Ladies and Gentlemen we are assembled here this evening to celebrate the graduation of the Community College Class of 2012. With this celebration comes many distinctions, honors and legacies.
This is a great time to be a graduate of Community College, because we are a group of students who are graduating with high grade point averages, leadership skills, overall talent, plus we are leaving behind much to be admired by future classes. Our class is also a very diverse and dedicated one. As if being a student alone was not a difficult task, many of our classmates hold jobs outside of school, are active in their communities as coaches, volunteers, athletes and leaders, and many have families to take care of.
Our class has much to be excited about, many positive changes have come to our school because of the efforts of those in our class. We have held many amazing programs the past two years and especially this year. We have had several nationally known speakers and leaders visit our campus to inform us about local, national and international events. They have also come to our campus to see what has been going on here in Loyville and how they can use our models to aid other programs. We have had such speakers as civil rights activist Dick Gregory, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., local screen writer and producer Sherman Alexie, Gov. Gary Locke and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. These past two years have also seen the addition in artwork here as well. Several new paintings and other hangings have been presented to the college, such as Dallas M. "Gray Eagle" Singhurst II's "Yu 'Pik fur seal mask" and the "Loyville Community College History Mural" painted by Bernie Webber. These artworks not only add to the campus but explain the history of the college and our community. There have been additions to school programs as well, including a women's soccer program, high school First Reach program designed to encourage local high school students to come to EvCC, a health and wellness series, and even a college rowing club designed to help students "catch the spirit of rowing."
Members of the class of '99 and guests, I hold in my hand for you a special gift, from the classrooms of EvCC comes tonight's Top 10 List. These are the top 10 reasons to be proud to be part of the graduating class of 1999:
10.
As can be seen, The many negative assumptions about community college students were clearly proven to be wrong and misinformed. hopefully, I have put these unfair claims to rest. However, no matter what assumptions people may have about community college students, I can safely say that we will prove them to be wrong by continuingly be hardworking students in order
This speech is bigger than me... bigger than this graduating class... and the world surrounding us. It is an epiphany. This speech is for the little guy, the middle man and the guy who is always behind the scenes... For the past four years, we have seen stories, read newspaper articles, and have heard announcements about our star athletes, scholars and over achievers.
Class of 2012, we've finally made it, but not without the help of our parents, teachers and mentors along the way. Maybe what they did for us was that they were a good rudder and we're the ship, and they got us to the sea where we remember who we are. Because we all get in that fog, where we forget who we are or what we're about, we get overwhelmed. I mean I've been there plenty of times in my life. But we're not going to remember most of our lives until the end. But we will remember certain moments. Maybe it's our first 4.0 report card, maybe it's our first 100 percent biology test, maybe it's our first homerun, our first touchdown. Whatever it may be, it will stay with us forever. Many of us have been together through elementary, middle and high school, and we have all had to work hard and remain focused to be where we are today. All change happens in a minute. Your life changes in a moment. Something triggers you and you finally make a decision and it all shifts. As years go by, your body is going to change, your relationships are going to change, your attitude is going to change. Change is automatic, but progress is not. Our progress has brought us here tonight, and tonight will become one of those moments that we will cherish forever.
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.
Family, friends, and educators, I would like to thank you all for your support in coming out today to commemorate the Hoover High School Class of 2015 commencement. However, your support today is not where the extent of our gratitude lies, it lies within each and every single day of hard work and motivation that you all put in for my classmates and for myself to be successful. You are the reason that we are able to walk across this stage, and I think it goes without saying that each and every one of them deserve a standing ovation.
On a more philosophical note, my fellow students and I have truly made history. We are the first two-year graduating class of Lennon Community College. Our wisdom as students helped shape this institution.
All of my friends and family came to share my happiness, and they were present throughout the whole graduation ceremony. Despite the fact that most of such official events seemed to be quite boring for me before, this one passed like a snap of the finger. Even those speeches that I expected to be the most boring seemed to be quite encouraging and entertaining.
The big day has come. On a sunny day in the middle of the spring, my siblings and I arrived at the Montgomery college Rockville campus, where the commencement ceremony took place. The campus was filled with a thousand of peoples, siblings, students, futures graduates, faculty members, and more. I have never seen that many people on the campus, even on orientation day when there is not only students and faculty members on the
Commencement is a critical juncture in our lives; it is a momentous occasion where we believe we are about to start anew. However, graduation is the bittersweet moment where the forces of past and future are simultaneously acting on us. Consequently, the past is not dead. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, suggests that our past experiences will be with us forever as he states, " [we] are a part of all that [we] have met; yet all experience is an arch where through gleams that untraveled world." That is why graduation, similar to other turning points in our lives, possesses two halves, which accentuate each other. We are looking forward, but the "arch" of experience beckons us to remember, value, and learn from our past experiences. Thus, I feel that in order to appreciate commencement fully, we must remember our own past, and in particular, the last four years:
Good morning to all of you. I am glad to be here with you, sharing this important and celebratory time. We have all accomplished a great deal and it's sometimes hard to believe it is coming to an end. There are so many stories that all of us have to tell about our time at County High. I would like to share some of my experience from the last few years.
First of all, I'd like to welcome all the parents, relatives and friends, on behalf of the senior class. It has been a long, hard road to graduation and I know your presence here is greatly appreciated. My job as salutatorian is to reminisce on our past here at County High, a past that reads like a script of a soap opera.
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.
But most of all I want to thank all of the Career and Technical Education students that are here to welcome the new Administration and yet again show their abilities, readiness and desire to be responsible leaders in the career path they have chosen. How about a round of applause to all of these hard working guys and gals who are the future of our country. “Applause” We are here today because we have faith in in you! We’re here because we want to make sure that you get all the skills and education you need to reach your dreams and desires. We’re here because we know your dreams are so big and astonishing and also realize that you need all the support you can get! We’re here because we know one of the best ways is through career and technical education also known as CTE. Thanks again, for letting me and your new school board be part of your dream! “Applause”
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.
Before I knew it school was almost over, it was a time for graduation and all the things that come with it. We were swept up in appointments for pictures, cap and gown fittings, and then there were the Awards. I dreaded it, I wasn’t expecting anything, when all of a sudden my name was called! I was awarded the Algebra II award, Completers Award, and a full scholarship to National Park Community College! My parents were so proud and excited! My short walk across the stage ended my years at Jessieville and was a new beginning coming into