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WHS 2021 Graduation Part 1

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Part 1 of the WHS 2021 Graduation at The Cross Insurance Center

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hello welcome to Windham High School's class of 2021 graduation ceremony I would like to thank all of the family friends and staff members for being here today the class of 2021 could not have made it here today with all of your support I would also like to say a big thank you to the whole medical world for creating a covid-19 vaccine and making it possible for all of us to come together for the special day this is the first time this is the first time the class of 2021 has been together as a whole in over a year so enjoy stay and take it all in so really listen to all of his speeches and focus on the special celebration cuz we are so lucky to be here today thank you please stand and join us for the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag of United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you it is my pleasure to introduce our 2021 class speaker button Miss burden is a graduate of Prescott High School from there she attended Hocking College majoring in political science after college she was a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay for 2 years working on sustainable agriculture while volunteering at teaching and Paraguay born fell in love with the language and the culture Define her to become a Spanish teacher to return the man and received her master's degree in education from USM in 2008 she student at whs and became a treasured staff member ever since this year the senior class Christmas burn to speak because she always encouraged us to speak Our Truth and have a powerful voice she teaches us to always have the courage to stand up for what's right concerning the person you referred when you should be the best person to share an inspiring Credit One thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being part of our journey and now I'm in I'm honored to introduce Miss Tiana Burton we made it right talk citing is this so I would like to start by sharing an excerpt from a poem entitled in this place an American lyric written by Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman this is an original poem written for the inaugural reading of poet laureate Tracy K Smith at the Library of Congress so I'm not going to read it in its entirety but I do encourage you to read the whole poem sometime soon worth it there is a poem in this place in the footfalls in the halls in the quiet beat of the seats here at the curtain of day where America writes a lyric you must whisper to say there's a poem in this place in the heavy Grace the lined face of the Snowbowl building collections Burns and reborn twice there's a poem in Boston's Copley Square where protest chants tear through the air like Sheets of Rain where the love of many swallows hatred of the few there is a lyric in California where thousands of students March for blocks undocumented and unafraid where my friends Rosa finds the power to Blossom in deadlock her spirit the Bedrock of her community she knows hope is like a stubborn ship gripping a doc a truth that you can't stop a dreamer or knock down a dream how could this not be her City soon asean our country our America our American lyric to write a poem by the people the poor The Prado the Muslim The Chew the native The Immigrant the black the brown the Blind and the Brave the undocumented and undeterred the woman the man been on binary the white the trans and Allied to all of the above and more hope we must bestow it like a whip in the poet so it can grow live bringing with it stories to rewrite the story of a Texas City depleted but not defeated a history written that need not be repeated a nation composed but not yet there is a poem in this place a poem in America a poet and every American who rewrites this nation who tells a story worthy of being told on the minnow of an earth to breathe hope into a polemicist of time a poet in every American who sees that our poem pain doesn't mean our columns and there's a place what is poem dwells it is here it is now in the Yellow song of dawn spell where we write an American lyric we are just beginning to tell these words really resonate with me in this wild crazy year and I believe that they can with you too they speak to us all because they embody the diversity of this nation they make space for people from all walks of life they include instead of exclude the words call us in instead of calling us out they are calling to use specifically the future of this country you leave this place today I doubt into the job market or institutions of Higher Learning they are a glimpse into what you have the opportunity to do as a generation that has more grit and persistence than any that has for these words are a gift I'm originally from Akron Ohio but I moved to May in at a young age my early schooling was sometimes a struggle because as a foster child you are moved and a lot at the age of 9 I was adopted and moved to Presque Isle I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Aroostook County but well Presque Isle is within the borders of this state it may as well I've been a different planet entirely my arrival there made ways that I didn't quite understand until middle school I think we can all agree that middle school is a weird time forever for me it'll school is where I was taught the difference between true belonging and simply being allowed or tolerated in a space it was awkward in all the ways that middle school is awkward but there was more as I navigated those three years one of four people of color in the building I thought about that for a long time while I was trying to figure out what I could stay here today about my own lived experience that would help please you into the world that would impart some small nugget of wisdom that you could all carry forward something that could help you make meaning of the trials and tribulations of Life yes but also of the Glorious Wonder of living in the Here and Now like this poem the last 15 months of your life have provided you with a gift now that gift was hidden under layers and layers like a favorite gift from above grandmother a box wrap and then placed inside a larger box and wrapped again and another and another a Russian nesting doll of a gift this particular gift was not easy to find under the lair anxiety stress and fear masks physical distance from your peers and families but in a thousand small ways I got to spend this year Watching as you unwrap that's fine Tiny Box some of you found the gift in the simple pleasure of sharing a space every other day with Pierce tears were as eager to see and talk to you as you were to them peers who understood without words how difficult the months apart had been some sounded in the knowledge that behind the mask your teachers were smiling ear-to-ear just to have you in your classrooms with your easy laughter your Boundless Energy and profound curiosity some found it in their work the sense of normalcy returning as you completed Math assignments were forced to speak in Spanish class or finish the shift as waitstaff Baggers and cashiers still others had to wait until early spring to return to any kind of normal team sport thinking three-pointer to win the game pitching a perfect inning I would even venture to Guess that for some of you you didn't find the gift until very recently when by a miracle of science you were able to participate some nearly normal senior activities like sports with actual Spectators singing with your choir for senior concert a senior prom and even this graduation the gift is best in spite of all the hardship you are here you get to celebrate the culmination not just of your secondary education but of a year that was best tumultuous and at worst devastating the gift is that you have done today something that was previously unheard of in the face of a global pandemic that stops Life as we know it around the world you held on to make it here I know that you've heard the word grit more in the last 13 years of your life than anyone can truly appreciate we asked much of you from the time you walk through are doors at the age of 5 one of the hardest things to achieve his grip because without hardship we never learn how to ride out a storm how to make yet a word that is Central to our vocabulary how to pick ourselves up even when it seems impossible especially when it seems impossible the gift is that you know now what you are truly capable of in times of strife and struggle you have developed a resilience beyond what we could have ever hoped in return you faced a multitude of disappointments over Milestones that you waited your whole life to experience senior breakfast homecoming a traditional prom and entire year designed to celebrate more than a decade's worth of your accomplishments you allowed yourself yourselves to grieve those losses but on the other side of your disappointment you found that those losses served a greater purpose to protect our school our community our state our America you came to understand that you losses were a result of the pursuit to save lives it is this sacrifice that has been your gift to humanity in my life I've faced many Crossroads it would be impossible count the number of times I was hopeful and those hopes were crushed by individuals by institutions and by systems that served and minimize my voice my worst at times my existence each hurdle at the time seemed insurmountable how along with all of the other challenges am I to conquer racism or sexism it's really something to tackle an accounting of the situations believe in systems that actively worked to prevent you from achieving success in your case a global pandemic on top of whatever isms you found yourself facing so now what what do you do with all of this I urge you to figure out what you have to offer the world today in this and every moment after you have the opportunity to be whatever you wish I hope you choose to not only speak truth but to always speak truth don't just travel from point A to Z checking experiences off one I won enjoy your journey walk your path with purpose because the only way to fail is to never take the first step find the place that needs a particular set of guests when you do keep in mind the words of Amanda Gorman and the thoughts and feelings that you have experienced in this upside down year of your life remember of the late John Lewis Times of Tim bank and get into good trouble find both what brings you Joy and what Joy you can offer to others Grant yourself Grace because you will make mistakes but the mesh have a good person is not a sum of their mistakes or their Strife it is in their response to those very things I have been fortunate to watch as you grew into the impressive young adults I see before me now I have hope that the lyric you write for America will be one that both Embraces the individual and takes care of the whole one that strives to ensure that all children get the opportunity make it to this day no matter what I have faith that you can be that generation and I look forward to hearing your poetry congratulations Windham High School class of 2021 thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey at this time it is my honor to introduce our class salutatorian Drew Matthew good afternoon to the family friends staff yes and graduates here today I would like to welcome and thank you for taking part in the Windham High School class of 2021 graduation ceremony to those of you who do not know me my name is Drew Matthew and I'm proud to be speaking as salutatorian of the class of 2021 the last year-and-a-half I said overwhelming challenging Life as we knew it was completely thrown off course and unpredictable challenges were dealt with despite the challenging times the past year has thrown we as a society where April 1st we were able to make sacrifices day in and day out and it's time to seek the road to recovery in the covid-19 pandemic and today today March one step closer to fully emerging in the dark tunnel which we found ourselves do all the medical workers Frontline workers and everyone to put the lies of others about their own to help us through these difficult times thank you we could not have done it without you before I begin I want to personally thank some individuals that have been to sport my life to my parents the support you provided me over the years I'm incredibly grateful for without you I would definitely not be where I am today my little brother Carter where are you buddy play Man anyone could ask for I know you got to do great things in life the rest of my the rest of my family and friends I also want to thank you last memories would not be possible without you to coach Manzo thank you for being there every step of the way since middle school you consistently supported me and allowed me to develop the person and athlete I am today lastly I also did they call the Windham High School staff and teachers for everything they have done to mr. Karen mr. Rossetti miss me shoe mr. Howell thank you for making this year possible I can only imagine the difficulties of navigating this year and you've done a phenomenal job and keeping our school safe and allowing for in-person learn to take place and for that I think they are deserving of a nice round of applause thank you now why are we here today today marks a very important day today is today we the class of 2021 graduate and go our separate ways I'm sure your loved ones are truly proud of you right now my humble opinion if you're in need of some gas money now would be the time to ask we always told that the four years of high school would fly by and I never understood only understood how truthful is Saint was until I'm standing here at this very moment as we are together today I can't help but think back and remember all the memorable events are taking place throughout those four years I remember coming to high school as a freshman wandering the Halls lost and really hoping I didn't receive number locker but I am proud to say I can reach those upper lockers a big milestone how about all those Spirit weeks after all the years watching the senior class to take the free victory at the pep rally rather unfortunate we never got our time to shine the only Tucker remember we have is a squirrel being able to cancel the entire event I think that poor fella wearing that day that electrical wires are not such a good snack how many of you remember when Nathan was able to bend a stop trying trying to catch a frisbee really I mean that's impressive how about recent event whereas are created his very own burger joint and how about the last four years also leaving us both him and his now Infamous prox Ferrari boat and of course we can't forget mr. Neil's Music relaxing lines but in reality his memories are riding the final words this chapter in our lives graduation day is here year 2021 which seemed forever far away when it first appeared in our school email addresses over 7 years ago is here as you look to your left until you're right this is last time we will be together as high school students and wants to walk up on this stage a new chapter begins and with that in mind it is time for the police chases what is the speech without them no matter what next year and there's Beyond hold each and every one of you has an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the world or generation is entering the world and it's time that we which it needs us the most and every one of you has a purpose to fulfill as you leave this building today your high school years are over the world is now in your own hands no matter what you decide to do or where life takes you don't live with regrets it do not let the fear of failure discourage you and striving for success make your dreams a reality as the only thing stopping you from achieving them is your own mind remember success is most easily achieved by doing what makes you happy in life and most importantly never giving into the top times when faced with the 11th challenges in life do not let them to find you instead let your response to them be more powerful in life with perseverance in adversity you can and will overcome the challenges a diplomatic it's only a platform for the beginning of something great and with that in mind when your name is called today be proud but also remember that your guests are getting hungry you know also keep in mind that it's never too late to receive that D1 track scholarship you know I didn't want you may choose to walk up on the stage but I think we all hope you choose to Sprint I have no doubt in my mind that you can work will lead by example and moving quickly but in all seriousness thank you to everyone that has had an impact in my life and being able to spend the last four years with this class has been an incredible time while our past May part ways here the memories will not and you should feel both proud of what you have accomplished and look forward to what's to come to all the guests in attendance today I think I can safely speak all the graduates that we really appreciate you being here and are very thankful for helping us get to this incredible life milestone I'm thrilled that we are able to hold a graduation ceremony today after over a year of uncertainty so with that so long class of 2021 and so long when I'm high school and is now my honor to introduce Dustin Noonan the third third honor SAS wish you all the best of luck thank you hello everybody just like to say first off thank you all for being here today parents teachers fellow classmates this is it this is the end of one long academic journey and I'll look at all those looking back we spent a lot of time apart of the Windham High School Community it went by so fast. Well except for the time I was in class staring at the clock wishing that it would go buy just a bit faster I just want you here are still staring at that clock working wishing the speech would go buy just a bit faster now no more Bell no more waiting the day is come we get to walk out into the real world but then one that is the question we all know have bearing on our shoulders what do we do with the future glowing brightly just be on today luckily Windham High I was giving us the foundation for all the different paths we have in the store we're lucky of teachers friends family coaches and others who supported us continue to do so as we move onto this new stage in our lives let me leave you this from the words of Albert Einstein I never think of the future it comes soon enough so let's all take this time to be present in this moment be proud of this achievement to thank those who helped us along the way and to embrace the celebration around us because the Future come soon enough thank you I'd like to introduce the second honor essayist and electric start good afternoon everybody writing a speech for a thousand people is a little more difficult than I expected because even though a thousand is a foggy mobile number is difficult point exactly what I can say is important to every single person listening I struggled for days because there are so many things I could say that I want to say they're all just jumbled ideas and themes but I can't really connect I decided that maybe at the last minute just writing it for myself will be a little bit easier all I can think about is how much I've changed and things like I'd wish I'd known this or I'd wish I had done that consequently this is a list of three things I would tell myself if I had to do high school again when I started high school I felt pressure to be an adult I wanted to be more mature and force myself into understanding why the truth is there is no adult I have ever met the knows what is going on and I think that the Keystone of adulthood is accepting the fact that nobody knows what's going on and nobody can ever really know all the answers number two I spent a lot of time in high school staying closed. I thought that I was out of place from everyone and that I did not understand social life I made it by Prime gold a single myself out but in reality I just have those of self-esteem and when I hang out with people I felt so embarrassed of myself but I closed myself off even more just recently in the past two years I realized the opening up was the only way to really make friends and being vulnerable and being yours is he on the way to connect people even though I may overshare sometimes other people can't really love you if you can't love yourself and the best thing that I did in high school was learn to love myself number three my friend told me once that life is just not me sprinkle with moments of happiness I agreed with them at the time but over the course of the past few years I've learned to love the monotony just as much as the moment to sprinkle blessed if you wait for the really exciting stuff you missed the perfectly ordinary moments that occur every day I felt miserable so much because I was waiting for Perfection when it was already in front of me going to the grocery store my dad and running around looking for him in the aisles even though it should be easy because he's six foot five listening to the Smashing Pumpkins with my mom on repeat in the car arguing with my brother because I Black Widow would win a fight with Harley Quinn and I'm still pretty sure I'm right calling my friend from calculus because it's the night before tests and we don't know Euler's method and crying or laughing when making pizza with my friend Ethan from work even though it's a Friday night and my boss wants to yell at us all these moments seemed ordinary to me at the time and I ignore their Brilliance while I waited for the big things that life has to offer but looking back I realized it or all the moments that I live for it and wish I could list continuously living for the big things is overrated when you have people to make every day special before I really sat down and wrote this I talk to the other say it we were also hung up on just increases because they are just so cringy to listen to and reading back on this I realize it is just a repeat of all the cliches I've ever heard the only difference is not accept the fact that they true rather than play it off cool if I could I would do high school over and over again without hesitation because becoming the person I am today is worth it and I if I could leave one thing from all of my classmates it is the only reason we hate Chris days it's because they are so obnoxiously trim and denying their inherent accuracy is just a waste of precious time thank you I would now like to introduce my dear friend and the second honor essayist Sophie fit when I was little as soon as I realized my older sister didn't wear diapers any longer I to declare myself done my sister got bangs so I got bangs my sister dressed herself so I had to start to my sister went to school already so I couldn't wait to start you get the idea 3 years old with two blondes details in a purple sweater I strode into the cinnamon scented wallpaper covered Paradise that was gingerbread Hill Nursery School excited that they may have been school was not the Super grown up Utopia I had anticipated as it turned out you trying to leave when they drop you off and you have to stay there all day terrifying I was uncertain scared I wasn't at home and for many of those first days I ended up in tears primary Manchester Middle School flew by March by Shel Silverstein books excel math assignments by the time I made it to high school I did not cry when I left home each day rather I was in a misguided rush to pass the time well I did cherish close relationships with my friends and teachers all I really wanted was to get to the year while blending in and it wasn't just me if you looked around our freshman year you'd see a bunch of kids I'm sure who they are blindly following fashion fads and seeking dates to homecoming as if their lives depended on it but waiting around now as seniors which is our clothes because we like which is our date because we want to be with them we get haircuts because we want them and specifically not just because our sisters have them importantly do our careers because we are interested in them little left to chance we outlined the Futures we want to live because what's the point in energy on the Futures we don't the class of 2021 is here today because we listen to the guidance of our parents coaches teachers and Friends perhaps more importantly though you are all here today did you listen to your gut every step of the way who to be friends with which classes to choose which dogs to work which colleges to apply to the very fact that you're sick here before me today it's a testament to your intuition as ultimately the only person who could have chosen any of this was you on that same note too many Primary School by time spent reading Shel Silverstein Where the Sidewalk Ends this is his poem The Voice there is a voice inside of you that Whispers stay long I feel that this is right for me I know that this is wrong no teacher preacher friend or we can decide what's right for you just look to the voice that speaks inside the voice speaks inside has allowed us to grow from timid freshman too confident graduates guilty feeling wrong decision is distinctive and like Pavlov's dogs we've all been conditioning ourselves to become better people people who are proud to become we are apart of a generation that has largely do stigma mental health struggles in the losses postponements and cancellations in pandemic and witness the largest civil rights movement to take place in more than half a century so intern compassionate boss has Haitian parents and fierce advocate for our friends but I also hope we will become adults who are unafraid to advocate for ourselves we must pursue their careers relationships and lives we truly want to have because again what's the point of wasting energy on lives we don't I trust that our class will be guided by our own philosophies as they apply to all circumstances listen to that voice in your head and never allow yourself to become rigid in your ways but rather Dynamic adopting evolving and never contradicting what you know to be true this is not a matter of fact but a matter of feeling thank you to my mom and dad for giving me the intuition that has become an integral part of and thank you Shel Silverstein for providing me with a personal philosophy that does not similarly Inseparable from who I am and I hope he doesn't mind that I fired it here's to hoping first few days of college one fall fewer tears than those a preschool so I suspect that they won't Lashley here's to believing that we the Windham high school class 2021 we'll stay true to ourselves out in the world always listening to the voice that speaks inside thank you and it is now my honor to introduce the valedictorian of the class of 2021 Haley to Verge this was so much less terrifying when there was nobody here good afternoon I would like to start by offering on behalf of myself and my fellow classmates a most sincere thank-you to the Educators staff coaches parents families and friends who are here today in celebration of this milestone your dedication and commitment to the furthering of our education into the beginning of our future endeavors have not been overlooked it is because of each of you that we are able to cross the stage representing a successful conclusion to a very crucial our lives in the commencement of yet another when I finally started to think about writing the speech I had absolutely no idea where to start each day I convinced myself that if I just waited a little longer to start writing something would come to me this unfortunately was not the case so I did what any good valedictorian would do and I typed how to write a graduation speech into Google and hope for the best when I got thousands of results all with unbelievably information I felt entirely overwhelmed and discouraged so I close my laptop and I waited some more as the days go by the anxiety of a begin to consuming each minute of each day was soon overrun with the worry behind the whole process what side to have the tassel on my cap hanging from how I would make it across the stage without tripping over my own two feet what hand to accept my diploma with and how the Cadence of my speech would affect my time behind a podium my last week's as a senior in high school became blurred by the things I D and I realize that I had been holding my breath then I did some reflecting on the past four years and that's when I came to an important realization now before I tell you what my realization offer say that if you ask my parents will tell you that I'm terrible at practicing patience yeah you can agree it's okay my reflection I realize that I'm at I really good at being patient just not in the way they'd like me to be the fact of the matter is I have always been waiting third grade for example I was waiting for the day when we graduate to the Manchester school because the playgrounds there were just so much wooden ones we had go a little further to 5th grade and I was waiting for the day when we no longer had to line up to walk through the hallways because it made me feel small and childish skip to the sixth grade and I cannot contain my excitement for the following year when we will be able to bring our laptops stay in 8th grade I was willing each day to pass that I would finally be able to have the freedoms of a high schooler if you think about it each of us has mastered the art of waiting over all 12 years of our education waiting for Spirit Week waiting for the next game winning for prom waiting for driving and waiting especially for the next time they would serve Thanksgiving Panini's in the cafeteria and each time a coach or a teacher would remind us how quickly High School do buy we would always brush them off because we have four years and that felt like an eternity as a freshman now this doesn't happen often as I'm sure my parents will tell you but I have to admit that I could not have been more wrong I stand before you today I am reminded of the quickness with which the Paw 4 years have slipped through my fingers and many of my classmates feel the same way so why is it that we experienced this phenomenon will let me ask you this you are being completely honest with yourself how many of you in the stands are thinking about that you might be getting after the ceremony is over how many graduating seniors are waiting for the ceremony to be over so that they can finally have their diploma and began the real celebration and lastly how many people in this room are genuinely and hundred percent present in this moment if you happen to fall into this last category I commend you for you may have found the secrets of this element we are always waiting it can be anything from waiting for my work week to be over to waiting until the big milestone down the road unfortunately we missed out on the small moments that we would otherwise cherish that being said I invite you to view to be present at this moment to take in the gravity of the accomplishments I highlighted on this day either as a parent watching your child receive their diploma or is it classmate knowing all of the hard work and the tears that went into each achievement to my fellow graduates don't let this Milestone be an example of another moment you missed John while waiting for something else for most of us we have witnessed each other develop into the people we are now over the span of 12 Years Learning together competing together and growing together it is important to understand the immeasurable impact we've all had on one another each of us is an intricate Mosaic of all of those who have held the place of importance within our lives as we continue to conclude chapters in our story and to craft New Beginnings we come reflections of those who we surround ourselves with Weatherby something you picked up from your parents over the years or the Cascade of actions following a random smile from a stranger in the grocery store each second of Our Lives is the unique brushstroke on the artwork that each of us represents this is why some of the most memorable moments of Our Lives aren't always a life-changing Milestones but rather the smallest moments that define each of us as individuals and that we carry with us through each chapter of our story so are the graduating class of 20 one closes out this chapter remember to be present within even the smallest moments there is only one certainty in life each second will pass don't waste a second to have waiting for the next to come thank you

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WHS 2021 Graduation Part 1

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