Graduation is today? Are you sure about that? It doesn’t feel like it is real… Feels like a dream I am waiting to wake up from as I pinched myself this morning. I came to the realization that we truly are here getting ready for graduation and will be going onto the next chapters of life. As I put my gown on, zip the center and reach for my hat it hit me. Today we leave our high school life behind, celebrate how far we have come both academically as well as in life, celebrate moving on to college, trade school, work, ect…
We will forever cherish all the memories we have made together throughout the years. Some memories during school, some during school events and some that have nothing to do with school in any way shape or form. The memories vary from the best time ever to some that are so bad we would rather not remember. Personally, some of my favorite memories are junior prom, spirit week, what we thought was just a day off from school for planning protocols for COVID before the nightmare became a reality and it never seemed to end and so much more.
However as we stand here today beside one another and we take a glance around the room we are surrounded by some if not all the people that were there for us on the good days and bad days. They are the people that never gave up on us even at our lowest moments in life even if we had the desire to give up they picked us back up, dusted off the dirt and gave us the tools we needed to keep going. Today we walk across this stage today with our heads held high we have so many people to thank; our family, friends, teachers, administrators, coaches, counselors, people that are with us today and others that might not be with us today along with anyone else that might be part of your support system whether it be in the past or currently. Without all the help and support they gave us we would not be where we are today. Our teachers have worked so hard to help us even during COVID when they didn’t even know what would happen they were still there to teach us in the best way possible. Alongside our parents who made sure we had good internet and the other supplies we might have needed in the house to be as productive as we possibly could.
Throughout the years many different things have happened that the entire school faced together for example numerous evacuations, mercury under the gym floor, COVID, virtual school, friends moving away, school drama and many other challenges that as a school we were able to persevere through together as a united school. I know many of us also had some struggles and challenges outside of school that made it hard to keep a brave face on and keep going. I know I certainly had a lot of stuff knock me down and without my support system from both my family and the school I would not be where I am today. This proves that it truly does take a village to teach and raise mature, responsible and smart young adults.
As we all leave the building and go our separate ways; go on to college, new jobs and move away I hope that everyone will still keep in touch with one another even if it is from a distance. Just because you don’t see each other everyday at school that doesn’t mean you can't still build upon your relationships with those around you. This goes for keeping in touch with your teachers and other staff throughout the school as well, not just other graduates. Our teachers and other adults within the school want to hear from us in the future, they want to hear how successful you are and see how far you have come through the years. Some of us I am sure will really miss seeing everyone everyday, miss being greeted by our favorite people as we go from class to class. Miss all the unknowns of when things will happen.
But it is time to move on to the next chapter in your life. The days behind us will be known as the good old days and as our lives change and we are faced with different experiences whether good or bad, better days are yet to come in the future. We have fought hard to get to where we are today and this is proof that all of our hard work has paid off. Congratulations we did it!!!