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| Graduation *00 |
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| My Salutatorian Speech |
25 of our graduating class met over a box of Crayons in kindergarten. Now 58 of us are here with our past gone and the present confusing because our futures both scare us and intrigue us. We have lost and gained many great friends in the past thirteen years. With those friendships we made many memories together that we will never forget-funny, serious, sad, and exciting. Today we are here to celebrate those memories and reflect on our lessons.
Everyone is familiar with the story about everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. Our class has shown this isn't true. Being classmates through the years has taught us many lessons for life.
In kindergarten, your friend was the person who gave you the pretty red crayon instead of the ugly grey one. In middle school, your friend was the person who asked that cute boy if he liked you because you were too scared. They even stretched their leg across a seat to save you a spot at lunch. As a freshman, your friend was the one who switched their schedule so you could have all the same classes. As we grew up, we learned our friends are the people who are on the other end of the phone when we want to gripe about parents and dates. They are the people that are there when we laugh and cry. Now they are the people that you look back with and remember the days filled with Barbies, little league, exes, football and basketball games, and even Girl Scout sleepovers. They are the ones that taught you more than anything you learned in kindergarten.
Those friendships have helped prepare us for the world after Tom Bean. They taught us to be strong when the days are hard, and always reminded us to laugh. We learned through tragedy that we aren't invincible and life really can be short, so we should love it and everyone around us. It's the good and bad days we've shared growing up that taught us the most.
As we changed from the little kids whose lives were just a playground to the young adults we are today enthusistically looking towards the real world, we were guided by many valuable people in our classrooms, communities, and homes.
Our teachers taught us the simple but crucial lessons in addition and reading. From them we discovered the history of our world and how science surrounds us. They not only provided us with educational facts but also lessons in learning how to deal with daily life, conflicts, and decisions.
Our community has supported our class in everything we do from fund-raisers and donations of their time to their words of encouragement and understanding. They cheer us on at games and honor us through their pride in our school.
Our parents have taught us about right and wrong, and how to be a healthy person in every way. They have guided us through the rough spots with their knowledge and now smile proudly at our accomplishments. They have taught us the lesson of unconditional love by the fact that they are there by our sides no matter what we put them through.
The past thirteen years have come and gone so quickly evne though it seems like it has taken forever to get here. It's going to be hard to say goodbye because such a big part of our lives together. We've had tons of funny times but we've also had some tough ones lately that forced us to grow up. We will leave here today with our thoughts and prayers with our classmate Logan for a speedy recovery, and the memory of a fearless classmate that touched all of our lives at one time during this journey. Lets walk out of here in loving memory of her-the exact same way Laurie Jean would-whooping and hollering with a huge smile. How lucky we have been through these years to know all the different and unique classmates. As you look toward the future, always remember the treasures of the past. Now comes the hard part-for now we must say goodbye.
CLASS OF *00
Even though graduation is supposed to be a day for celebration and the opening of a new chapter, this particular class of 2000's commencement ceremonies were bitter sweet. A mere month and one week prior to the hour I gave this speech a dear friend and life long classmate was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Laurie Jean Carpenter ("Dimpled Angel") was a month away from her 18th birthday and ending of her high school career. It was a hard hit for her class, friends from all over, and family. It was difficult walking across that stage knowing Laurie wasn't there, but it was peaceful to know she was proudly looking on from above. We will always remember you Butterball.
Exactly a week after Laurie's funeral our class was faced with another heartbreaking moment. There was another accident involving a classmate, Logan. He was in a coma until the following summer but now is doing wonderful. We also missed him at our graduation and had high hopes that he would pull through. We are glad he was strong and is with us today.
The month prior to graduation was definitely a turning point for our class as a whole. Once full of cliches and tight circles of lsting friendships, we began to bond and relied on each other more than we ever imagined. Those last days proved that we really were a group and that we were in it together. We kept strong for each other during those hard days. |
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