Great Graduation Speeches

<p>A few of my kids have graduated from high school, and usually the speeches fall into the “carry the torch into the future and pursue your dreams” category. Yawn.</p>

<p>The absolutely best speech that I heard was from a young man who said (paraphrasing) …</p>

<p>"I’m not the smartest student graduating today. I’m not the most talented. I’m your Valedictorian graduation speaker because I’m the best game player. I took classes that I didn’t care about, got As, and immediately forgot everything I learned. I took easy classes that would not challenge me, to earn As to help my GPA. I raised my hand when it would give me credit, and I kept my hand down when the teacher didn’t want to be bothered. I have been rewarded academically and financially with scholarships for playing this game.</p>

<p>"I think the education system fails us. Why should a musically brilliant student be forced to take calculus and World History, if that student has no interest in those classes? A low GPA from taking calculus and World History is going to keep that brilliant student out of a great college’s music program. Why should someone who wants to be a mathematician be forced to take phys ed, damaging his or her GPA because of a lack of athletic ability or interest? Why should an A in Home Ec count the same as an A in English?</p>

<p>“If I have anything to say to you today, it is to reexamine our educational system to reward those who actually have earned honors, and to stop making students waste their time and talents. Let them pursue their real interests, and be rewarded accordingly.”</p>

<p>Wow. He received very little applause – but about 2/3 of the graduating class gave him a standing ovation. The other 1/3 did not applaud at all. Everyone was whispering about whether or not the Principal had approved his speech, or if he had switched it. The Salutorian who followed him gave the traditional speech, for which she was rewarded with loud applause from the parents and teachers (but not from the 2/3 of the graduating class that applauded the first speaker). </p>

<p>I have explained to my kids some of the mistakes that I believe Speaker #1 made in his speech. The value of a well-rounded education should not be dismissed so readily, especially in view of the fact that an 18-yr old may change majors, interests and careers many times in the coming years. I also speculate that this was an extreme position for purposes of discussion, and that the student was not actually claiming to have become Valedectorian of a class of 300 through gamesmanship alone. Still, it was extraordinarily memorable and certainly not boring!!!</p>