2013StudentGraduationSpeech
Goodmorningfamily,friends,faculty,andfellowgraduates.
Well,wedidit.Weallaccomplishedoneofthemajorearlymilestonesofour
lives:highschoolgraduation.Thisisamajorstepinthejourneyofourlives,one
thatshouldberecognizedforits immense significance. It is an act not only of
personalcommitment,butalsooneofpride.Weallworkedhardtogettothisday,
andourworkdidnotgotowaste.Ahighschooldiplomaisawonderfultoolinthis
world,onethatopensmanydoorsofopportunityforanyonewhoisluckyenoughto
haveone.
Butgraduationisnotanendgoalinitself;itisinsteadapart of the larger
journeyoflife.Whereveryourfuturetakesyou,letittakeyousomewhere.Lifeisa
journey,andallaccomplishmentsweachieveduringitscourseshouldbetakenas
starting points for further achievements. Our graduation shouldserveassucha
launching point, projecting us to wherever our futures are meant to take us,
whetherwelandourselvesacareer,take upatrade,orcontinueoureducationat
collegeorVocational/technicalSchool.
But before we can begin to reachforthestars,thereisonemore personal
milestonethatweallneedtoreach.Mostpeoplewhograduatefrom high school
experienceonlyone graduation—thatfromhighschool.Butweallhaveonemore
shortlyaheadofus.We’vealreadyshownourcommitmenttopersonal growth
throughmakingittothisceremonytoday,butsoon,allofuswillexperienceanother
ceremonywhenwegraduatefromourprograms.AsIsaidbefore,lifeisajourney—
wedon’tstopgrowingoncewegetourdiplomas.Lifeisaboutgrowing,andbeingin
ourprogramsgiveseachofusnewopportunitiestocontinuegrowingandtolearn
newskillsthatwewillcarrywithusfortherestofourlives.
Andwedon’thavetostopthere!Thisgraduationhasalreadyshownushow
capableweallareofaccomplishingourgoalswhenwecommitourselvestothem.I
hopeallofusheretodaycantakethispersonalaccomplishmentasanexampleof
howanythingistrulypossiblewhenweputourmindstoit.Asweallcontinueonin
ourlives,letustakeeachnewproblemonwithconfidence,knowingthatwehave
achieved great heights and are equipped with the necessary tools to tackle our
futures.
Theroadthat lies ahead won’tbeeasy. There will beobstaclesandmissed
exits,potholesandroadblocks.Therewillbetimeswheneachofuswillfeellikewe
cannotpossiblygoon.Therewillbetimeswheneachofuswillthinkheorsheis
alone,abackagainstthewall.Butwearenotalone—weareallinthisjourney
together.We’vemadeitthisfar—whyshouldwebackoutnow?Nothingworthwhile
iseasy,andthatincludesmakingthemostoutofourfutures.Butthatdoesn’tmean
wegive up on ourselves. Wewill keep pushing, because weknow
wecan achieve
ourdreams,andbecauseweareworthit.