Our most distinguished guests, beloved parents, members of the faculty of County High School, fellow members of the graduating class, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Four years ago, a new high school was established in the County area. Its establishment created mixed feelings. and expectations from the community. Questions such as: What kind of a high school could this be? Would this be able to uphold academic excellence as well as social and cultural values which most parents would like their children to internalize and live with? Would this be able to provide for the well-balanced development of a child's intellectual and artistic faculties? Would this institution be able to turn out students who could be responsible leaders, and patriotic citizens of the United States of America; citizens who could uphold the ideology many Americans had fought and died for? My fellow members of the class of 2012, after four years of being nurtured under the wings of that institution which is no other than our beloved Alma Mater of County High School, it is with pride and privilege that I say "Yes," rather, we say "Yes" -- County High School has met the community's expectations on the quality of graduates it could yield. We, the members of the class of 2012, are the epitome of what County High School is as training grounds for young adults and future leaders of our community and of our country. Our achievements as students in the last four years all attest to this legitimate claim. Yes, we are the proud graduates of County High School and to all my fellow graduates, please accept my warmest greetings on this momentous day. Next week's commencement exercises will mark the realization of our high school dreams and achievements, the dawning of new challenges and opportunities to pursue college education, and setting the vision for our own professional development. Equally deserving, I would also like to congratulate and express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to our parents, teachers and administrators, with whom we proudly share our achievements and our joys. This diploma is our gift to you who have cooperatively worked together to see us through four years at Washington High School. To our parents, your immense love and support had provided us with strength and determination to go on when in our youth we did not know which road to take; we could not discern what was appropriate and not; in those critical moments of indecision, you were always there to offer the best for us; in our painful moments of loss as well as our hard fought victories you were there to encourage and protect us.
David McCullough Jr., delivered the commencement at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts on June 1st 2012 to staff, the 2012 graduates, and their family and friends. The speech was straightforward and supplied valuable information for their future. . McCullough’s speech at times felt harsh, offensive, and insulting. His words and examples were given to achieve insight, knowledge, and awareness for each student’s future. The commencement expressed a great deal of achievement, but conveyed that there was more work to be done. His speech was effective and appreciated through humor parallelism, repetition, and anaphora. His point of view has obtained respect and determination by all those that have been challenged and have heard his words.
I am honored to stand and speak to you this evening. I am very proud to be a part of the first graduating class for the Gaylord Heritage school. We thank the staff at the Heritage school, the Gaylord Tribes, our families and our community.
To the County High School Class of 2012: As you sit in front of me, I know what most of you are thinking at the moment. There are those who are already pondering about what life without high school will be like; those who are debating whether or not to tell your crush tonight about your whispers of adoration you’ve secretly held for four years; some simply want to get out of that ungodly chair, get that thing that isn’t really a diploma but only tells you when to pick up the thing, and then be the first one on the green bus to the grad party — you know who you are. And the rest, well, the rest aren’t even paying attention, you’re thinking, “Great, here comes one of the valedictorian speakers. Next up: a boring speech straight out of the pits of scholarly hell.” And it’s OK, I don’t mind — that sort of thing comes with the territory. But tonight, I ask that you give me a chance to break that stereotype so that I may address you in the full splendor that you deserve after 13 grueling years of work. I do not want to be known as your “valedictorian” as I stand here, c’mon guys, there is no time left to place labels on people anymore, instead I ask that you accept me as one of your peers — and as a man who will enjoy becoming a graduate alongside you.
At one time there were only three high schools now there are six, three of which have been built within the last fifteen years. There are several large housing communities that feed into the local schools and these communities, the majority of the people who live in these communities have relocated to the area. With that in mind certain schools are perceived as better than others. Two of the local high schools consist of students whose parents attended the same high school, therefore the schools have strong family ties and a large number of students who happen to be related. Within the last five years there has been an increase in the number of apartments being built in the area that feeds into Northwest Cabarrus Middle and Northwest Cabarrus High, therefore the demographics for the schools have changed. Even as the demographics change the parents and residences of the larger hosing communities continue to have a huge influence in our local school more so than the media. Cabarrus County has several successful businesses that were started by people who were born and raised in the area, therefore those people have a huge influence on the schools, whether it is because they support the local athletics programs or they have children or grandchildren. The Cabarrus County Schools and the school board are influenced by the members of the larger more affluent c and older
Class of 2012, as we sit here this evening, I would like you to take a look at the classmates sitting around you. Many students have given countless hours of time, energy, and passion to worthy cuases that they have been a part of throughout high school. However, those aren't the only students deserving of recognition this evening. We have students here tonight, who have taken a stand for what they believe in, not even hesitating to compromise their reputations.
Being Marefat's first graduating class to complete all four years, one can say we've acquired a higher level of school wisdom than any previous class. We've formed traditions, we've set records, and we've made a lot of friends along the way. I remember our freshman year when we could use the excuse of being a new school for every shortcoming we encountered. I remember our sophomore year, the last time I cleaned my bedroom, when Marefat had its first senior class, and the school seemed to shrink for some reason. Last year we were the juniors, and we conquered the SAT tests: And made it through those busy days where you hadn't quite found room in your schedule to pencil in a bathroom break, dinner or sleep. Well, this year we were the kings and queens, there was Star Wars, Starbucks, and a certain football team lost its winning streak to the mighty Knights. Looking back we can see our accomplishments and the marks we made. Now, we must take all that we have learned in our years at Marefat and apply it to our future. Just as we have set traditions here, we must enter the world ready to tackle new problems and work out new solutions. We are the ones who can break all of those records that have been set, and have our names etched in history. It's our turn -- the world is ours and we just have to decide what we want to do with it.
This is my first official post of the new year, I have been conferring with my family and friends about me running for the U.S. Congress and the answers I received from them are overwhelmingly why not Mike! I'm going to tell you a little about my views I believe in our peoples willingness to do hard work so that they can overcome and achieve the American dream, I believe in the notion of perpetuating the American ideas of freedom and justice for all, and I believe in the sanctity of our constitutional republic and all that it stands for. Now I know I'm not going to get VERY MANY LIKES manly because there being too many words. So I'll leave you with this promise, to all of my Facebook friends and before Almighty God; I will fight and die for
I would like to begin this evening by welcoming all of my classmates, staff, parents and guardians, the school board and superintendent, friends, and relatives to the commencement of the class of 2012.
Today, as we graduate, with degree nearly in hand, I challenge each of you to make a difference in whatever you do. Remember that life didn't end when we re-entered school. Life continued throughout our program. Even when stretched to the limit, life only got more challenging. And now, graduating, life only changes pace. Our degree completion is not really an ending as much as a new beginning as we re-enter our lives of work and home. We thank all of our family, friends, instructors and co-workers who helped see us through this process. Thank you for this opportunity and good luck to you all.
“The future stretches before me, waiting for me to create the work of art that will become my life.” We have entered an age for celebration, an era to memorialize who we were, who we are and who we will eventually become. Celebrate this milestone greater than all the others, for it is the time we have spent here in our high school careers that will always be held close to heart.
Are we there yet? I have asked this question many times on road trips, only to hear the answer, "It's only one more mile, I promise." Of course, our destination was never just one more mile. It seemed as though we would never reach our destination. The one idea I neglected by asking the question, "Are we there yet?" is the notion that it's not the destination that is important, but the journey itself.
Good evening parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and friends. I would like to thank you all for coming to this very special day. I know how proud you must be. As we have grown over the years, there are many stages we all have gone through. From learning our shapes and colors, to getting our first kiss in middle school, or how about explaining to our parents why we skipped school because the principal called home. As we remember these days, things that we've done will be with us forever. But this is only the start of our journey. The day has come where we say goodbye to the big yellow buses, assemblies, assigned seating, and attendance policies. Are you really gonna miss it? For some of us maybe not right away. But eventually we will so for us to be here it is not necessarily an achievement, but a privilege. All of us have been in school over half our lives. To graduate is one more step we've taken in our lives.
A long time ago in what seems like another lifetime, we were once little children watching the blinking TV while we sat eating Mac and Cheese without a care in the world. So much time has passed since then, how quickly time flies. Now, instead of walking to the bus for our first day of kindergarten, we are walking across this stage for our diplomas - I think everyone will agree that it's all about time.
Let me begin by saying that I am very honored to be addressing the County High School Class of 2012 as students of this institution for the last time. We've spent these last four years creating some serious memories: four years of chieftain power, leaking roofs, questionable Homecoming skits, and musical principals. Four years of good teachers, bad teachers, new teachers, old teachers. Four years of youth, music, growing up and breaking free. Four rubber chickens, four yearbooks, four ASB presidents and four chubby bunnies.
Graduation: the last day that I would unwillingly set foot on the fields of Horizon High School. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest, and tried so hard to keep my feet moving one after the other in order to maintain my perfect stature. After the two hour wait of opening speeches, class songs, and the calling off of the five hundred plus names that were in front of me, it was finally my turn. As my row stood up and we walked towards the stage it had set in at last, this is it, I am done. My high school career ended on that night, but it didn’t close the book that is my life, it only started a new chapter, and with it came a whole slue of uncertainties.