10 TIPS FOR WRITING THE BEST GRADUATION SPEECH
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY…
We won’t sugar coat it. Writing a speech is tough. It’s why people get paid big bucks to do this
as ghostwriters for others. It’s why great lines from great speeches get passed down from one
generation to the next.
But relax. You’re not the President of the United States addressing the nation trying to keep
things calm after alien spacecraft have just landed on the White House front lawn.
Odds are, instead, you’re one of two things. You’re either the valedictorian (congrats by the
way) or you’re the person who submitted their name and speech idea to the graduation
committee and was selected to speak at graduation as well (so congrats to you, too.)
Now, about the speech. While it’s certainly up to you what you can say, we just thought that
we’d pass on a few tips on how to not make your speech the kind that doesn’t have lines
getting passed from one generation to the next – because of how awful it was.
So, with that said here are our top 10 tips for writing a graduation speech. And, some bonus
tips for giving a virtual graduation speech.
1: Start out by thanking someone.
The fact is you probably didn’t make it through high school all by yourself. Very few people, if
any, do anything without a lot of help from someone else. So, show a little humility.
It’s always good to recognize parents, teachers and friends. But what might be nice to do
instead is to publicly thank a specific person. One person who helped you, who made a
difference and believed in you. Maybe it’s a coach, a counselor, a teacher or your dad.
Whoever. Thank them in front of everybody. And then encourage everyone else to find
someone who was instrumental in helping them make it to graduation and tell them to thank
them as well.
2: Don’t make it all about you.
If you’re the valedictorian, then once again, congratulations. You did well. But nobody really
just wants to hear about why you made it to the podium and they didn’t. That’s not to say you
can’t infuse personal observations in your speech, just don’t turn this into a “My life in high
school” speech.
Matter a fact, instead of just crafting your speech in the cold confines of your bedroom, why
not instead go out and talk to your classmates. Find out what they’re interested in. What has
inspired them and what they’ll remember most. Your class’ graduation should be about all of
the students, not just you. It’d be nice if your speech recognized all their collective memories.
3: Google it.
That’s what it’s there for. Looking up famous speeches online is a great way to get inspiration.
Whether it’s a YouTube video of comedian Seth MacFarlane’s commencement speech at
Harvard (hilarious!) Or reading Winston Churchill’s famous “We shall never surrender” speech
(goosebumps!) Seeing how other people have done things well in the past is a good point of
reference for how you should be doing it today.
4: Keep it short and sweet.
Yes, your speech is important, or you wouldn’t have been asked to give it. But don’t go
overboard. People aren’t there to see you drone on and on. They’re there to either celebrate
their own accomplishments or the accomplishments of family and close friends. You don’t want
people to be checking their watches during your speech or hoping you’ll hurry things up.
Therefore, don’t ramble on forever. Your speech should be no more than 10 minutes unless
you’ve been given instructions otherwise. Think about how long do you usually sit still for a
YouTube video? There’s a reason the more popular ones aren’t very long. Learn from that.
5: Don’t say anything you’ll regret in 20 years.
Matter of fact, let’s amend this to, “Don’t say anything you’ll regret 10 minutes after saying it.”
Most kids who are selected to be graduation speakers are the kind who have always set a good
example. That said, every year, there’s always a few who want to take a controversial stand,
call out a teacher or administrator, or make an inappropriate joke. Hint: Don’t be that kid.
Instead, write a speech you can show to your own son or daughter 20 years from now and say,
“See, that’s how it’s done.”
6: Inspire your fellow students.
Commencement isn’t just about celebrating the fact that you finally earned your diploma. It’s
also about looking forward to all the places life will take you after graduation. You want your
fellow students to leave your speech feeling as though they’ve got the world by the tail and can
do anything now that they’re graduates.
7: Don’t use famous quotes.
Famous quotes are great for yearbook entries, not graduation speeches. So, put the famous
quotes book away. You are the graduation speaker. People want to know what you have to
say. The crowd doesn’t want to hear what Nietzsche or President Kennedy or King Ferdinand
has to say.
8: Don’t write “what’s expected.”
If you write a speech that’s expected, then what’s the point in anyone showing up? If it’s
something we’re all expecting to hear, then the odds are we’ve already heard it and there’s no
need to hear it again. Be original.
9: Be specific.
Details make things interesting. There’s nothing particularly original or interesting when you say
something like, “You know during our freshman year, we were somewhat unsure of ourselves,
lost in this big school, and apprehensive about the future.”
But the details that can make it far more personal and relatable.
Example: “You know, it’s amazing how much we’ve all changed in the last four years. On my
first day here at school, I could barely reach my locker. I remember thinking most of the senior
football players probably were at least 28-years-old. And sadly, I got lost trying to find
Freshman English and had to ask for directions – twice. Today, I’m proud to report that I can
reach my locker, the football players don’t look older than I do, and I can find any class on this
campus. And if all that’s true, just imagine how different will we all be two, four, or ten years
from now.”
10: Make your final point your most important point.
There’s a reason we’ve saved this for last. Obviously. But the contents of your speech should all
along be leading up to the final point of the speech – which will be the most important part.
This should be the line that people remember, and that people take away from your speech.
You can end it with a quote (not someone else’s famous quote – we already discussed that), a
memory, or words of wisdom to impart on your class, just as long as you end it with a punch.
The punch can be a funny story. It can be a snappy re-cap, or a call to action. Such as Kennedy’s
inauguration speech where he said, “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will
do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
To all my fellow Warriors out there, let me begin by saying congratulations, and despite the
unconventional format of our graduation, no one can take away our accomplishments. I am
willing to bet all my stocked-up toilet paper that this is not how many of us pictured our
graduation day.
I imagine that many of you out there feel the same sadness I do when I reflect about all our
“lasts” we missed out on. How could we possibly know that when we walked out of school on
that final Friday, that it would be our last day to walk the halls as seniors.
It is heartbreaking to be placed in a situation where our last opportunities to celebrate all our
accomplishments, hardships and triumphs were taken from us. However, I challenge you all to
conceptualize our predicament in a slightly different light. I believe that this pandemic has given
us the most important lesson of our high school career: Life is full of surprises, but we have to
believe that the past three years have instilled us with tools to navigate any curveball the world
throws at us, like a global pandemic or worse, a rearranged wise time schedule.
We are no longer those wide-eyed and clueless Grade 10s with no idea how to find the
bathrooms, comprehend why class ends at 3:33, or have to climb those three insufferable flights
of stairs to get to mathematics. We are the graduating class of 2020.
As we climbed that staircase as seniors, many of us have never looked down to see when the
next step is coming, but we all had faith that it would be there. This is why our graduating quote
— “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”, from Martin Luther King,
Jr. — is meaningful to each of us. It emphasizes that you do not have to know where life will
take you, you just have to start on the journey.
Before we toss our metaphorical caps in the air, I feel there are a few things that must be said. I
would love to start out by taking a moment to acknowledge all the other fantastic valedictorian
nominees, because it requires tremendous courage to put yourself out there for an opportunity
such as this. Every single one of us has endured experiences and garnered knowledge that could
be used to make an amazing speech, and therefore I am not going to pretend I have all the
answers. Instead, I’m going to let you all in on a secret that became abundantly clear with each
passing day: We do not have to have it all figured out, we just have to aspire to have the
confidence that we will.
Even though at this moment the future is very unclear, and we may be frightened by what comes
next, we also know that we have the teachings and support of a magnificent, interwoven
community. To parents: You have overcome many hardships and climbed many stairs to support
us in our journey, and are also probably experiencing one of the most petrifying transitions of
your life. Even though I am aware no amount of words can replace the experience of watching
your child walk across the stage, I hope you find solace in knowing that you are not alone, so
thank you for listening and supporting us.
To our faculty, educators, and administration: Thank you for always sticking by us, and fostering
our imagination and creativity; and learning quickly how to unmute yourself before you begin
your lectures.
Furthermore, we can never forget the part of the staircase that is behind us, as Wise Wood will
always be a part of our journey, and there will always be a part of us here. Not just as photos
onour graduation wall — which is one spectacular part of graduation we will always have — but
in so many other ways too. Is your face amongst your teammates hanging outside the
gymnasium; is your name on the honour wall, or drilled into an award plaque? Does your art
illuminate our stairwells?
Maybe your impacts were subtle — the unsung heroes who held open doors or you told the
teacher when the screen froze in the virtual lesson. No matter your actions, permanent or
ephemeral, you have changed Wise Wood, and Wise Wood has changed you . Whether you were
a member of the arts, sports or academics; Access, ESL, LEAD, PLP, Cluster, Gate or IB, you
are a Warrior. The moment you climbed those stairs with a desire to be a scholar, artist or
champion, you are a Warrior.
No matter what direction we go, our steps will keep rising, and us along with them, taking us on
diverging paths and making each of us distinct and exceptional human beings. Graduation is
abouthaving thecourage to take the first steps, facing an uncertain future with our heads held
high, and transitioning to a new beginning. It is about saying goodbye, and letting the staircase
transition into new and exciting adventures with each stride.
Even though this is our last official sendoff, and it was not entirely how we anticipated it, we are
not unprepared for this daunting beginning.We are ready. We are prepared even if the staircase
has no railing. We are prepared even if it skips every second step. We are even prepared if
the staircase moves underneath us.Thank you for allowing me this honour of saying farewell to
the bricks, tiles and especially the fantastic virtual classrooms, but never to the memories and
people who changed us and made us who we are.
Grace Marshall is the 2020 valedictorian of Henry Wise Wood High School.
To our honorable guest speaker, Governor Grace Padaka; our Chief Executive Mentor, Dr.
Genevieve Ledesma Tan; School President, Dr. Marl V. Ferenal; Vice President for Academic and
Research, Ms Marjorie Guttierez Tangog; Principal for Basic Education, Ms. Marie Vic F. Suarez;
members of the management, distinguished guests, faculty and staff, our dear parents, fellow
graduates, friends, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
According to Ralph Marston, “Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.” No man ever reached to
excellence in any one art or profession without having passed through the slow and painful process
of study and preparation (Horace). If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop
the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude (Collin Powell).
Excellence should be exhibited in everything that we do. Excellence is an attitude, an unconscious
desire to accomplish things excellently that would make us not meet the expectations but surpass
it.
Today, I have mixed feelings of delight and sorrow. Delighted because I can see how happy my
fellow graduates are. After the seemingly endless homework, quizzes, long tests and stress, we
managed to survive without any casualties. Seeing each of my batch mates’ faces somehow gives
me a little flashback of the many different memories with every one of you. I know we have all
shared amazing memories with each other, cried on each other’s shoulders or handkerchiefs,
laughed till that Pepsi spilled through our noses, and even argued like crazy but still, I see that the
bonds between us will never break and that this will be something we will always have. I also see
eyes slowly tearing up, which makes me feel sad because we must say our temporary goodbyes.
We have grown up together and have come to know each other as siblings. But just like in most
families, one way or another, siblings must say their goodbye eventually.
Being able to talk to all of you and share my thoughts is really a great privilege. I worked hard and
probably a bit harder than some of you for many reasons. One of these is because I want to show
the school that allowing me to study here in Southville as a scholar was not a waste. I wanted them
to know that I can be a model student and one does not have to have so much money to be able to
achieve success. I am a scholar because my dad works here so I try my best to act properly and
perform well to flaunt to everyone the product of loving, caring and disciplining hands.
I remember the saying “We cannot direct the winds but we can adjust the sails”. I experienced this
last year when Nathan Alarcon and I participated in the JAPI FedEx competition. We had 15 days
till the dead line. We had a load of work to do in school and we had the option to just give up. We
did not as we were taught not to easily give up. We collaborated and in exactly 15 days, we were
able to create a business plan that was able to make it to the finals. My fellow graduates, this proves
that what we will be in the future will depend on what we do with our lives today. We may depend
on many other people like our parents and teachers but at the end of the day, the one who would
“adjust the sails” would be us. Doing bad things may hurt your loved ones but they would haunt
you even more. Likewise, doing great things and knowing that you worked very hard for them
makes an achievement even sweeter because you know those are the fruits of your labor. I feel
very fulfilled because I know I worked hard for this and I always aimed for excellence. Getting
here was a bumpy ride but thanks to all the lessons, the guidance, the knowledge and the joy that
everyone shared with me combined with the values I have learned to develop, I was able to reach
where I am now.
When I was elected vice president of the student council last year, I had fun experiences because
of the people I met. The council works together and sees to it that things are accomplished, not
just accomplished but accomplished beautifully. We had so many problems along the way and
sometimes we need to be creative in finding solutions. My fellow graduates, don’t let the solutions
come to you, go and find it. Having a high position was even tougher because I had to show
everyone that I am a role model. This was not hard to do since I was raised in an environment that
taught me good values and manners.
I learned many different values from many people and situations. At the earliest part of my stay
here in Southville, I remember so well a well defined voice that was so full of enthusiasm and joy,
it influenced me to be enthusiastic in everything I do. She was there to guide me during my early
years and for that, I thank teacher Avic. Thank you for showing me that I shouldn’t only do what
I have to do but also inject enthusiasm to make it even more worthwhile.
To my grade school teachers namely: Ms. Gladys Mintu, Ms. Lani Cachapero, Ms. Mylene
Botalon, Ms. Jan Gutierez, and Ms Chiqui Reyes, thank you for always believing that I could do
better, and for still looking out for me even when I was already in high school. You are all so
approachable and always willing to give me pieces of advice that helped me become more
responsible and open to new things. I learned that opening up to new ideas and new experiences
intensify the knowledge that I gain in the classroom and for that I thank you very much.
To our former English teacher who gave us mental exercises every session to help develop our
intellect and gave us difficult challenges to show how much we are capable of, thank you Ms.Risa
Pangilinan. Though you are not here, in behalf of the whole class of Integrity and Compassion,
thank you for showing us that to be able to excel, one must learn to challenge one’s capabilities to
experience growth. To Sir Erwin Ragadio, who shows so much kindness that you cannot help but
give back even more love. Thank you, for showing us that we are a set of unique students who
have different areas of specialty. Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to join the JAPI
FedEx business plan competition because along with your mentoring, I was able to learn a lot
there.
To Mr. Ian Tapuro, thank you for honing my skills in math during MTAP reviews. They really
helped a lot especially in the math section of the entrance examinations that I took in the different
universities. To Ms. Violi Alducente, thank you for the love and care you showed to our class and
more thank yous for the great help you extended in my pass research. Despite the long hours of
typing unexpected mistakes during the experiment, we were able to develop an outstanding
research paper. To Ms. Icka Santos, thank you for the laughs and for making me and the other
members of the student council a set of great student leaders, As my current sponsor, thank you
for allowing me to bother you when I needed your advice, and most of all, for believing that despite
my wrong turns and de tours, I can still be a great student leader.
To our class adviser, Ms. Melanie Mendoza, thank you for being a teacher, a friend, and a mother
to all of us. Thank you for bearing with us and caring for us like we are your own children. To all
the other teachers who were part of my and all the other graduates’ journey in Southville, thank
you very much. As the saying goes, “A good teacher explains, a superior teacher demonstrates and
a
great
teacher
inspires.”
You
truly
inspired
all
of
us.
Also, I would like to thank all my Titas, the parents of my close friends, who allowed me to enter
their homes when we have activities that end late at night most especially to Tita Beth Rapisura,
who was always my fan. Thank you for always being so supportive.
To my closest friends and batch mates, thank you for making the sacrifices worthwhile, for making
every school day a party, for sharing your lunch with me, for talking nonstop about the Vampire
Diaries, for being supportive, for caring, and for the love.
Now, to those who I owe the greatest thanks of all, mom, dad, grandma and my brother, you were
always there for me when I felt like I wanted to give up. You always have a way to put a smile on
my face and you instill lessons in my head that continuously develop me into a fine young man.
Thank you for supporting me morally and financially and most of all, thank you for bringing me
into this world. Lastly, to the One above all of us, thank you for all the blessings you have given
me and everyone else.
Of all the values that I learned and will continue to learn, I find independence as the most
important. I first learned this lesson when I was in second grade. I was taught how to commute
alone from Southville Elizalde campus to our home in Bacoor, Cavite. I always felt scared but in
time I got used to it. My parents really did their best to make me an independent kid. Another
example of this was when my dad would ask me to study. At first he would force me to study but
as time went on, without me even noticing it, I was already studying on my own. I learned to
develop an initiative to study. From then on, I have been independently studying and that is all
thanks to my parents.
Independence is one of the most important values to have in order to become a good decision
maker and being a good decision maker helps one become a good leader and person. We cannot
just have fun all the time but at the same time, we cannot just study all the time. I think that if my
life was a short story, my mom would be the cheerful character because it was her who would push
me to go out, socialize, make friends, have fun and enjoy, while my dad would be the serious
character. It was him who reminds me to focus on my studies and give as much effort in studying
as when I’m playing. What I am trying to say is that we should find a balance. Balancing fun and
work creates an even better individual and I suggest that everyone should learn to do this.
Lastly, enjoying something that you do makes achieving things effortless. Sometimes it pays not
to worry so much about where you ranked but rather think about the joy you get with what you do.
I know that everyone feels extremely happy and our parents are proud that we are able to secure a
diploma after all these years. Always aim for excellence. Even if you enjoy what you’re doing, the
hardships will still be present. I know a lot who strive hard for success and a lot as well who,
unfortunately, just settle for mediocrity. Now, I would like to challenge you to push yourselves
harder and always aim higher because in doing so, you will be successful.
My fellow graduates always remember this famous quote by David Frost, “Don’t aim for success
if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.”
Thank you all, good luck and congratulations!
Good morning honored guests, President Itami, Dean Yamaguchi, Associate Dean Myoe and
Dean Li, all faculty, academic and supporting staff, friends, family, and all of you, graduates, the
class of 2019.
It is my great honor to stand before you all today as a representative of GSIR class 2019 and
deliver the valediction.
Before I get started my speech, let me say to my fellows from the class of 2019. Congratulations,
we made it. Finally, we can graduate from this school and become beloved alumni. Today is our
last day as master students. This is a good and bad thing. It’s a good thing because we could
avoid homework and exams for the rest of our lives, I hope. No more fear of failing the courses.
No more rush running for the school bus. No more yellow cards for partying in dorms overnight
and no more paying fine for forgetting our stuff in the kitchens. How cool it would be. But it’s
also a bad thing because we no longer can get a gakuwari for a cheaper shinkansen. I know, it’s
not really nice though.
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my supervisor Prof.
Hideaki Goto who has given so much to me so that I could motivationally submit my thesis on
time, and get a free pass to travel to Koide today and attend the graduation ceremony. I would
like to extend our gratitude to all the faculty of IUJ for being our supervisors, lectures and for
passing your vast knowledge and experience to us, for your patience, understanding and precious
guidance. Without your support, we would not have made it to this point of life. Thank you.
Thank you to OAA and OSS, OGA and of course Energy center who kept us warm in heavy
snowfall days, and all IUJ staff including MLIC, dorm staff, for all your kind assistance and
friendly behaviors towards us. Thank you shukudo and schoolshop team for feeding us,
especially throughout exam days, and for being our convenience all the time. We really
appreciate it.
I also would like to thank my family who could not be here in person today for giving me strong
inspiration, encouragement and unconditional love to overcome every difficulty. And thank all of
you, graduates and friends, for being always by my side. We together sit here proud graduates
today.
My sincere thank also goes to the Government of Japan for giving us the privilege to study at IUJ
and achieve our goals today. Thank you.
Think about how far we have come individually and as a class. Looking back to our first day in
IUJ, it seems like it was just yesterday. You may never forget your first class, your first teacher,
your first girlfriend, your second girlfriend, your third girlfriend, if you’re attractive enough,
maybe.
Our time here together as a graduate will not be remembered by grades, popularity, likes or
favorites, but by our relationships. IUJ – “where the world gathers”. Our IUJ is indeed unique for
its diverse environment with people from different backgrounds, countries, races, and religion.
We come to live and study together. We learn from each other. We support each other. I cannot
remember how many times my friend had to tell me to stop Facebook and stay focused on my
thesis writing. We are here spending sleepless nights together, of course for studying, cramming
for exams and sometimes for partying, or many times actually. Speaking of the uniqueness of
IUJ, if someone asks me “How do you enjoy your life in IUJ?”, I will say IUJ is the place when
you tell others that you’re going to hang out with your friends, it means you are going to “supa”,
or Aeon. These two are probably trendy addresses where we spend our leisure time here. But this
could not make IUJ become boring. In contrast, we will never forget our wonderful moments
together joining a variety of events in IUJ, not only academic affairs, but also sport and cultural
activities, our shared traditional dinners, and of courses, our pen down parties. We’ll miss the
amazing feeling after finishing all exams each semester. To be honest, I’ve started to feel empty
without any deadline ahead.
“Graduation, a conclusion of one chapter, a beginning of another”, said Catherine Pulsifer. Yes,
today we are here at the end of our academic journey, but our challenger journey just begins.
Today the graduation day is the proof that we are prepared to deal with challenges. So, do not
worry, class of 2019, because worrying never solves the problems and it never moves us an inch
closer to bright future. The best remedy to solve problems is something we have all been doing,
it’s the reason why we are here today, and that is hard work. We will work hard, we’ll face
challenges, and we’ll solve them because that is what we’ve learned to do at IUJ. There is
nothing in life more amazing than witnessing the fruitful result of our hard work. Everyone here
today is a winner. Be willing to go through whatever comes along to get you what you want.
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the very, very, very best.
Congratulations again and thank you!
So, you're the class valedictorian. That's amazing. Congratulate yourself on a job well done.
But now isn't the time to sit and relax. You need to write a valedictorian speech to give at your
commencement exercises. And it needs to be reflective of your high school or college career.
Gulp!
Don't stress, though. You got through four years and earned the highest grades in your class.
Clearly, you know a thing or two about writing and delivering a good speech.
In case you can't call to mind a great speech off the top of your head, we've got a few tips for
you.
Read on for some tricks and tips that will make your speech memorable.
1. Whatever You Do, Do Not Talk About Webster's Dictionary
Have you ever been to a valedictory speech where the valedictorian says a word like "honor" or
"memory" or even "valedictorian" and then talks about how Webster's dictionary defines it?
It's such a trope, it's made its way into popular culture.
That means seriously, don't use it. Talk about anything else other than how Webster's dictionary
defines certain words central to your speech.
Generally, you want to avoid graduation speech cliches and make your speech a certified
original.
2. Talk About What You've Learned in Your Valedictorian Speech
We're willing to be that many of your most important lessons weren't learned in the classroom
despite your success in it.
Take some time to talk about the lessons you've learned amongst your friends, when you were in
the school play, from your time on the soccer team or any other way you learned a lesson
throughout your time in school.
3. Make a Few Jokes
Don't get up there and list memories that you had or talk about success in a dry form.
Inject a little humor in there. Make your fellow students laugh with a funny story about
something that happened during your last four years together. We're willing to wager that at least
one funny thing happened in biology class or one of your teachers is known for a hilarious quirk.
4. Inspire Your Fellow Students
Commencement isn't just about celebrating the fact that you finally earned your diploma.
It's also about looking forward to the future and all of the places life will take you after
graduation. You want your fellow students to leave your speech feeling as though they've got the
world by the tail and can do anything now that they're graduates.
5. Use Quotes
Don't use Webster's Dictionary to define words, but do use quotes to uplift your fellow
graduates. Maybe even pick a quote out ahead of time to reflect on and craft your speech around
it.
The quote doesn't have to be from someone famous or well-known, it just has to make your
fellow graduates think and feel inspired by their words. It could even be a "famous" quote from
one of your teachers or faculty members!
6. Keep It Short and Sweet
Remember, your speech is important, or you wouldn't have been asked to give it. But don't go
overboard. People aren't there to see you specifically. They're there to celebrate their
accomplishments or the accomplishments of family and close friends. You don't want people to
be checking their watches during your speech or wanting you to hurry up.
Therefore, don't ramble on forever. Your speech should be no more than 10 minutes unless
you're given other instructions.
7. Speak to Other Students
Don't just craft a valedictory speech in the cold confines of your room. Instead, speak to other
students and find out what they're interested in, what has inspired them and what they'll
remember most. Your graduation is about all of the students, not just you, and you'll want your
speech to recognize their collective memories.
8. Make Your Most Important Point the Final Point
Your speech should be you leading up to the final point of the speech, which will be the most
important part. This should be the line that people remember, and that people take away from
your speech. You can end it with a quote, a memory, or words of wisdom to impart on your
class, just as long as you end it with a punch.
9. Always Practice Your Speech Before Hand
Never give a speech without practicing it. As valedictorian, we trust you already know that, but
we just want to make sure.
Try your speech out on a couple of fellow graduates and ask them what they think of it. You
might even practice on your parents or some of your teachers. If there are parts of the speech
they dislike, ask them to provide you with a few pointers so that you can make it better.
If you had a speech and debate teacher at school, he or she might be keen to help you practice
your speech. Take advantage of that, as you won't always have that luxury in the "real world."
10. Thank People
Always thank people in your speech. You didn't become the valedictorian on your own. And
your fellow graduates didn't get to the stage on their own either.
Acknowledge teachers, parents, friends, and siblings who contributed to not only your success
but the success of fellow graduates. You may even want to ask the students to give their families
and teachers a round of applause to show how much they respect them.
Writing the Perfect Valedictory Speech
A valedictorian speech shouldn't be overwhelming or daunting. Instead, think of it as a way to
connect with your graduating class one last time before you all go your separate ways. And, if
you're planning a career where you will be public speaking, think of it as a great way to practice.