Welcome to graduation, Class of 2025. My speech won’t take more than 45 minutes tops, so if you need to use the restroom now would be the time. In all seriousness though, I am going to try and make this short and sweet because I know all of y’all don’t want to hear me talk for hours on end and to be honest, I don’t either.
Before I get into it, I would just like to take the time to thank my family for all the support they’ve given me, just like I’m sure all of your families have given you, as well.
My parents used to joke that we should stop studying for a test, because I ended up memorizing the study guide and quizzing them instead. In many ways, they went through high school again, and I have to say they would have made even better grades this time around.
I would like everyone to take a moment to realize that we made it. You made it, despite the major cases of senioritis and senior fever I know we all developed. Getting out of bed and going to school became quite the challenge, but we all persevered to walk across the stage here tonight. This is a special moment that we get to experience together.
It’s hard to believe my chapter began on the picnic tables in the courtyard freshman year with my best friends, Cristal and Syrlena, and it ends today surrounded by my fellow classmates, closest friends and loving family. With most of us having known each other for several years — even our entire lives — this is the end of an era and the beginning of a new one, as well.
One of my favorite quotes from Margaret Atwood says, “In the end we all become stories,” and I believe that this quote really resonates to our class. Once we walk across the stage, graduating from Fredericksburg High School will become a chapter in all our stories. It is then up to each and every one of us to choose the next chapter of our lives.
Some of us will travel, some of us will go to the workforce, and others will go off to college. We will all walk along different paths after we walk this stage, so we should enjoy this last moment we have together as a complete class.
The memories we have all created together will be forever forged in our hearts and minds, but as we go our separate ways, we will continue to make new memories along the way.
This chapter is just the beginning of the wonderful lives each and every one of us will have, no matter where we wind up. In 10 years, when we all go to our first high school reunion, so much will have already changed; I’m sure the old high school rumor mill will have a field day after our first reunion rolls around.
Thank you all for an amazing past four years. I loved spending my time with y’all, times full of laughter and joy. As we all leave this class and the memories we made together behind us, we might shed a tear for what we are leaving behind, but that tear can also represent a tear of joy for what is to come in the future.
