Graduation Speech: Class Officers

Before we get started we would like to acknowledge our other class officers. Even though Ally and I are the only ones speaking tonight, Amanda Valley, Colleen Barnhart and Kassie Grecula worked just as hard as us throughout these past two years as officers. So just keep in mind that everything we say tonight comes from them as well.

Good Evening! We would first and foremost like to thank Mr. Gula, Ms. Govin and all of the staff and teachers at Canton High School for helping all of us in so many different ways so that we could be sitting here tonight.

We would also like to thank all of our parents for standing by us and providing for us despite our high school drama and teenager ways.

We would lastly like to thank Mr. Case and all of the members of the Canton Board of Education.

It’s unbelievable to think that we have already gone through 12 years of school and it only felt like yesterday that we were dot-dot-dotting like George Serott in our Cherrybrook art class. Let’s take a step back and look at all we’ve gone through to get to this point. Remember when we felt the pressure and pride of immigrating to America in fourth grade? Remember when we lost many on the battlefield during our Civil War Reenactment in fifth? Remember when we felt the heat of an Underground Railroad at Nature's Classroom? Or when we all felt a little queasy on that whale-less whale watch?

Or how about when we picked treasured items to bury in our time capsule in eighth grade? And then came the trip down to the high school. Going into high school was challenge for us, we weren’t exactly the favored class, and having "freshmen" spelled wrong on our spirit week shirts was just the cherry on top.  Sophomore year we were the first class to participate in a mock Federal Election where Jake or Ned battled it out for President of the United States of America. Then junior year came, which for most was academically the most important and the hardest, so we buckled down and studied. Everyone felt the stress of trying to figure out our plans for the future.

And now we come to our senior year. And although at the time October felt like years away from now, we all knew it was the last spirit week we would have so we busted our butts and actually won … for once. A lot of us participated in sports, music and other extracurricular activities where we took the initiative as leaders to guide others. Through that journey we not only taught but also learned a lot and made irreplaceable relationships with students in other grades.

Although graduation may seem like the end of relationships, the "easy life" and basically life, as we know it, don’t think of it that way. This is only the beginning of a whole new journey. Graduation, yes it symbolizes the end of high school, but it also is the opening of many doors. Doors to new journeys with new faces and personalities. Doors to discoveries about life and oneself.  Doors that will take us to places we could never have imagined. This is where the biggest journey of our life begins, so embrace it.

When we leave this place to find our separate endeavors, we must never forget the lessons learned and the memories gained. Because the mountains will keep getting higher, but we must continue to climb. No matter how many people discourage us or tell us that we can’t, remember to strive and never give up.  Because over the years as a class we have learned and we have grown together and become stronger. We have the power to succeed; it’s only up from here.

As Deepak Chopra once said, “There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle.”

 At this time we are very proud to say congratulations to Canton High School’s class of 2011, we did it!