Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Henry Adams once wrote "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." This is so true, every teacher here has taught us much more than the textbook curriculum. Every teacher here tonight has given us students something we will use or remember for the rest of our lives. I really don't think people understand or appreciate the time and effort our teachers have put into us. So tonight I'm not going to give everyone advice on the future, I'm not going to tell you how life is a journey we've just begun, and I'm not going to brag about how great the class of 2006 is. Since we have eight outstanding Valedictorians this year, I'm sure all of those bases are already covered. So instead, I'm going to take a few minutes here to thank some of the teachers and staff that have made a difference in my own life, and by doing so I hope that everybody present tonight will see how important each and every teacher and staff member is at Amos High School. I'd like to start out by thanking Mr. Addington. Not only is he the Clay and Ceramics teacher at AHS, he is the wisest man I know. I have asked him so many questions this year, and he has always helped me figure things out, but instead of letting me be lazy and simply telling me his answers, he asks me the questions and makes me think it out. Mr. Bassett is the smartest man I know. He keeps the entire school district's computer network up and running, he created a computer program that lets kids and parents check their grades from their home computers, as well as another program that he sold to the government. While doing all this, he still made extra time to help me survive his Windows 2000 class since I hadn't taken the required prerequisites and was pretty lost. Mr.... ...already talked about, and the ones that I did not get a change to mention, but I don't have time. Parents and people of the community, please see what great people these teachers are, and remember how much of their lives they give freely to their students. Teachers, whether you know it or not, you have affected each of us so much. The people that I have talked about are only teachers on my own list of important people at Amos High School. Every single student in a cap and gown right now has their own list, every one of you has impacted someone's life, and we will never forget you. Without your time and effort, none of us would be where we are today, and none of us would have been the leaders that we will turn out to be. You have made our experience at Amos High School truly great, and it will be hard to say goodbye, but from the graduating class of 2006, thank you.