My Valedictorian Speech

This was an assignment for L.A. class, tell me how it is. By the way, names have been taken out.

Principal, trustees, faculty members, families, friends, and distinguished guests I cordially welcome you to Blank Middle School’s third ever, grade 8 graduation. Today is a great day in the lives of my fellow graduates here; it is the day when we all are transitioning from middle school to high school, and taking another step up the hierarchy of experiences and learning. Today we prove to the world that we have what it takes to succeed and will continue to work toward our common destination, though we may be taking different routes along the way. Success is a rather broad term, though I am sure we can all agree that the day our reality meets up with our dreams will be euphoric. Though, there are many days until we reach that day, and until then, we can continue to celebrate the milestones which signify that we are one step closer, and one of those days is today.

Being an eighth grader at Blank Middle School, we have much to be thankful for: the effective teaching methods of our teachers, the helpfulness of the administrators, and lest we forget, our kind custodians who are also proud of us leaving, but perhaps, for different reasons. Aside from the wonderful academic programs at our school, we have surreal recreational and extracurricular activities which enable the students to not only get good marks, but develop healthy hobbies which contribute to the makings of a well-rounded individual. With such an ideal establishment as our middle school, I for one can confidently say, whether or not my peers decide to further pursue their education, you will always benefit from what you have learned at Blank.

Though we spent the majority of the year at school, our parents at home are always there for us, and through this roller coaster they call grade 8, it was always nice to know we had support waiting for us in the sidelines in case we fell- though they would never let that happen.

Lastly, it would be unfathomably foolish of me to forget to thank some of the most influential people I have ever met, and I am pretty sure, you agree, grade 8 would be nothing without our friends. With each of us pushing each other to try a little harder, keeping going, or even take a break from studying; they are what made these 3 years survivable. As a wise woman once put it, friends, what do I say about them? They rock!

There are so many gifts from Blank that I intend to keep with me throughout life, and one of them happens to be the case of carpel tunnel I developed from working on the yearbook.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying many a time at graduations, people look outside for inspiration and heroes, people by likes of Terry Fox, Oprah Winfrey, and Martin Luther King; but here, in this room, I see inspiration. I see people who I have always looked up to and wanted to be like, people who motivated me to keep moving forward and those people are my fellow graduates.  The people you see before you today are the future and will inspire many, including me, for many years to come.

To my peers, when you leave here today, celebrate what you have accomplished, and continue to rock the world.

Congratulations class of 2009.