(A Welcome Address delivered by Shara Jane Tibon on her High Graduation at

SLSU TOLHS on March 30, 2009)

Our highly esteemed Campus Administrator, Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes; equally
respected Dean of the Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Stella Marie D. Consul; our
deeply enamored enthusiastic and hardworking principal, Mrs. Leslie Elisa S.
Cobilla; our graduation speaker, the Dean Virgildo F. Sabalo of University of the
Philippines Tacloban College; deeply revered members of the faculty,
administrative staff, parents, my dearly beloved classmates, good afternoon.
Today marks a very important moment of our lives as a student and as an
individual. As a student, todays graduation ceremonies signifies the culmination
of our secondary education and the commencement of a more serious and
demanding educational journey that will set the course of our future. As we
march through the portals of this institution which has become our haven for the
past four years, we are set to embrace a new life more matured, more
independent, more challenging that at the same time demands for our wisdom
and responsibility.
Our graduation today is not only our personal triumph but also the success of
those significant persons who shared with us our dreams and aspirations in life.
And it is just but right to express our heartfelt appreciation to them. Of course, all
praises and thanks to the God almighty for without Him we can do nothing. He
has been our strength and our light which enabled us to muster all the challenges
that we have been through during our high school days.
To our parents: mama and papa tatay and nanay. . . who always stood by us
when things went wrong, and cheered us up when we were down. Who always
assured us of their unconditional love, and always there to protect us when we
were threatened. Papa and mama, thank you very, very much. Our success
today is our humble gift to both of you.
Being a student of SLSU Tomas Oppus Laboratory High School, we become
academically equipped and competent because of our teachers who trained us
with much devotion and dedication. We say our sincere thanks to you with the
assurance that your efforts will not be in vain as we continue our quest for a
higher learning.
Many say that the most colorful and exciting phase of our educational training is
in the high school. Indeed it is, and this has become even more meaningful
because of our classmates whose companionship has made our lives filled with
laughter, fun, and even heartaches. Our friendship is one important element that
helped us to survive in the midst of the challenges that came our way.
To the administration of Southern Leyte State University, we would also like to
express our appreciation for providing us a quality education that is par
excellence. It is indeed an honor and a privilege to receive our high school
education from this university. We will always be proud of you and thankful that
we are a product of SLSU Tomas Oppus Laboratory High School.
I know that words are not enough to express the happiness and gratitude that we
feel today, but just the same, thank very much to all of you. As we come up on
stage to receive our diploma, I would like to welcome you all and share with us
this moment of joy and success. Thank you and good afternoon.