Heritage Christian School Valedictorian Speech
By Jacob DavisHeritage Christian School Valedictorian
Good evening to the faculty, to the family and friends of all the graduates, and to my classmates, the class of 2012.
I'd like to take some time to thank all the people that supported us along the way. To the moms and dads, none of us would be here tonight without everything you have done for us, thank you. To Mr. and Mrs. Davis, for the impact both of you have had to shape us into who we are today, thank you. And to everyone else that helped develop us into the people we have become, thank you.
This place is more than just a school; it's more like a family. Unlike other schools, here it is possible to know every student's name and what kind of person they are. This fact makes us a very close-knit group that always has each other's backs.
However, this does have its downsides. For example, we all know that if something happens, everyone in the school knows it within a matter of minutes.
I know that leaving here will be a big change, but instead of looking at graduating as an end to something good; we can look at it as an opportunity to discover something new and better things; A chance to make a great future for ourselves. Our time here has been merely a single chapter in our lives.
Even with this in mind, graduating is still a pretty scary thing. The decisions that one has to make in their senior year are very important ones that will affect the rest of their life. Countless hours are spent stressing over these things and sometimes you just feel completely lost. But whether you have your mind made up, you have no idea, or you're in that awkward spot where you're 85 percent sure about what you want to do; just go with your gut because that's probably the right choice for you. Anyway, at least do something!
Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. No one knows when and where each different experience will end. An experience could last for years and years, or it may be very brief, say 13 hours for example. Maybe this is God's way of telling us that we need to make the most out of every single day.
It has been said, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." So live your life to the fullest doing the things you want to do. Take some time to look at the stars, stop and get the ice cream you've been wanting, or go out of your way to step on that crunchy looking leaf. For as we get older, it isn't the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.
Keep God at the center of your life. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him. And he shall direct your paths." If this is your main focus in life you cannot go wrong.
There will be those difficult days and hard times in life, but adversity makes us stronger. Just remember, "The road to success is always under construction." Pursue lifelong learning. Always try to better yourself.
In closing, I'll quote Mark Twain, "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living; the world owes you nothing; it was here first." Your life will become what you make it. God's blessing's to my classmates as we go out into the world. Oh, the places we'll go!
