In behalf of class of 2021 I would like to thank Dr. Eskak M.

Delna the ever-

supportive and dynamic principal of Esperanza National High School, (list of faculty
members that I don’t know the name of).

Exactly 405 days ago, we were freshmen seniors—as I would like to call it—
wandering along the grounds of Esperanza National High School at seven in the
morning, looking for our respective classrooms and bumping into strangers just to
get in line. Who would have thought that 405 days later, those strangers that we
bumped into will be the family that unexpectedly brought us joy in the 2 years that
we spent in senior high school. To my fellow graduates I congratulate you for the
job well done. I applaud you for surviving high school even after the unanticipated
transition to online learning in the midst of a pandemic. To the teachers and staffs
who put great effort into reorganizing a system that has been around for ages, I
applaud you for the unceasing strength and determination to instil us with
knowledge even with the new academic medium.

This crisis has been very brutal, it doesn’t just completely broke the
structure that we built since but also hindered us carry out what is inherently
human, that is, to find solace in the comfort of others. Our survival instinct has
been put on edge, and the Darwinian theory of evolution bared its fangs in a more
vicious manner. The survival of the fittest, of the good enough, of the well-made
and most mentally prepared. But who prepared us for this type of circumstances?
Surely, none. We were one of the billion miracle students around the world who
luckily survived the academic year and graduated unscathed. That alone is a
blessing that we should be thankful for.

Each story that happened here in Esperanza National High School is as

unique as the individual that it belongs to. ENHS takes time to cultivate its
students and teaches us lessons that stretch far beyond the four corners of our
classroom. The real #TatakENHS student, is someone who takes these lessons and
uses it to better themselves and the world around them. My fellow graduates, this
is another milestone that we set foot on. May you flourish in the real world and
bring with you the values of Esperanza National High School. Teachers, Faculty
members, Staffs, Family, Viewers, and my fellow graduates welcome and buckle
your seats for the most amazing ride.