Thread: I need your opinion?

In my story there is a graduation speech. Which one of these do you like?
Obviously the name of the high school will be changed.



Parents, teachers, families and friends, welcome and thank you for joining us tonight at the Shelton High School graduation ceremony for the Class of 2006! Graduation is a time to look fondly upon memories which have been made over the past three years. I am sure all of us have our own memories which we hold close to our hearts and make us grin when we think of them. Events which become very vivid in my mind are football and basketball games, dances, pep assemblies, at least the ones from our sophomore and junior years, and especially time spent with a group of friends just doing whatever. It hurts to think of all these memories and then realize this time period in our lives is coming to an end. From the lyrics of Dave Mathews, "So why would you care, to get out of this place, you and me and all our friends, such a happy human race ... As we all go our separate ways ... I will remember." Graduation is also time to look at what the future has in store for each of us. It is a very serious time, a time to take a look at what path our lives are going to take once the caps and gowns are taken off and we are thrust into a world which is not so well known to most of us. Will you be successful? Will you be unsuccessful? This success I am speaking of has nothing to do with monetary gains but is measured solely by happiness. Are you truly happy? Will you be five or ten years down the road? Begin planning for your future tonight, set goals. Figure out ways to achieve these goals and fulfill your dreams. If you do not like the path your life has taken thus far, if it does not make you happy, re-route yourself, blaze your own trail if need be. Tonight is the beginning of the rest of our lives, graduates. Please grasp it firmly and head down a path leading to eternal success, which I repeat is measured by your happiness. Parents, teachers and friends, thank you for helping us to come this far. All of us appreciate the love and support immensely. To the graduating class of the year nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, thank you for everything and congratulations.

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In each life, we are faced with one objective: be who you were meant to be or be who everyone wants you to be. It is up to us to decide our destination, but it is the events along the way that shape the final outcome. As we sit here at graduation, having suffered and prospered through four years at Arlington High School, it is hard to forget the memories we've shared. At the same time, it is easy to see how the past four years have shaped who we are today and impacted our future forever. Who can forget being a freshman: finally out of middle school, we took on the world in a school of 1,400 that was only suited for 900. We've sat in not only moldy portables but also condemned bleachers, seen rusty water, squished together in the gym to display our spirit and learned what it means to truly work hard. We took the challenge presented to us and chose to succeed in one way or another. Whether on the playing field, in the classroom, with an instrument or in the community, the launching of our high school career began our journey and began the adventure to become our destiny. And who can forget the friendships we've made along the way? Some will last a lifetime, and some will last no longer than tomorrow, but either way, it's okay because we will forever be impacted by it. As a class, we've laughed together, cried together, skipped class, failed tests, aced tests we forgot we were taking and now, we're graduating together. Whatever the event, we did it as a whole. Through all of this, there were the teachers of Arlington High School. Of the finest quality, I doubt anyone would argue they are masters of making us mad and then being our biggest ally. Remember the sodium bomb in chemistry? How about the career search, the I search and the scholarly paper in English? We are now masters at finding the slope of a line courtesy of the math department, and who hasn't had the quadratic formula engrained in their mind? All because of the teachers who have supported us through these past years. Without them, our outcome in life would be dismally different. They taught us to be who we are and proud of it at that. And now - guess what - it's up to us. We are the beholders of tomorrow, and we determine the future. Good or bad, it's ours, and the world is at our mercy. Who we are and what we are destined to do with ourselves, no one knows for sure. We only know what we've learned, and we are equipped only with the memories of where we've been. We know only whom we've met, but in the end, that's more than enough. In a few short hours, four years of our lives will have closure, and the door to forever will open. Class of 2003, walk through it with pride. We've made it this far, an achievement in itself four years in the making. Tomorrow, the future begins. Remember the past and make choices that will guide you through your life. Good luck to everyone!

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As you look back on the last four years I'm sure you'll all remember them differently. Some of you will think of them as the best four years of your life and others, the worst. Some of you will think of them as the most fun you've ever had. Some of you will remember the friendships you've created, or all the things you've learned and will carry with you wherever you go. Most of all I think we should remember and be thankful for the fact they've been a relatively safe four years. We've had our share of bumps and bruises, but nothing really major. I am saying this mainly because in the past few months, especially, other schools have not been so fortunate. When they look back on their high school years, their memories shall forever be tainted by unspeakable acts of violence and rage. As you know, I'm referring to the 12 students and one teacher killed by two crazed gunmen. In the aftermath of these tragedies people have searched for someone or something to blame. They've gone from video games to the availability of guns, to the lack of attention by parents, teachers, and counselors, and even to the Internet, but finger pointing will not solve the problem. I can't say that I have all the answers but I know there are some things we can do. The problem, I believe, starts and ends with us. Those two students, from Columbine High School were outcasts and constantly teased. The sad truth about that tragedy is that it could have happened here. Honestly, we've all made fun of someone at some time, but toward the end of the year it seems as though we're all being nicer to each other, mainly because we're not going to be here much longer and we realize it simply isn't worth it. I think it would have been much better to have had this attitude at the beginning of high school instead of at the end. As we go through our lives we should not forget what we've learned. We are the future and we're responsible for the next generation. It is our job to teach them to be nicer to each other and more tolerant of their differences. We have to teach them not to solve their problems through guns or violence. That truly is the only way to prevent these senseless tragedies from occurring. I'm sure the thought of starting a family and raising kids sounds far away to most of you, but it truly isn't. As you all leave tonight, you'll each embark on your own journeys, you'll visit many new places and meet a lot of new people, but through it all, I hope you will not forget what you learned. I hope you'll carry a positive message with you, one against violence, against hate. I hope you'll make the world not just a better place, but a safer one.

I like the first one