Valedictory Speech

-Mark Eric Y. Santiago-

Distinguished guest speaker, Dr. Alliah D. Luces, Jollibee,

dearly loved principal, Mr. Michael Joe I. Irojo, dedicated

teachers, loving parents, fellow graduates, friends, ladies and

gentlemen, a pleasant morning.

Today marks the day of achievement and a crowning glory of

intellectual struggle over a period of unending search for truth

and enlightenment. You and I, the graduates of this school are

endowed with knowledge an everlasting valuable treasure of

intellect; a symbol of freedom from the dark cave of ignorance.

I feel sad bidding farewell to my Alma Mater which served

as my second home for four years, years of happy and exciting

memories. Learning was fun though challenging. We were taught to

read and write, to calculate and understand things happening

within us and around us. Our God-given talents in singing,

dancing, acting and leadership were developed through varied

school competitions and activities. Those unforgettable memories

will be cherished as long as we lived.

An individual possesses a precious gift from God. He gives

us wisdom and multiple intelligences in order to survive in this

highly competitive world. Our role is to develop these talents

in the best way we can. The government is doing its part to help

us in our quest of knowledge by making education free for all,

not to mention the financial aid to indigent families through

4 Ps.
 Now that we acquired the gift of learning, what shall we do

with it? Shall we boast about it? Shall we use it for our own

benefit alone? No! We need to take part in nation building.

The theme for this years graduation exercises is, Your

gift of learning: our tool for nation building. Some people use

their gift of learning for their own benefit alone. Have you

observed how some fishermen use illegal fishing just to get a

big catch? Or have you learned that there are some selfish

individuals who are never satisfied with their billions of money

but still engaged in mining though this bring hazard to the

community?

My dear graduates, as we are learning, we are to be

partners in making this country a convenient place to live by

putting into practice the things taught to us and participating

in worthwhile activities. Lets plant more trees. Segregate

waste properly. Conserve water and electricity. Use natural

resources wisely. Avoid barkadas that may have a bad influence

on us. By doing these simple things we can contribute to nation

building. Even if you start with a small thing, your

contribution means a lot.

Let us be serious in doing our responsibility at home, in

school, and in our community and be agents of change.

To my Alma Mater, farewell. To you my fellow graduates,

congratulations. To all of you, thank you so much. May the lord

be upon us as we trod the path towards the higher ladder of

education.
 Guest Speaker Speech

-Alliah D. Luces-

To the School Principal, Mr. Michael Joe I. Irojo,

teachers, dear parents, graduates, ladies and gentlemen, a

blessed morning to you all.

I am deeply honored to be with you today, to give not a

perspirational message but an inspirational one to all of you.

After ten months of diligence and hard work, after all the

ups and downs, here we are now, ready to reap all the fruits of

our long labors. However, we will have to travel a long way.

Before I proceed, allow me to raise simple questions. Which is

more important to you, medals or ribbons? How will you treat

your medals and ribbons? Will these medals be for picture taking

purposes only? Will you throw these medals and ribbons as soon

as you arrive home? Will you arrange them in a frame and hang

them on your houses walls? Some perhaps may bring their medals

with them to their bedside; some may put them in their pockets,

some in frames. You have your own way of keeping your medals.

There medals you are to receive, my dear awardees, are

representations of what you learned from your teachers, from

your school, and even from your schoolmates. Remember that when

you relate and interact with your classmates, you also learn.

You will be awarded with medals and ribbons because you have

accomplished very much academically, not to mention the social,

emotional development in your personality.

 I want to tell all of you to remain humble and simple,

offer your awards, and share your achievements with your beloved

parents and family members, who in many ways have helped you

grow to be what you are now; what they have done for you will

also a big factor of what you will be in the future.

Share your awards also with all of your classmates; tell

them that they too can achieve what you have achieved; inspire

them. In doing so, they will remember you not only as a

classmate but as an inspirational friend.

To all teachers, how do you consider the teaching

profession? Let us always bear in our mind the nobility of our

chosen profession; we were teacher today, tomorrow, and forever.

Let us give proper attention to our students who need it most,

without jeopardizing what the others in the class must learn.

Teachers do not stop learning. Accelerate your desire to learn

more. There is so much for us to learn in order to upgrade

ourselves, to be not merely a teacher but the best teacher to

our students.

If there are people to whom we should offer our awards,

they are our parents or guardians. They have sacrificed very

much; I am sure, to send you to this school of yours. My dear

parents, you are all worthy of my salute and congratulations

for your patience, sacrifices, and hard work for years, to

support the education of your children. This event may

encourage, inspire and motivate you to exert more effort for

your childrens educations because their achievements are your

achievements, too. Before I end up, may I leave a small thought

for all of you to reflect on:

FIVE POINTS TO MAKE YOU A GREAT PENCIL

1. You have the capacity to become a great pencil only if

you allow yourself to be laid in someones hands.

2. You will experience painful sharpening. However, you

need those to become a great pencil.

3. You have the capacity to erase your mistakes. Do not be

upset, life must like that.

4. Always to remember that the best part of you is what you

is what you are inside.

5. Put in your mind that wherever you go and whatever you

do, regardless of your conditions, you always leave a mark.

My dear students, parent, and teachers, let us leave a mark

in the hearts of everyone, like that of a sharpened pencil on a

clean piece of paper.

Again, a pleasant morning and congratulations to all.

 Class Pledge

We, the graduates of M.I. Irojo Vocational School, Class

2016, do hereby pledge to ourselves and to our Alma Mater to

live up to the ideals of services to which our school has molded

us, learn and practice good manners and right conduct at all

times and be ready willing to our share of our responsibility to

our family and the community as expected of us by our parents,

teachers and our fellowmen.

So help us God.
 Guest Speaker Speech

-Nino Aldrian R. Yasol-

Leadership does not mean domination. The world is always

well supplied with people who wish to rule and dominate others.

The true leader is a different sort; he seeks effective

activity which has a truly beneficent purpose. He inspires

others to follow in his wake, and holding aloft the torch of

wisdom, leads the way for society to realize its genuinely great

aspirations.

The art of leadership is in the ability to make people want

to work for you, while they are really under no obligation to do

so. Leaders are people, who raise the standards by which they

judge themselves and by which they are willing to be judged. The

goal chosen, the objective selected, the requirements imposed,

are not mainly for their followers alone.

They develop with consummate energy and devotion, their own

skill and knowledge in order to reach the standard they

themselves have set.

This whole-hearted acceptance of the demands imposed by

even higher standards is the basis of all human progress. A love

of higher quality, we must remember, is essential in a leader.

The true leader is one who realizes by faith that he is an

instrument in the hands of God, and dedicates himself to be a

guide and inspirer of the nobler sentiments and aspirations of

the people.
 He who would be a leader must pay the price in self-

discipline and moral restraints. This details the correction and

improvement of his personal character, the checking of passions

and desires and an exemplary control of one's bodily needs and

desires.

To be first in place, one must be first in merit as well.

He who has not learned to render prompt and willing service

to others will find it difficult to win and keep the goodwill

and cooperation of his subordinates.

A leader will kindle interest, teach, aid, correct and

inspire. Those whom he leads will cooperate with him in

maintaining discipline for the good of the group. He will

instruct his followers in the goals towards which to strive, and

create in them a sense of mutual effort for attaining the goal.