Valedictorian Speech 2.

014 Michael Lee

Welcome parents, teachers, staff members, and esteemed guests. I would like to
begin by thanking all the parents, guardians, and relatives for being here tonight, and for
your endless support these past 17/18-years. The teachers, for putting up with us for five,
long, years. We may be leaving, but rest assured, we will never be too far away. The
administration, platform party, and everyone else who made today possible. I would like to
thank those, whom without; none of us would be graduating. These are the unsung heroes
who always stood by our side to help us in our time of need, when we don’t understand
course material, or just too tired to do our homework. So thank you Wikipedia, Google, and
Sparknotes for helping us get through high school. But of course, we can’t forget the reason
why we are here tonight. It is with great honour that I stand before you today to celebrate
the achievements of Hamber’s graduating class of 2014.

A long time ago, in an auditorium not too far away, a certain vice principal once told
us, that high school would go by in a flash. And looking back on that day five years ago, I
think we can all agree that he was right. We have persevered through an eventful five years
at Hamber. We are veterans of the school system, and are now ready to move on to the next
chapter of our lives, which, for many of us is more school. As bright young adults entering the
world with pens full of ink, we find ourselves worried and nervous for what awaits us on the
next page, eager for fresh new pages to write our stories upon. It was with this same feeling
that we entered grade 8 all those years ago. For many of us, it was the first time being in a
secondary school. During the grade 8 orientation, we huddled together with our elementary
school classmates in the cafeteria, where we first met the people who would unknowingly
become our closest friends. We grew close at grade 8 camp, where we bonded over the long
hike up to the camp, various activities, and the H1N1 epidemic that tried to tear us apart.
Through the 2010 Winter Olympics to the realization that there was no 4th floor swimming
pool, we became used to secondary school life, and the fear we had of transitioning from
being at the top of the school during 7th grade and becoming the underdogs in grade 8
subsided into a collective familiarity with Hamber.

We entered the 9th grade thinking we have mastered life at Hamber, just to find out
that not only is course material getting more difficult, we now had to begin choosing classes
that will influence our future careers. We also faced the fact that our Friday 2 o’clock
dismissals were no more. Looking back on it now, we sure could have used it this year. That
year also marked the beginning of Hamber’s first football team, which still stands strong
today. And so the year ended in a riot, the Stanley Cup riot to be exact, where we witnessed
the true extent of our nation’s love for hockey.

Grade 10 was that stage in high school where we weren’t exactly in our junior years
anymore but not exactly seniors yet either. Of course, we can’t forget that glorious
December, when our grade triumphed over the defending grade 12 champions in a duel of
Deck the Halls and seized victory in our moment of brilliance. I would like to express my
gratitude towards those leading individuals who made our victory possible, without whom we
would not have prevailed over the grade 12’s that year. In what seemed like a blurr, the year
passed and we entered our fourth year at Hamber.

Grade 11 hit us unexpectedly, and we realized that soon, it would be our turn to be
seniors, and say goodbye to Hamber. We celebrated this milestone alongside alumni who have
returned to their alma mater for Hamber’s 50th anniversary, where we learned of our lost
school song and what it meant to “hep all the way”. The bi-annual carnival accompanied with
Hamber’s Harlem shake and Gangnam style not only made grade 11 memorable, but gave
Hamber 15 000 views on YouTube. After cramming for early university applications, it finally
came time to become grade 12’s.

And so, our final year at Hamber began, with the introduction of the supreme
president of Best Korea, armed with perhaps, the greatest student council in Hamber history.
And thanks to our amazing grad committee, we were able to enjoy a series of Movie nights
which resulted in several students applying for Monster’s University. A grad breakfast, where
we learned that no amount of bacon can satisfy the insatiable appetites of hungry teenagers.
An awesome, nay, legendary prom held aboard the Queen of Diamonds, went down in Hamber
history as the first one to be held on a boat and not only did the sky smile upon us with
sunshine that day but the moon did grace us with its presence by blushing a crimson red. Then
the date of our graduation crept up on us, and suddenly we realized that we have a mere
three weeks left before we say our goodbyes.

Through all of this, our 5 years at Hamber flew by, leaving behind memories that will
stay with us for the rest of our lives, whether they were good, bad, happy, or sad. Treasure
these memories and experiences, for one day, minstrels will sing songs of the legends we
have created here and the tell tales of the indelible mark we have left on the history of this
school.
 These past few years at Hamber have become cozy, comfortable, and familiar for us. Like
a housecat, we started off in an unfamiliar environment and spent years making Hamber our
second home. But now, our time is up, our era will soon end and this home soon to be ours no
more. Everyone knows the saying, “When one door closes, another door opens”, but what is
left untold, is the confusing path of obstacles and challenges between those doors that many
of us now face. We are stuck in the in between of this sheltered high school life, and the
chaotic jungle of opportunities that lies ahead of us. We are bombarded with life-altering
decisions and have pushed us into the depth of despair that is post-secondary applications.
But do not fret, for cats will always land on their feet. And we, like a housecat, will rise to
the occasion, we will level up! and mega-evolve into mountain lions. Because mountains lions
are cool and evolve from house-cats. I would like to take this time to thank my Biology
teachers for giving me the knowledge to make that statement, or Nintendo; they’re pretty
much the same. I would also like to thank my English teachers, without whom I would not be
literate enough to read this speech in front of me.

What lies ahead of us is an intimidating path of independence, and we may often become
lost. We will make mistakes, but we cannot let that get in our way. We must soar above the
hurdles in our path, and show that we are above these challenges, so that we can emerge
with proud wings of freedom on our backs. Like a cat, we must spread our wings and fly. And
cat + wings = griffin. We are the combination of two awesome beasts, which must make us
twice as awesome as everyone else.

We are all entering a new chapter of our lives, one of ambiguity and confusion. But staring
at the blank page before you, the pen’s in your hand, the ending is unplanned. Release your
inhibitions. Only you can live your life; no one else can live it for you. And when we walk out
those doors for the last time as Hamber students, be brave, don’t be afraid. For we are
mighty griffins, proud of the Hamber we come from.

Just before I end here, I would like to remind everyone, that what happens in Hamber
stays in Hamber. But do hold on to all the fond memories, because one day, they will become
legen, wait for it…. dary! Congratulations to the graduating class of 2014! Live long and
prosper, and may the odds ever be in your favour.