Twelve years ago we started a journey. Today marks the end of that journey, and the beginning of another. For some, the road getting here was smooth. For others, the road was rough. But today, we leave all of those rough times behind us. We all set a goal, and now we have all achieved it.
We have succeeded. Those of us who have made it here tonight have passed an immensely crucial milestone in our lives. From this point on our lives are entirely up to us. We have the power to become whatever we want, and to do anything we want to. Remember that every day, every hour, and every second which passes is what you make of it.
From our last four years at Stanwood High, we have learned some sensible lessons. The first of which is that for every action we take, there will be consequences, good and bad. The discipline we encountered from the hands of the administrators was often swift and resolute.
Secondly, we have all had friendships which weren't cemented in stone. In the future, don't be fooled by "pretend friends" as they tend to take advantage of you.
In the famous words of our high school principal, Mr. Smith, "Don't bring drugs or alcohol to Stanwood High School." Drugs and alcohol will only get you in trouble.
In the days ahead, we will encounter obstacles which must be hurdled. Do not succumb to these roadblocks and do not be fooled by detours. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always remember that if you make a decision by yourself, you are solely responsible for the outcome. And one last word of wisdom, people will always try to stand in the way of your dreams. Whether it's your cruel boss, or a jealous person, you must learn to get past them, or else they will always try to bring you down.
Good evening family, friends, teachers and fellow graduates. This special night marks our achievement over the past thirteen years. Tonight we come to the top of a mountain in our lives and look ahead to the numerous more to come. It seems like just yesterday we were eighth graders in middle school, wishing we were twelfth graders in high school. (You have to remember that back then we didn't know if a freshman meant you were in twelfth grade or if a junior meant you were in ninth.) We've definitely come a long way to be where we are today. Being students at Wilson, "The School of Pride," has helped us all with our climb over Mt. Education. Learning the basics to climb Mt. Education didn't just start in high school; it began a long, long time ago. Our first experience with the climb started out in our six years of base camp, formally known as elementary school. The next stage in our climb was when we were able to climb the part of the mountain with the gentle slope. The smooth slope of the mountain took us a whole three years to accomplish. As you have probably guessed, the gentle slope was middle school. These were the steps we took to get to our third stage in our climb of reaching the peak of Mt. Education, also known as high school.
In "Surprised By Joy," C.S. Lewis tells of a mistake that he had observed regarding joy or what he calls "thrills." Lewis realized that what he had first thought to be joy, was actually not joy at all because it began to fade away. He had assumed that he was seeking after the "thrill" itself. He says, "And there lies the deadly error. Only when your whole attention and desire are fixed on something else ... does the 'thrill' arise. It is a by-product. Its very existence presupposes that you desire not it but something other and outer."
Wow! 12 years of hard work, 12 years of perseverance, 12 years of dedication! A great king once said, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel." We each have mentors in our life who give us this counsel. What we choose to do with it determines if we are considered foolish or wise. Naturally, we tend to think we are always right, and even on the occasions when we are right, there is always something to learn from a second opinion.
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 start with, it is important to be able to overcome obstacles because it will help you achieve your goals in life. No matter what your dreams are, there are always going to be setbacks, those who are able to overcome them find the life they want; because even if it seems like everything is going your way, don’t count on it staying that way. Be prepared for whatever challenge is thrown at you next. Like Sylvester Stallone once said “Life ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. No one hits harder than life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done”.
Albert Einstein once said, “ Never give up on what you really want to. The person with big dreams is more powerful with all of the facts.”
Christmas Eve in Princeton, N.J, usually fulfills the picture-postcard promise of Christmas. And it was so, on that one particular Christmas Eve long ago. A light snowfall kissed the quaint Princeton houses, and door-to-door carol singers made their way to one particular door. The violinist's home. "O little town of Bethlehem," the boys sang, "how still we see thee lie..." In moments the door opened, and the gentle violinist stood in the doorway to greet the carolers. "Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by..." The musician turned away, turned back into the house. Shortly he returned with his violin! The great man, the gentle old musician, accompanied the midnight carolers on his beloved instrument through each verse of the age-old hymn. Then, without a word, the young people turned away silently, and the old man slowly closed the door. And if this true story, if it is made more wonderful, it is not because a seasoned violin was brought out of retirement for one last spontaneous recital, but because the violinist himself has the best reason of all not to celebrate that snowy Christmas scene. The great genius was a Jew, and so revered was he that the very presidency of Israel once could have been his. But here is the rest of the story. Musicians will tell you, every great genius has his idol. This violinist's idol was Mozart. Once, a friend asked the violinist to comment on modern times. When the musician was a boy, wars were fought with rifles and cannons. Now the entire world might be devastated. What did that mean to the old man? The violinist hesitated, sat back thoughtfully in his chair. "It would mean," he said at last, "that people would no longer hear Mozart." For him, this most deeply conveyed the end o...
Wow, three years have passed and the last day is just as long as the first. Three years of hard discipline and learning to get used to homework every night. Three years of standing on the front steps waiting for my parents and saying goodbye to my teachers. I never thought the goodbye might be permanent. 6th grade came and I was looking up at those giant 8th graders, and now I guess I’m one of them. 6th grade, and I was saying hello, and now 8th grade has come and it’s gone from introductions to goodbyes as my last days as a middle school student wind down.
another day of success. No one wants to be that one person who gave up without trying. The
When you use your skills and talents and achieve your dreams, then you have definitely succeeded.
We have a challenge, we have an opportunity, and we have knowledge. We know we are going to make it through. We will make it if we stick together, joint hands and move towards one goal. There is nothing impossible out of it. It takes commitment, effort, passion and hardworking on our doing. Thank you. So much for your outstanding
Today is our first day of being the leaders, doers, and problem solvers of the future. Those who persevere, who give it their all and approach each day with optimism will ultimately meet success and happiness. Of course, there will be many a failure on that windy road of life, but with dedication, we can do anything and make any dream come true. But, as we grow older and encounter success, we must not forget those who have had it rough, whose lives may have hit some potholes on the way, and we must take care of those who need a helping hand. As each of us leaves our mark on the world, be generous and be happy, and always remember the good times, good friends, and lessons learned at Marefat.
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.
Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Sitting in the backseat of the car, I used to bombard my family with these questions. On our summer road trips I was so anxious for the destination that I failed to appreciate the journey. However, as time passed and I grew older, I realized that it was the journey that was important and not the destination.
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.