High School Graduation Speech Notes

High School Graduation Speech

The speaker starts by acknowledging the audience and testing the microphone.
He humorously reflects on his own graduation, mentioning listening to Lil Weezy's song "Lollipop" and feeling proud.

He notes how quickly time has passed since they were "little insecure beady eyed children."
He jokes about their past, including bed-wetting and ill-fitting pants.
He acknowledges the diverse futures of his classmates, referencing doctors, business leaders, and Walmart executives.

The speaker emphasizes the graduating class's potential for greatness.
He encourages classmates to embrace their inherent greatness and not be afraid to take risks.
He uses Thomas Edison's failures and Soulja Boy's mixtape releases as examples of perseverance.
He humorously mentions the senior class's experience with after-school detentions and circumventing attendance policies.
He then quotes McCall saying, "You can't hit a home run unless you swing the bat."

The speaker lists Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Junior, Bill Gates, Tupac, and Barney as examples of relatable heroes.
He humorously suggests these figures had similar experiences to his classmates, such as accidents in fifth grade.
He highlights the importance of curiosity as a driver of success.

He quotes Ferris Bueller: "Life moves pretty fast, and if you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it."
He emphasizes that success is a continuous journey, not a destination.
He advises enjoying the present, including laughter, reading, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and humorously, spying on neighbors.
He then warns against burnout and encourages relaxation.

He advises rewarding oneself for their efforts, such as patting oneself on the back and taking oneself out to dinner.
He jokes about taking himself out on dates.

He thanks his family, the guidance department (especially Miss Jody Gaber), and several friends: Florence, Vanessa, Nguyen, Chris, Howard, Harrison, Jeff, Ray, Trang, and Sabrina.
He humorously mentions his nine-year-old son, Mikhail.

He addresses the graduating class as "the brave, the bold, and the beautiful class of 02/2008."
He quotes, "We the best."
He wishes everyone well in their future endeavors.