[Ayden Cross]: 183.Graduation speech

    For four years, a legion of scholars scurried through the halls of Mountain Valley, quietly writing this speech in the back of their heads. The ultimate revelation has finally come, this is our exodus. This nurturing place that gave birth to our dreams, inspirations, and hopes, is only the first of many things to come. This exodus is a new rising dawn that has suddenly began to illuminate itself onto our horizons.

Our passage began with the first light of day. We adjusted to new surroundings and began to plant the seeds of what our dreams were to become. As the day passed into noon, we forged ourselves into admirable youths and cultivated our dreams. The hours of day rolled on and we experienced the heights of felicity, with the love and friendships we have made. But we have also experienced the depths of sorrow and hardship, with the loss of friends that should be here but aren’t. We have endured and will continue to endure even after our day passes into the twilight. Trials and tribulations have tried to rock the sturdy foundation of this school, and wars have been waged through these walls, but we have all stood strong. This kingdom is our home.

“The future belongs to those who live intensely in the present.” The future belongs to us. The path has been set for us by those in the past generations who have been in the limelight and are now passing the torch. Someday, we too, will pass that torch, but until then, we are the torch bearers, and we will wield the light. For now, this is our story, until we pave the road to the future for those that might do it better than us.

The world stands before us, and maybe we’re too young to know what the world is. The thought, ‘graduation; how sadly that word echoes,’ resounds through our minds. Despite all that, we have the potential to revolutionize the way the world works. Our potential resonates through the school with all our spirit encompassing it. This school is composed of neither brick nor stone, but rather students like us, and teachers like you. Sometimes, that’s the most evident part about going to this school. I remember, once upon a time, I suffered an obstacle most high school students do: heartache. I had my friends of course, to help me through the situation, but what had really stood out was that, members of the staff were willing to help me too. One staff member in particular could really sympathize in the most uncanny fashion. Although, he will remain anonymous, he and I both understand that high school isn’t high school without being a lonely teen crawling under a flannel blanket listening to the Counting Crows, and crying. That bond is one I’ll take that with me for the rest of my life. These people with me here today, are not just my friends. They’re basically all that I know and love. It’s one of the hardest things to have to leave.

We were the kings and queens of Mountain Valley, and you, served as our friends and advisors. We now go on to serve you as the future presidents, senators, doctors, engineers, and teachers of tomorrow. No matter what paths we take, one thing remains certain; it all began here. We are the Class of 2006. Watch for us.