Graduation(!)
Speech - heavily revised by administration but I think I got a few good jabs here and there (especially with PROSCRIBED)
Graduation Speech:
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Carlos Sanchez and it is my utmost pleasure to introduce myself as the salutatorian for the Cypress Bay Class of 2008. These past four years have been very dynamic, although somewhat daunting at times. Needless to say, we all pulled through the mountains of work, the boredom of lectures, and the idiosyncrasies of everyday life at the Bay. Hopefully future experiences will prove to be as memorable as this one.
Famed poet John Keats once quipped, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know.” We are all beautiful human beings, blessed with different talents, abilities, and traits. With hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck, each one of us can achieve success in our own manner. Graduating seniors, actively pursue your interests, whatever these might be! Do not become mere cogs in the machinery of modern life, hapless Willy Lomans sacrificing your individuality, your friends, and your family for the sake of fame or luxury. Sure, we all admire the power and respect that come with high executive positions in business and in politics; similarly, many of us cannot help but sigh at the sleek beauty of a new Porsche or BMW. Yet true fulfillment comes from within; it cannot be bought. Simplicity, my friends, is the key to happiness.
In all honesty, and rather bluntly expressed, I had to toil incessantly to become salutatorian. Emblematic of life in general, high school academics are extremely competitive. It was an enduring wish of mine to encounter more cooperation, and less competition, with the start of every school year. Today many of us will be recognized for our academic achievements. In all probability, we will go on to encounter success in our future endeavors as well. Yet real success is measured by the strength of our relationships, the solidarity of our friendships. Cooperation, and not sharp-edged rivalry, is what lends meaning to our success, and is more important than any plaque and diploma can ever aspire to be. As adults, we all know how difficult it is to foment well-being in a world full of confusion, terror, and violence. Yet the challenge should not detain us; I know we as class have the potential to better the world. We are the future generation, and as such we have the responsibility of ensuring that the work of those that came behind us will not be laid to waste. Open-mindedness and empathy go a long way; let us lay down the sharp swords of our criticism, and instead love and accept our neighbor. Only by doing so will we be achieve permanent, gratifying success.
I would like to seize the last moments of my proscribed three-minute speech to thank those to whom I am in tremendous debt - my mother and father, my sister, Sofia my niece, Mrs. Kirschner, Mama Waite, Mrs. Irizarry, and my friends, particularly Erica, Diego, the “Kreafle people,” Caitlin, Claire, Luis, Lisa, and Marcos, for their inspiration and understanding throughout high school. Without the love and encouragement that these individuals have provided me, I would not have achieved even 10% of what I have been able to. It’s been an exciting four years, Cypress Bay, and I wish each and every one of you the best of luck in this uncertain, intriguing, and dazzling journey that we call life. Thank you all, and good night.
So high school is officially over. Yay! No more "Laughin' Lorber" (thank god) or Ruiz or silly classes. But I'll seriously miss a lot of people that I saw on a day to day basis, like Kerry or Mark or Ashneal. It's bittersweet, really.
Post more later, too tired!
Graduation Speech:
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. My name is Carlos Sanchez and it is my utmost pleasure to introduce myself as the salutatorian for the Cypress Bay Class of 2008. These past four years have been very dynamic, although somewhat daunting at times. Needless to say, we all pulled through the mountains of work, the boredom of lectures, and the idiosyncrasies of everyday life at the Bay. Hopefully future experiences will prove to be as memorable as this one.
Famed poet John Keats once quipped, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty - that is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know.” We are all beautiful human beings, blessed with different talents, abilities, and traits. With hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck, each one of us can achieve success in our own manner. Graduating seniors, actively pursue your interests, whatever these might be! Do not become mere cogs in the machinery of modern life, hapless Willy Lomans sacrificing your individuality, your friends, and your family for the sake of fame or luxury. Sure, we all admire the power and respect that come with high executive positions in business and in politics; similarly, many of us cannot help but sigh at the sleek beauty of a new Porsche or BMW. Yet true fulfillment comes from within; it cannot be bought. Simplicity, my friends, is the key to happiness.
In all honesty, and rather bluntly expressed, I had to toil incessantly to become salutatorian. Emblematic of life in general, high school academics are extremely competitive. It was an enduring wish of mine to encounter more cooperation, and less competition, with the start of every school year. Today many of us will be recognized for our academic achievements. In all probability, we will go on to encounter success in our future endeavors as well. Yet real success is measured by the strength of our relationships, the solidarity of our friendships. Cooperation, and not sharp-edged rivalry, is what lends meaning to our success, and is more important than any plaque and diploma can ever aspire to be. As adults, we all know how difficult it is to foment well-being in a world full of confusion, terror, and violence. Yet the challenge should not detain us; I know we as class have the potential to better the world. We are the future generation, and as such we have the responsibility of ensuring that the work of those that came behind us will not be laid to waste. Open-mindedness and empathy go a long way; let us lay down the sharp swords of our criticism, and instead love and accept our neighbor. Only by doing so will we be achieve permanent, gratifying success.
I would like to seize the last moments of my proscribed three-minute speech to thank those to whom I am in tremendous debt - my mother and father, my sister, Sofia my niece, Mrs. Kirschner, Mama Waite, Mrs. Irizarry, and my friends, particularly Erica, Diego, the “Kreafle people,” Caitlin, Claire, Luis, Lisa, and Marcos, for their inspiration and understanding throughout high school. Without the love and encouragement that these individuals have provided me, I would not have achieved even 10% of what I have been able to. It’s been an exciting four years, Cypress Bay, and I wish each and every one of you the best of luck in this uncertain, intriguing, and dazzling journey that we call life. Thank you all, and good night.
So high school is officially over. Yay! No more "Laughin' Lorber" (thank god) or Ruiz or silly classes. But I'll seriously miss a lot of people that I saw on a day to day basis, like Kerry or Mark or Ashneal. It's bittersweet, really.
Post more later, too tired!