Importance Of Self-Commencement Speech

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

In his speech called “This is Water”, David Wallace talks about liberal art education. He mentions that liberal art education gives one human value, instead of the materialistic one. It enriches the students’ knowledge not only with knowledge about their major but also teaches them how to think. Wallace told, that students have no idea what the day to day adult life is. People wake up, go to work, then come back home and do this routine automatically almost every day. In the speech, he warns against intelligence, as he thinks when one concentrates on intelligence, s/he feels stupid and on the verge of being found out. He describes the intellectual environment as a prison and the people in that environment have no idea that they are locked

Everyone no matter who you are goes through hardships and challenges throughout life. In the speech “Stanford University Commencement Address” by Steve Jobs, tells three stories about challenges in his life that he has faced. Over Jobs life he has been rejected by his own mother, fired by his company, and survived cancer. Through all of these points in his life not giving up took him further in his career and general happiness. Steve Jobs was defined by his defeats in life because he persevered through hardship, improved from his mistakes, and was shaped by rejection.

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

Dreams. The dictionary's definition of a dream is "To have great ambition or to really hope for something". Well, I say make those ambitions a reality and hope active.

Howdy y’all and Christmas greetings once again from Oklahoma City! We enjoyed our first summer in three years without moving the household. Settled in for a “long stay,” we had plenty of free time to celebrate not one, not two, but THREE momentous family occasions!! Keep reading for more details. “Settled in” will be a short-lived feeling for us as we’ll be on the move again in Summer 2018. The destination is TBD until the Air Force lets us know early next year where life will take us next. We’ll keep you posted.

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

Well, here we are. Sitting in this stuffy gym wearing these unflattering robes, while the band is poised and ready to play “Pomp and Circumstance.” We’ve always known this day would come and, whether our teachers, our parents or ourselves are prepared for it, here it is. We’re about to take that giant leap in just a few minutes and after that, it’s time to make our own choices. No longer will our biggest decisions entail which person to ask to prom or which period would be the best to TA during. Now our choices will begin to revolve around which bills we need to pay and what job we want to be doing 20 years from now. And whether you choose to earn a degree, get a job certification or immediately start working, there are some universal

I like that word, graduates. In fact, I like that word so much, that I decided to look it up in the dictionary for the heck of it. And beyond the obvious definitions I found, there was one that plainly stuck out. "To change gradually". Now if you think about it, I guess that sums up all our years of schooling right there. I mean, I can still remember back to first grade and racing home to watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles defeat Shredder and the evil foot soldiers. Of course, Michelangelo was my favorite because he was the care-free surfer turtle that every boy dreamed of being like. Well, cartoons didn't last long in junior high, and my first real change occurred because of the

When they were trying to find someone to give this speech they first asked the most intelligent, smart person they could find. But she turned them down. So then they asked the most beautiful, lovely, attractive person they could find. She also turned them down. Next they asked the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most sincere person they could find. Then I decided it would be rude to turn them down three times in a row, so here I am.

A boy once approached Socrates with the desire to obtain wisdom. Without saying a word, Socrates led the boy down to the edge of the sea and walked in, beckoning him to follow. When they were standing waist deep in the water, Socrates pushed the boy down, completely submerging his head. He held him thus for a couple of minutes, until the boy was almost to the point of death, before letting him up. Sputtering and angry, the boy demanded to know why Socrates had held him underwater for so long. In response, Socrates asked, "when you were under the water, what did you want more than anything in the world?"

We all have had many stones read to us, and even read many ourselves. In elementary school they were stories of Lad, Jane and Spot. Each of us beamed with pride as we stumbled over that first line of "See Lad go," or "Run Jane run." Then, in junior high we learned about plot and theme, and the characters of the stories actually developed personalities. Now, as graduating seniors, many of us have learned that stories can teach us valuable lessons about life. Even the simple stories from elementary school contain lessons that we can relate to our own experiences. One story in particular that just happens to be from my favorite producer, Disney, and emphasizes the importance of friendship is "The Fox and The Hound." As this story

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote, "You are a very special person - become what you are." These words encourage us, the graduating class of 2012, to recognize the goodness and potential in each and every one of us and to go out and excel in the world. We are a diverse group of different aspirations and backgrounds, bound for different corners of the earth to carve out our won individual niches. Before we leave behind Lee Falls High School and each other, we must ask ourselves how we have become who we are.

I think this question begs to realize why “success” and retention are issues in the first place, and that that realization is different for faculty than it is for the administration. I’ve been present at numerous faculty meetings outlining why these two things are at odds, and how we can unite them. I’ve read multiple studies on why students drop out, and heard anecdotes about what colleges and faculty do to keep community college students in school. “Success” is much more subjective than retention, which is a numbers game. Retention also provides a measurement for something as abstract as success. Ultimately, I often feel at a loss as to how to define success or bridge the college’s goals with the student’s goals, and my lack of experience shows up most conspicuously here. Over my four years at this college, I have learned to deal with this issue in two ways, and both directly deal with the students: one is to approach the issue through providing outside support, and the other is by providing inside support. This means something particular to me and there are numerous strategies I employ for each.

There are so many things to say to you. I feel so privileged to get to speak to everyone, and there is so much to say. We have come to this point in our lives that many have come to before us. I almost feel like I have done it already, having watched people grow up and graduate before. But now today it is our turn to really do it. To walk this aisle, to sit in the seats, and to play with these tassels.