And not only that, but I got to deliver a valedictory address that I am incredibly proud of...
To the bishop and superintendent
Priests, faculty, and staff,
Parents, family, and friends
And to my fellow graduates...
When asked to write this speech, I felt like I should leave you with something important, with words that matter and not just fluff thrown together the night before. In searching for meaning behind my words, I chose to share with you a few things I find to be true, in the hopes that maybe a piece of this will weigh upon your hearts.
(Growth.)
We have grown here. whether you’ve been a part of this journey since k-4 or junior year, we’ve grown together
In knowledge
In friendship
In maturity
As people.
We have aimed to get the grades, make the touchdowns, and score the winning goals. We’ve aimed to be better and work harder. And now it seems that our work here is finally complete.
(Outgrow.)
However, while all these things have gotten us to this point, they do not define us. What defines us is what we do after this point with our accomplishments in hand and the knowledge and support we have been given.
We have so much left to learn, and life has so much left to teach us; lessons that can’t be learned here.
It’s time to move on from this place with the memories we cherish and the love of the people we hold dear.
And I quote “I am the combined efforts of everyone I’ve ever known.”
It is in this way that we will continue to carry each other and our experiences along this journey of life. It is the only way we know how because these people are a part of who we are.
(Continued Growth.)
So as you continue to grow, remember to shed light on the people you meet. Leave them a little better than when you came. Be generous with your smiles, and remember that kindness costs you nothing.
Truly, we’ve been given an opportunity, a gift to be whoever we want to be as long as we’re willing to fight for the life we want to live. Lives full of service. Love. Determination. Hope. And the most genuine happiness.
I was recently asked the question, “What is the good life?” And I can’t answer that for everyone in this room, I can barely answer it for myself. But, if there’s one thing I can leave with you all, is to not shy away from the tough questions. Because usually, the answers to those questions are the ones that matter, and to seek out your good life whatever it may be.
To end I’d like to bring to mind a scripture.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 reads, “There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance”
And this is our time, Class of 2017, the time where we figure out who we are beyond these hallways.
We must remember that life is short, something my dear friend Morgan Parker Jones knew all too well. It is too short not to take the lessons we have learned in high school with us as we enter into adulthood. It is too short not to take chances and to make mistakes.
We must do as much as we possibly can with the time we have been given. Don't long for the past. But look with hope and press forward towards the future.
I believe that this change, this future, is not something to be feared. If anything, we should welcome it with open arms.
So it is with my arms outstretched that I say, congratulations my fellow graduates, we’ve survived high school. And the best is yet to come.
Thank you.
High school was a ride. A rollercoaster of sorts. It was full of ups and downs. Sharp turns and unexpected twists. But for the things it taught me and the person it helped me to become, it was worth every second.
WATCH MY SPEECH BY CLICKING HERE!
WATCH MY SPEECH BY CLICKING HERE!
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