Graduation Speech

First of all I want to take this opportunity to thank some people. I wish to extend my gratitude and gratefulness to all of you who are present today. The people who care and have made a difference are right here ... right now. The greatest gift any of us could have received is having the people who influenced all of our lives here to witness this milestone. Whether you are parents, teachers, family members, or friends, you have all contributed for us to reach this goal of acquiring our diplomas. All that any of us have accomplished can be credited to you and your undying support. You have been our advocates in our ongoing journey seeking education. I also want to thank God. Because of His unceasing love and grace, He has made all of this possible. Thank you for all you have done for us.

As I gaze at the graduating class of 2006, I see one made of many. A great contraption created by the individual minds coming together as a whole. What else do I see? A flock of geese. A flock of geese immensely resembles a class. They are awe-inspiring as they advance together to form a V, which makes flight easier for all. They use the lifting power to enable to sustain enough energy for their prolonged expedition to warmer territory. A class uses this same technique to survive high school. We are each other's source of strength. The only ones who truly understand what the other has went through these past few years. We have tolerated and nurtured our peers and finally it has all paid off. We have made it.

When geese travel, they stay with those who are on the same path. For us, that path led to this day ... Graduation. Walking this path solitaire is a task I am pleased to know none of us had to perform. We can take pride in the fact tha...

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...ather she organized a teddy bear donation for homeless children and a penny drive for children who are victims of cancer. She unknowingly became part of my small list of roll models. I know that in my own life and my classmate's lives, there are innumerable accounts of suffering and yet all of us are present today. That says endless statements about ourselves. For that I am proud to be one us.

As we close this memorable chapter in our lives, I pray that we have collected all the knowledge provided and let it grow. Not only that acquired from books, but also that from each other. I hope that all of us have left our legacies and will be remembered by the good we left behind. There is a quote by W.B. Yeats; "Education is not the fill of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." Well, the flame has been ignited. Now it is up to us how high we will let those flames soar.