Graduation

“Roses are red...Violets are blue…There are many students in this school...But Wayzata is always there for you”.

Good evening  everyone,

My name is ____________, some of you probably know me as_____ or ______.  First of all, I would like to take this moment to congratulate my fellow students and myself for graduating high school today. One really interesting fact about me is that this is my first and my last year at Wayzata High School, yes you heard me right, I joined this school in the year 2019 and today is the day I graduate as a senior from this high school. I moved here from Bangalore, India in the month of July and it has been quite the journey ever since.

To share a bit more about my life, I was born in Boston, Massachusetts and I moved to India when I was 6 to spend time with my Grandparents and my relatives. Living in India for 11 years has taught me many morals and how perturbing poverty can be. Child marriage for young girls is still a practice and many young girls still suffer, as they are not granted the opportunity to attend school and get educated.

I consider myself to be very fortunate to have had the opportunity to come back to America and to continue my education in this wonderful institution.

“Every ending has a new beginning”, today we are ending our journey as high school students but we are also starting our next step towards education...college!.

There is that nerve wrecking feeling in the bottom of our guts just listening to that word…”college”, but at the same time the excitement to start college keeps us on our feet. I still remember that first day, orientation day, I walked through those doors...feeling excited and nervous at the same time, but the my link leaders made it so much for easier for me and made me feel like I belonged here, so thank you Erica and Ava for making me feel like a true Wayzata Trojan.

Being in this school has taught me so many life lessons and has given me the feeling of belonging because we are so fortunate for having school counselors and social workers for always having our backs when we were struggling to move forward. So I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff members who have always helped me through tough times and got me back on track to keep moving forward towards achieving success.

And how can I possibly forget to thank my dear teachers who have always been there for me, picking me up whenever I fell and giving me the boost to move forward as a student? So to my dear  teachers and other staff members, we love you and thank you so much for your patience and effort towards helping all of us grow into good and hard working students.

I would also like to thank my first teachers in life...my parents for having helped me and my sister move back to the United States and giving us the wonderful opportunity in continuing my education here and for showering me with love and affection and caring despite my mistakes. 

And my dear friends where do I start from?....Thank you for supporting me and loving me despite my imperfections. Thank you for the best memories that you have helped me create, and lastly thank you for the helping me out during the quizzes that I wasn’t prepared for, just kidding!, maybe.

Overall, Wayzata has given me the most wonderful opportunities to grow not only in academics but in extra curriculars too. It has been such a wonderful experience and I would do anything to have this experience all over again.

I would like to end my speech with a quote from my all time role model, Mr.A.P.J Abdul kalam…

“Money can buy a house,

But not a home.

Money can buy a bed,

But not sleep.

Money can buy a clock,

But not time.

Money can buy a book,

But not knowledge.

Money can buy food,

But not an appetite.

Money can buy insurance,

But not safety.

Money can buy position,

But not respect.

Money can buy blood,

But not life.

You see, money is not everything!”

So, in the same way… money can buy you an education, but not the cherishable memory of being a Trojan,

Thank you!

Slow and steady wins the race. Since I was a toddler, my mother has patiently reminded me of this moral from “The Tortoise and The Hare” nearly every single day, but in our fast-paced lives, how often do we really follow this? Everything around us moves at light-speed. Information that could only be found buried in the pages of an almanac can now be accessed in seconds. “Hey Alexa, what’s the weather?” Food that once needed to slowly boil for hours is now ready in minutes. Thanks, Instant Pot! These modern-day conveniences were introduced to free up time in our lives. But instead they’ve done the opposite.

We are hooked on the incredible efficiency of these products and crave the same speed in every part of our lives. On average, we judge a website in 15 seconds. And if a webpage doesn’t load by then? Next! But even harsher than our treatment of websites, is our treatment of ourselves. We have to be doing something, in fact more than one thing, all the time. Waiting in a line? Phone! Sitting in the car? Music! Even when we’re just watching TV, we’re scrolling through our feeds at the same time. And these are still leisure activities! Between jobs, clubs, sports, volunteering, challenging classes, and attempts to maintain some semblance of a social life, we’ve boiled away our days into perfectly scheduled chunks of time, down to the minute.  

Despite my mother’s reminders, I quickly fell prey to this lifestyle myself. I was filling up my days with as much as I could, and it still always seemed to be less than those around me. By sophomore year, I did not spend one waking moment stress-free. I memorized speeches for English in between sample problems in Math, did Math homework in between notes in Bio, and still spent my nights doing endless readings for Euro. Weekends were even worse. Darting from volunteering to competitions while delivering mountains of apologies for bailing on my friends again, there never seemed to be a break. 

At this point I was averaging four hours of sleep a night, which left my body trying to compensate all day. Accidental naps during lectures often left me rushing to answer questions through yawns and droopy eyelids to keep my teachers from catching me. Sorry, Mrs. Laden. But worst of all, I slept through the time my family deserved and the rare occasions I spent with my friends. Soon, their invites dwindled away and my family had no choice but to work around doing things with me. Under all this strain, my health began to crumble too. In short, packing my days to the brim had left me miserable, lonely, and trapped in a cycle of endless inadequacy. The more I tried to do, the less I really accomplished. It felt like it was only a matter of time before all the pins I’d been juggling fell.

When it came time to register for junior year courses and clubs, my mom finally threw me a rope. She sat me down and told me this simply could not continue for my wellbeing. And because she missed her daughter. She helped me prioritize, eliminate unnecessary obligations, and recognize that I could only be happy doing things that held true meaning for me. 

Within our graduating class, we have musicians who have played at Carnegie Hall, future scientists that are national champions, and the best football players in the state. And all of them will tell you that nothing about their achievements was quick. Through endless hours of practice and perseverance, they prioritized their passions and talents to grow to the level they have attained now. 

Seeking to be speedy and efficient like the machines we love so dearly, too many of us have lost touch with the gifts we all have that make us human. While we still have to keep up with our ever-changing world, let’s make sure we still take time to indulge in the activities we enjoy. To give attention and care to the people we value most. To make memories that will leave us feeling much more content years from now than any stack of certificates ever could. 

However fast we try to be, time will always be quicker. While each individual school day might have felt neverending, the whole high school experience seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye. Trying to beat time obviously hasn’t worked, so let’s befriend it. Make the most of it not by filling every second of it, but by enjoying every moment of it. 

I hope the time you’ve given me today, you’ve found to be greater than a sum of minutes and seconds. I hope it’s inspired you to realize that life is not just a span of time for us to fill, but a gift for us to enjoy.

Thank you.

Thank you for that lovely introduction, I am so honored to be up here speaking to you all today. Hello Class of 2020! I could address you all in many different ways. Risk takers, adventure seekers, studious seniors, or my personal favorite, FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONS! Our class of 2020 was a part of 18 state championships at Wayzata High School. That’s a remarkable number, but that is not all that defines our student life, even for me, the sports reporter that can’t let go the state championship win. Along with football, it is the diverse selection of clubs, sports, and activities that students are offered at Wayzata High School. There truly is something for everyone, and everyone can find who they are and their passion with all of the options to explore here.

Since freshman year, what seemed to connect all of the grades and allow us all to band together for something is the athletics and activities/extra curriculars at Wayzata High School. The high school offers many unique activities that can represent any student no matter their passion or interest. Having the opportunity to be in a collective group, working towards a shared goal, and finding unity in collaboration is something that Wayzata High School caters to students aside from academics. Us Trojans have an immense amount of pride for any team that is going head to head to represent our school, whether that be the football team, Quiz Bowl, and DECA. Many of these clubs are great displays of diversity and the opportunities that students have to share their truth. The clubs that represent our school like Dare 2 Be Real or Amnesty International bring a new voice to students that have something more to teach us all beyond the books.

I certainly found my passion in the journalism studio down the long hallway in the art wing. I even got to spend some time on the field with a camera, documenting a memory for our community. I thank Wayzata High School for giving me the opportunity to be right along the sidelines with the boys reporting on what I love for the community that I grew up in. The opportunities I got at Wayzata High School are unmatched as well. Being able to be part of something so huge is something that I will carry with me for a long time. I’m going to tell you how I feel the only way I know how, through sports analogies.

The time I spent at athletic events was a huge part of my high school career, especially senior year when I had the chance to write and report about them. Thinking of counting down to Friday nights to watch the football game, to watch some of my best friends on the field, with more of my best friends in the stands. Counting down the seconds until halftime for the domino fall so you have somewhere to sit, counting down the final seconds of the game to cheer as loud as you can to celebrate the win, counting how many minutes you need to drive home to stay out with your friends as late as possible on a Friday night, or counting down the days until the next game day in the fall.

This social construct of time seemed to be drawn out my whole high school career, and I know it was for everyone in their lives too. Everything went so slow. Counting down the minutes in boring classes, counting down the days and grinding through the horrible stretch of 5-day-weeks from Presidents’ Day to spring break, and the countdown from Spring Break to summer. This countdown, to the end of my senior year, went by a little faster. I spent a lot of time thinking about how during freshman year I never thought I’d get to the point of sitting in Mariucci Arena with 1,000 of my closest friends getting ready to get handed your high school diploma. Counting down from four years to sit where we are now. The count down never ceased, you always had another year to look forward to, and more events and activities to enjoy. There aren’t any more years after this one at Wayzata High School. No more years to look forward to, no more days at high school left, and only a couple more sporting events left.

Counting down the days from the time I stepped into Wayzata High School for my last first day of school, knowing that there was less than a year until I would walk into that building for my last last day of school at Wayzata. I never thought that the day would come, and now that it has come and gone, I, for one, am ready to take a pause and for life to slow down. As you count down the next three months to depart for the next chapter of your life, spend the time with people that make you excited to come home. You’re going to have to part from some of the friends that you have known your entire life, which has been in Wayzata, but the friends you met and the experiences that you’ve had will be with you for your entire life. The friends that you stood out in the cold with to show your loyalty for the boys that you knew would pull it together eventually. The brothers you played on the field with. The sisters you shared your clothes and house and everything with. The friends that you stayed up late with when you still had to go to school the next day. The friends that you learn with. The people that you spend the most time with. The team you went to state with. Your days with them aren’t over, but different. They are numbered. You might be counting down the days until you leave, but you don’t know how many of those days you’ll get anymore. Cherish every single day left with life just how it is right now. Just like in the sections and state tournament, you never know when you’ll get knocked out or how many games you have left. Play every game like it’s your last, and live every moment like it’s the last time you’ll ever get that opportunity ever again. Appreciate the small things in life. Stay positive, nothing can ruin a good moment more than an ounce of negativity. I thank Wayzata High School for helping me to find my passion, and I know everyone else took great steps alongside me to find their passion too.

Class of 2020, without you, I wouldn’t have learned all of these things and grown as much as I did, and I definitely wouldn’t be up here speaking right now in front of you. I am honored to have been chosen, and I am blessed that I got the chance to do life with you all for the last 13 years. Thank you for helping me grow, and I am thankful that I was a part of your growth as well. Go off and do great things! For the final time, your Trojan sports reporter ______________, signing off.

Good afternoon.

On behalf of the Senior Class, I would like to thank and welcome those who make Wayzata High School flourish. To the board members for the wisdom you bring and the clear vision you lay out for Wayzata, we thank you. To the administration for making the tough calls when needed and giving us lots of snow days, we thank you. To the staff and faculty who give your all each and every day to ensure we receive a marvelous education, we thank you. To each member of each family represented in the senior class, for your support and sacrifice, we thank you. And, we love you.

This class of 2020 has undoubtedly been one of the most outstanding classes in Wayzata High School’s history. SO much has changed since we entered the walls of this airport-like institution. For instance, the new lunch trays make great sleds in winter, my lungs are now filled with hundreds of pounds of baby powder, and the school even changed their Wi-Fi system. I’m actually really disappointed that we didn’t end up hacking that. Oh wait, that’s right, we kind of did. I will never forget the first day I discovered how to watch Disney Plus on my iPad. Sorry, Mr. Gengler. But these changes are for the good, really, they are for the better. 

Over the past four years, we’ve all developed an identity. A sense of who we think we are and who we’re not. In years to come, I implore you, don’t let yourself be limited to who you think you should be or who society thinks you should be. Don’t be like an elephant in a circus – I’m serious! Have you ever thought about it? They are these huge creatures being held on by nothing but a small rope tied to their leg. No chains. No cages. These animals could break free at any time, but because they believe they can’t, they are stuck right where they are. Like the elephants, how many of us went through high school hanging onto a belief that we couldn’t do something, simply because we were being held back by old, outdated beliefs that no longer served us? Or even worse, how many of us were held back by someone else’s limiting beliefs? 

Wherever our passions lie or whatever our background may be, everyone has a purpose at this school. From 8:20 in the morning, we count down 6 hours and 50 minutes as we immerse ourselves in learning, Southwest Salad Bar, and good company. But why? Whether you are a student-athlete, involved in theater, in speech and debate, or play an instrument, you have a why. Your why is what gets you through the day, even if you are faced with challenges and adversity. It’s an energy. It’s your reason for speaking. It’s your motivation that creates consequences. It’s the ultimate fuel that moves you towards your vision. And, it’s not going to be the same as any person sitting next you, ever. So, as we advance to the next chapter of our lives – I ask you again: What is your why? What will allow you to flourish and be fulfilled? I would like to share this quote with you by DeVon Franklin: “So many times, we get up in the morning, we’re depressed. We’re down. We’re angry. We’re frustrated. But when you can wake up saying, ‘I am glad to be alive. There is purpose to this day.’ To me, that is success. And I would argue that once you have that internal success, then externally it’s just a manifestation of what happens internally in the best possible way.”

As you think about what lasting fulfillment looks like in your life, know that there is a force within you that has a bigger dream for you than you could ever imagine for yourself. Success comes when you allow yourself to surrender to that dream and let it lead you to the next best place. Continue to ground yourself in your why, because things are not always going to go your way. I hate to break it to you, but despite the MCAs, SATs, AP Exams, SAT Subject Tests, the PSAT, the ACT, life still isn’t done testing us. But, that’s okay. I mean, nothing great happens in the comfort zone. Continue to step out of it. Jump out of it. Run out of it. Because when we reach that periphery, that’s where the magic happens. 

Make the choice to turn up the volume that is unique to your calling. To the highest, purest, fullest version of yourself. Fulfilling your purpose, your meaning, your why, is what gives you that powerful spark of energy that will only make you glow. 

Thank you, faculty, thank you graduates, thank you parents. And Congratulations Wayzata Class of 2020. 

I firmly believe we can and we will. Just watch us. Say it with me: We Can. We Will. Watch Us. 

I mean, come on, we are Wayzata graduates now.

Thank you (person who introduced me), Principal Gengler, Superintendent Chace Anderson, and the school board. Graduates, family members, friends, and staff, it is an honor to be a part of this celebration. As I started reflecting on our past four years in high school, I started thinking of all our times together. I realized that no two people had the same experience. We may have attended the same school, with the same teachers and the same people, but our four years together were extremely different. I struggled to think of a common ground that tied us all together. I came to the realization that we all had different experiences leading us up to this point. The only thing we all shared was that we attended Wayzata High School. 

Most of us started our high school experience the same way, at Link Crew Orientation. Although we were all in the same place, with the same link leaders, listening to the same speech, we were having very different days. 

Early freshman year was our first real dance, homecoming. I don’t know about other middle schools, but West being the best middle school, had a sixth grade dance. The entire dance was supposed to take place in the main gym, but half of the court turned into an impromptu basketball game. It was a very casual event. My friends were wearing leggings and a t-shirt. I, however, did not get the memo and showed up with my hair done and a semi-formal dress.  For me, I had a similar mentality at our freshman homecoming. I was ready. As a sub 5 foot freshman, I made it my mission to reach the center of the mosh pit. I weaved in and out of the crowd. There were moments when my heels were off and I was on all fours going around and through people's legs. Most everyone else was a little less determined than I to reach the middle, staying away from the madness. 

Sophomore year was our first taste of freedom. We had more options for classes, people got their licenses, I learned there is NOT a pool on the fifth floor. And for some of us, it was our first AP class. Whether it was AP euro, AP world, AP human geography or AP bio, it was a challenge. For those of us who weren’t in an AP class, you definitely knew if someone was because that is all they would talk about. At least for me, I was filled in on the difficulty of every AP euro test and how everyone did. We also got an extra day off. I remember sitting in math class as I was finishing up a quiz and the fire alarm went off. I just assumed it was a fire drill and proceeded to walk out. I’m guessing you all did the same. As I exited the building, I made a comment to my friend that it smelled like a bonfire. Little did I know it was a fire. Good thing no one was hurt and it led to an extra half day off of school. 

Junior year was probably the hardest year of all. We had the ACT, a heavier workload, and the questions we all were asked, “Have you started looking at colleges?” or “What are your plans after high school?” It was the most annoying thing because almost none of us had the answer to that question. But, we all had that one, rehearsed answer to give to any teacher, adult, or grandparent that asked. 

Junior year was also our first time going to Prom. High School Musical really set the bar high telling us it would be “A Night to Remember.” For some of us it was just an expensive night where people spent way too much money on a dress or tux they would wear once. For others, it was the night we had been waiting for. As a kid I was obsessed with teenagers. The idea that one day I would be able to go to a school dance or drive myself around was crazy. These were the years I spent my childhood looking forward to. I had spent so much time thinking about how I was going to be as a teenager, I especially thought about prom. I thought about going dress shopping and picking out a dress that when i put it on it just felt right. I dreamed of my date picking me up and dancing all night. My prom did not go quite like that, but it was still a very fun night. 

As we approached our last year as a high schooler, it felt surreal. Senior year was THE year. For some of us, it was the best. But others grappled with huge, life-changing decisions. Regardless of how the year played out, we were finally, as my mom would say, the BMOC’s (the big men on campus). I literally towered over some of these freshmen and I’m only 5’5”. 

We gather here today as the class of 2020. The first class to have the new MyTime schedule, the new auditorium, the new cafeteria, and the new starting times. All of that started with us. We have accomplished so much as a class. We won the state championship in football and volleyball. The gymnastics team made it to state. The swim team made it to state. Many of us applied to colleges and heard back. Waiting for the admissions decision was the most challenging part. I actually had to start checking my email. 

I also realized the vast amount of seniors I still had not met. As I walked around the first week of school, I found myself confused as I saw people in the halls that I thought were seniors, last year. I've been in this school with our senior class for 4 years, but I honestly can't recognize everyone. Each class there were people that I had never seen before that were in my grade. As you look around, there are still people you don’t know.

It was also the year of lasts. Our last homecoming. Our last school lunch. Our last high school class. We really had to savor each moment. 

Our different experiences don’t stop here. After today we will all be starting a new chapter of our lives, all going in different directions. Some of us will venture on to college, while others may stay behind and work, or go serve our country. Our experiences in high school have led us to choose what we want to do next. They have shaped us to be the people we are today. Whether it was an enthusiastic teacher that pushed you to explore your interests or the friends you have met along the way that have taught you compassion and to be bold.

Although we have had such different experiences in high school, we are all ending it the same way. Together. Even now we may be feeling different emotions, some of us have been looking forward to this day since they walked in on the first day of school. Others have been dreading the thought of moving away and having to meet new people. After today, our high school career will be over. After today, we will never again be all together. I cannot wait to see where people will end up and the impact on the world I know each and every one of you will have. Thank you.

Students, faculty, family, and friends, it is truly such an honor to be able to speak in front of all of you today. I would like to start by saying, Class of 2020, we have made it. We have truly made it. We survived the mile, the lunch line on Southwest Salad wednesdays, the beat drop in Turn Down for What at high school dances, and the infamous kiln fire. We also have persisted a lot of change at the high school. We no longer have that one kiln, or the Greek salad (wow rip), we can now like comments on instagram, which is my primary source of validation, Newsbreak is no longer aired, and owning headphones without chords on them means you don’t speak broke. If there’s one thing I have learned in being a part of the Class of 2020, it’s that change is the most constant thing in people’s lives. Salads change, headphones lose chords, and people come and go. And today, as we move our tassels from one side to the other, we change from students to graduates. 

Essentially, as everything changes around us, we are the most consistent thing in our lives. We are the only thing that will stay with us through the entire duration of our life. I used to think this idea was kind of isolating. But then I slowly began to realize that it is actually reassuring. We are the only people in our lives that know our raw desires and feelings, and that is extremely powerful. The person that knows us best is the most consistent piece in our life. We are the most important parts of our lives. Thus we must encourage ourselves and respect ourselves. We must be accountable of ourselves yet also forgiving. We must be our number one supporters and give ourselves the same compassion we would someone else. The same value. Value your presence on this Earth by acting on what you desire and stand for. Living unapologetically honest is the key to a life of passion and thus success. Never fear to be extraordinarily different if it is true to you. In a country that houses an increasing number of diverse identities, deviance represents truth. When you hear “be the change you want to see in the world,” it means to speak out for representation of your truth.

And although this talk of self seems like we have to figure out everything on your own, the last thing I would want to leave you with is that you are alone in this journey called life. Class of 2020, look around at your faculty, family, and friends. Remember that help is always there when you need it, no matter what. Asking for help does not make you weak. In fact, it proves that you recognize something in your life is not how you want it to be and you want to change that, and that is something so incredibly strong and powerful. 

Although a focus on yourself seems like a selfish idea, the truth is, once you respect yourself, you have everything you need to respect and support the world around you. 

I know we all have a little bit of that feeling of “I want to save the world” in us, that’s why we are here today, graduating. But, Class of 2020, I want you to know, that in your lifetime, it’s ok if you only save one person, and it’s ok if that person is you. 

Thank you.

Looking to the Future: 3 Valuable Lessons

Well guys, we did it! Who would’ve thought? Good evening everyone, I am ________________ and I’m so thankful and honored to be standing here on behalf of the class of 2020 on this monumental day. I want to start by thanking all the family and friends that are here tonight supporting us, as well as our amazing faculty and staff because, oh boy did you guys put up with a lot over the last 4 years with us...the link crew petition, the snapchat stories of admin, squirting each other with water bottles, and more that i'm not sure you want me to reminisce on. But in all honesty, you guys, everyone in this room has done so much to get us to this point, so I want to genuinely thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

And now, class of 2020, we can let out a sigh of relief because we did it... our first, of many, major milestones behind inevitable successes. Tonight, I stand before you as we look upon our future; we are the generation that will one day lead this world. Some of us will choose to travel, others will join the military. Even more of us will leave and go to college and some will enter the workforce. As we begin to diverge down our own paths, I want to share with you 3 valuable life lessons that I learned through my time at Wayzata High School.  

As we gather together to celebrate our  academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. I can't imagine any of us particularly enjoying the feeling of failure. I, myself, have failed more times than I’d like to admit.  I can't tell you how many times I beat myself up over the ACT! Maybe some of you out there can relate?... or all of you?! But in those times, I remember my dad telling me it’s not the failure that's so important but how we respond to it. And looking back at it he couldn't have been more right; How we respond to our failures determines what kind of people we are and what we will become. My fellow classmates, we can’t be afraid of failure, we are all going to experience it. And when we do, we will work hard, apply what we’ve learned, and choose to get right back up because we are so much more than our mistakes. WE are a class of resilience and perseverance.  

After we leave Mariucci Arena tonight, we will enter into what we've been calling, “the real world” and there are classes at the high school that have prepared us for this… Civics taught us how to be engaged citizens, world languages taught us to value different cultures, and algebra 2 taught us…. Sohcahtoa? The unit circle? With this said, the real world is full of challenges and if one thing has stood out to me in high school, my second life lesson, the importance of commiting to your goals. At the core, our goals strive to help us achieve happiness… but what is happiness? Passion? Adventure? Stability? The cool thing is, happiness is and will be different for everyone! We have so many interests and talents beyond our career and I encourage each and every one of you to commit to turning your dreams into reality. We can begin to achieve it right now. Which takes me to my 3rd and final lesson. 

Remind Yourself To Be Present 

To those of you in the audience on SnapChat, instagram, clash of clans, or other apps... “PUT YOUR PHONES AWAY!” How many times do you think we  have heard that during our time in high school? Probably too many to count, right parents? But, did you know on average we spend about 5 years and 4 months on our phones in our lifetime? Let's put that into perspective for you… In that same amount of time, we could walk the great wall of china 3-5 times, fly to the moon 32 times, and walk our pet 93,000 times. (But in all seriousness) these statistics go to show that we all need to be intentional in being present… Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty of not doing this too. It's a constant effort on my part to be present. Personally, there are many times I have missed out because I anticipate the future or dwell on the past. In hockey, I have wondered how my game was going to turn out before the puck even hit the ice... Rewind a few years, some of you may remember going to Eagle Bluff or Wolfridge Camp in middle school and were told we could not bring our phones. I thought it would be the end of the world, how will I kik with my friends or snapchat myself on the night hike, but to my surprise, it ended up being one of the most memorable weeks of my life, simply because it was a week of living in the present. Our class, the Class of 2020, is a group of determined, positive, and brilliant students. We will accomplish significant things in our future, But right now, let’s just be here,  enjoying the moment and celebrating this remarkable day with each other . 

As we are starting to close this chapter in our lives, when writing our new one, I urge everyone to go in with a new eye and perspective. Class of 2020, it's been more than an honor to speak before you all, but more importantly, get to know you all. Thank you for everything and I wish you all the best of luck, although I know none of you need it.

Greetings, classmates, faculty, friends and family, Mariucci staff—Oh, and the Wayzata high school concert choir. I want to thank [person who introduced me] and the rest of the Wayzata High School staff for all they've done to make every single one of us be here at this very moment. 

I'm _________________, and I am an average student. I am not part of the top 10 in my class, nor have I failed. I am not an NHS member, nor am I uninvolved. I am not going to an Ivy League school, well, it doesn't count for me anyways since I'm getting a bachelor of fine arts in theatre. Yes, a quick shoutout to my parents for letting that happen. Academically, I am average. My numbers coincide with a line in the middle of some graph that exists in the universe. Now, because of the academic success and achievement of our school, that line may be higher than others. But here's the question on the table: Is anyone really average? Is there any one, single person who is considered to be that one fine line? 

We have state champions in this room right now. Best in the state--cool, right? But what happens when the borders are knocked down, and we students become part of a population that is not divided by district lines? We become our own mascot; we represent ourselves. We will no longer have spirit week where we can dress up for a theme each day; people are just going to think you actually are a tacky tourist. The numbers and letters you have received throughout the past twelve years of your life do not determine whether or not you are capable of leaving a footprint in history. 

Cassandra Hultgren and Spencer Dunn received the senior superlative "most likely to be a music artist," and I guarantee you that I will be streaming their music on Spotify until my dying day. EJ Hanson and Connie Duopu received the senior superlative "most likely to be a comedian," and I will be watching their late-night talk shows every night when I come home from work. Lexi Rohweder and Akeel Meghjee received the senior superlative "best eyes," and my those eyes will take them far. Maya Smith has over a million followers on an app called "Tik Tok," merely by making Starbucks drinks and revealing secret menu items. Leaving a footprint in the sand of history does not require anything except one thing: passion. You could start a company that completely knocks Amazon out of the park, or you could do the Renegade one night in your bedroom and gain millions of views and sponsorships from companies; your choice.

Passion is not derived from other people's expectations; it is crafted from your soul. However, no one walks into life knowing what they want to do with it. Others may know their passion right away at the age of three, while some may not find it until they are forty years into their career. No one's life is the same, much like our footprints; handprints; fingerprints. These twelve years were not meant for us to dislike learning; instead, discover what makes you love learning. And if you love it, go for it.

Not everyone is going to be the MVP, the valedictorian, the best actor/actress, and that is okay. The most important thing to know is that you are enough. Ivy, gap-year, community, public, private, anything does not determine who you are as a person; it is what you make of it. There will be people out there who are going to try to bring you down and make it almost seem impossible to move onto the next step, and I ask you to not let that be the downfall of your success. This may be the last time I see some of you. And if this is the first time you have seen me and the first time I have seen you, hi, I already introduced myself. But before we say goodbye to each other, I want all of you to hold your pinky up for a metaphorical promise: promise me that you will continue to persist even when everything seems to be against you. Harriet Tubman, one of the most powerful women in American history, says this, "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." Thank you.

Congratulations guys!! We really did it!! Four years of our lives spent walking a quarter mile from athletic to our first block in fourth floor new A, four years of meeting in the locker banks in between classes, slowly leaving later and later each day to get to class, four years of seeing a new face in the halls every single day. 

Look at the people sitting around you. Sure your best friend may be a couple rows ahead of you, but what about the kid sitting a couple people down from you that you didn’t realize was a senior until today. What about the student who you have never talked to but can’t help think is kind of cute. Soak it all in because today is probably the last day you will ever see a majority of these faces. These past four years, although a short period of time in our lives, have been quite the experience. So, let's talk a little walk down memory lane. 

Our freshman year was a year of firsts. It was the first year with the new cafeteria and the new A wing. Yes, we were all disappointed that there wasn’t a Starbucks in the cafeteria and it did not, in fact, look like high school musical, but we can’t complain too much. However, I do remember the fact that as freshman we had to decipher whether our classes were in old or new A wing being quite the struggle, but I think we can agree we are all smarter because of it. Some other highlights from freshman year include the notorious LINK crew petition, our first high school dances, the first year of MyTime, and the fact we never had to wake up to make the old early start time because they pushed the high school time back to 8:20, lucky us! 

Sophomore year came around and some of us experienced taking our first AP Class (especially if you were in euro you know this is where the senioritis truly began). Boys soccer won state, so well done if you were on that team! And, we, as a school and as a generation, stood up and participated in the nationwide walk out after the shooting at Stoneman Douglas. Finally that year, a sub almost burned the school down because they didn’t know how to use a kiln, but we all got a half day and the school didn’t burn down so win-win!

Junior year, the alleged hardest year of high school, definitely came with its ups and downs. A major down being the ACT, of course, but junior year came with a lot of days off. We had that the entire week of cold days and we experienced the first ever virtual day, which we can all thank the speech team for since they hosted the state tournament for two years in a row! Most of us also attended our first prom, although kudos to you if you attended more than two proms, because that's both fun and impressive. And, I cannot forget, senior step up day, when all the senior ladies came together and we celebrated the fact that we were now the queens of the school.

Now that leads me to this year, senior year. First, somehow this year has gone by in the blink of an eye. Sure some days were grueling and long, but, wow, this year flew by. Wayzata athletics really popped off this year. Both football and volleyball won state and I think we can all say that the improvement of our football team from freshman year to this year is incredible. I think it is also important to shout out the boys alpine team and girls gymnastics because they both made state this year for the first time in a while so whoo! We all enjoyed the ACT day off of school and focused really, really hard on our college and career planning. But, we also experienced many lasts. Some of us said goodbye to the sports we so very cherished. Many of us attended our last homecoming, our last sadies, and our last prom. We all ate our last school lunch, and we all walked through Trojan Head for the final time. 

Reflecting on the past four years has made me come to realize that we have been the class of guinea pigs. We entered the high school along with a bunch of changes, and we have witnessed the evolution of those changes, some may even argue that we led that charge for change. We have shown we can be catalysts for progress and I don’t know about you, but that makes me extremely optimistic for our futures. While not all of us can go off and become millionaire stock brokers on wall street or fancy neurosurgeons, we all can make the world a better place one small act at a time and these past four years have shown us we retain the courage to speak out when we know things need to change and take action to bring about progress. 

Don’t forget the memories we’ve made these past four years. Don’t forget the mistakes we’ve all encountered. Don’t forget how Wayzata High School has shaped each and every one of us. But do move onto bigger and better endeavors. Do go on to live out your wildest dreams. Wayzata is a stepping stone not a final destination. 

Whatever your plans are for next year, use the resources Wayzata has given you and go out and do what you want to do with your life -- because whatever that may be, these past four years have proven we are all equipped to handle whatever life throws at us.

Hello class of 2020! Congratulations on making it to this day- sometimes it felt like it would never come! My name is __________- we went to high school together. I understand many of you don’t know me. But we walked the halls of Wayzata together for 4 years- talking about storming Area 51, eating Tide Pods, or how much blue powder we inhaled at the football game. We’ve all taken different routes to getting here, but whether it was through taking YES, digital photography, precalc, AP bio, or adventure lit we all made it here today. We all made it past challenges big and small and earned our way to a diploma. And we should all be proud. After today, all that is left of us at Wayzata is our legacy. Not our grades, the amount of AP credits we have, or the number of likes we got. But the relationships we’ve made. These relationships with teachers, counselors, coaches, and most importantly friends have prepared me for whatever is ahead. These relationships have given me confidence, compassion, and perspective that I will carry with me into the next phase of my life. I have been challenged to see new perspectives, pushed to be independent, and encouraged to be my best self. I will always appreciate that.

It is through the people we’ve helped, the character we have demonstrated, and the changes we have initiated that a piece of us is left at Wayzata High School. Beyond a layer you’ve painted on our rock, or a trophy you won at competition, through the words you used to help a friend having a bad day, guiding a new student to class, or just simply choosing kindness, a piece of you forever will stay at WHS. 

As I think back on our experience, we have all had an opportunity to excel. It might have been in a play, in the orchestra, on the football field, in volunteering, or in the classroom. So many people took that opportunity. As much as Wayzata gave us those opportunities, we took full advantage of them throughout our time at the High School. In doing so, I have seen our school become a more special community filled with success and personal growth. I entered the high school feeling timid, unsure of who I was, and lacking direction. For me it was English with Mr. Johnston, track and field with Mr. Berndt and Mr. Popp, and meeting in new A wing with my best friends everyday before school that helped me find my place at the High School. What was it for you that helped you find your place? I’m sure you can all think of many examples. As we approach uncertainty, remember what helped you find your place. Remember how those experiences helped you feel welcome here and seek them out in your next chapter. 

It’s time for all of us to move on to bigger and better things. Time for us to make a difference, help people, and leave another legacy. None of us here are average or regular - after all, we all graduated from a class of nearly 900. We all will forever be a part of the class that won the National Science Bowl and several State Championships. We began the conversation on mental health and mastered bottle flipping our freshman year. All of us have within ourselves the ability to achieve great things. And not by nailing standardized tests, writing the perfect college essays, or understanding what a derivative is. But by being unsung heroes, by breaking the mold of doing what everyone else is doing, by being ourselves and being the best for the world.

These may be tall tasks. But in the last four years, beyond learning how to text our friends without getting caught, our tool belts have been loaded with ways to bring upon positive change. We learned to be creative, persistent, and ambitious. Sitting here we have future educators, doctors, actors, lawyers, and soldiers. Each of us has a different path we are going to take. We don’t need 900 of the same firefighter, pharmacist or CEO. We need 900 future difference makers to spread out and show the world the talent we’ve acquired. 900 people who are willing to take risks, be vulnerable, and prove that our generation has what it takes to be the best we can be. We’ve all got our own stories to write and live out and each of us will encounter new challenges and opportunities. 

Never again will we all be together. Instead, we will be out in the great big world continuing to learn, improving our communities, and striving to be better as humans. Beyond money or status, we need to remember what our diploma means and why we earned it. We earned it because we worked hard. We earned it because we navigated obstacles both inside and outside of school. We earned it because we played many important roles in high school. We served as students, guides, and captains. We were all leaders in our own ways. And we must continue to push ourselves and others around us. Whether you end up in Wayzata, Vermont, LA, or worst of all Edina - we now have a responsibility to be the best we can be for the world, and I know all of us have it within ourselves to achieve that and surpass any expectations we have set for ourselves.

Class of 2020. To my classmates, my teammates, and my friends. If you take nothing else away from this - let us all continue to strive to be the best we can be regardless of where life takes us. You each have it within you to make a difference and achieve great things. You should all be very proud that you are here tonight and I can say with no reservations that you will serve to make the world a welcoming, beautiful, and vibrant place. Thank you Wayzata and good night!

Good Evening Graduates, Teachers, and Families!

This is a day for all of us. It is the summation of many years of hard work and nights spent up late studying. It has also not been without its challenges. Be it hardships faced in school or out of school, we all have struggled in some way or another. It is my hope this day can serve as evidence that these challenges can be overcome.

I am struck by just how much each and every one of you have distinguished yourselves throughout high school. I have watched as so many of you have become leaders in clubs and activities. From a steadfast attention to academics to a commitment to helping others, you have all served a cause greater than yourselves.

Your determination to excel has been incredibly inspiring, and will no doubt motivate scores of future Wayzata graduates to come.

Today, each of us will be receiving our diploma. While on the surface it may appear to be a relatively minor object, it nonetheless serves as our ticket into the professional world. I hope each of you will be proud of your diploma.

Class of 2020, what has been an eternity for us is a mere blink of an eye to your parents. For them, the past 13 years have gone by fast. Just the other day, I was talking to my Dad, and giving me the usual, he said “Time has gone by so fast, you have grown so much” Now tell me, who’s heard that before? Thankfully, we all have plenty to show for it. We have all experienced tremendous personal growth over the past few years. You have all made your families proud.

Whatever is next for you, I wish you nothing but the very best. Wherever you find yourself in the next couple of years, I hope it is somewhere you are happy.

We have all made new friends throughout high school. I hope you will all stay in touch with each other. 

We will all meet new people throughout our lives. Some will be quite famous, others just will just be known to their neighbors. It is my hope you will not limit yourself when it comes to making new friends.

In closing, I would like to leave you all with a quote I have found to be very helpful, as well as comforting over the past couple of years. At times when I found myself struggling, or even completely lost, I thought back to this line. A couple of years ago, at the age of 90, former President Jimmy Carter was asked to write a “note to self” to a 12 year old version of himself. Reflecting on his life, he gave his bit of advice,“You will face great challenges and opportunities throughout your life, but don’t worry, so many people will want to help you, along the way.”

Thank you. I wish you all the very best. There is so much yet to come.

Thank you to our parents, friends, family, the administration, school board, staff, and all others who have gotten us to this point. But, most importantly thank you to all of you.

We sit here today in celebration of all that we have become. We have made it to the moment where we realize just how long, or short, it has been since we first walked through those giant doors. Just how long it has been since we left middle school, or elementary school, and so on. How long it has been since that first day at Wayzata, no matter when it may have been. But, sitting here today we are celebrating the moments that got us here.

They are made up of a lot of firsts. The first time we walked through the doors of kindergarten, and as for me: in my ladybug dress. They were when we finally became sixth graders, obviously the coolest people around. And when we got off the bus for the first time as freshmen: anxious, excited, and terrified all at once. But, each of these firsts were built on the backs of other moments, small ones, but ones that made all the difference. These were the feelings of pride that we got when we finally achieved a goal, the nights we spent laughing with our best friends, and the steps we took every day in the halls, in the fields, in rehearsals or wherever else we may have been.

Ultimately, these firsts led to the lasts: our last games, tests, and dances. Each of which became meaningful because of the small moments that lay behind them. The last games or competitions because of the work we put in and the support of our teammates. The tests that were written by teachers who made us laugh, and maybe made us cry, but cared about each of us as a person. And the dances because, well, they were nights when it didn’t matter who you were, just that you were there. So our stories, no matter where they started, led us here. And as we sit here, dawning the colors that have defined our stories, it is easy to see how the small moments turned into big ones.

While each of our “moments” may be different, they evolved into the formation of who we are becoming. Yes, our future careers and pathways, but also our character. The empathy we show, the kindness we demonstrate, and the values we hold. This has shaped our presence in our actions and our words, and with that, how we define our futures. Futures that, as we have proved, can not be dimmed.

Much like the moments spread throughout our high school careers, we will continue to make memories that can not always be captured in the light of an iPhone camera. But I encourage you all, as you work for your future, to scope out, to embrace, and as cliche as it may sound, to live in each of those moments. Walk through life in the same way that so many of us stepped on to the trojan head for the first time. Be open minded, take a risk, work hard, and show up. Show up for the little things, in the same way you show up for the big ones. 

It is not going to be easy, but neither was high school. Yet, as a generation we have proved that the smallest items can become the biggest deals. Remember the Instagram dress? For the record, it was blue and black:). For real though, the life changing, only-happens-once moments are going be there. Embrace them, but stay grounded in what got you to them. When we go looking for it, there is immense value in things like how a common interest bonds us to our best friends. Things that are very simplistic on the outside, like waves in the hallways, that mean the world to us on the inside. They are all a part of our story.

And, your story, your authentic self, it matters. All of it. Don’t get so focused on what comes next, on where you’re going that you forget to live in the present. It’s easy to get caught up in the fast pace of our instant world. Look where we are coming from.  Dream as big as possible, chase those dreams, and every now and then let go. Slow down. See what happens when you embrace the small things.

As I wrap things up, there’s a quote I wanted to leave you all with. It’s a quote I think exemplifies the point I’m trying to make: “you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” So, say yes, try something new, be kind, stand up for yourself, walk with open arms, what you find & who you find, you’ll never know if you let it slip you by. Use your moments, your memories, and your experiences as a Trojan to make this world a little better then we found it. It’s been an honor to share this moment, and the past four years, with all of you. I can’t wait to see what you do as alumni. 

Congratulations, and good luck! 

Thank you!

… Hello Class of 2020! Wow, does that sound great or what?! … Seniors, Gen Z’s — we did it! We stayed the course, no matter what! Now it's our big day to launch the stage to one of our greatest achievements, driven by the best of our abilities.

This moment is another validation that we can do anything! Look at us… Take it in… Look around you — we’re all beaming of pure excellence! And doesn’t that feel good?! We focused, we worked hard, we didn’t give up on what we wanted and needed to succeed in this chapter, of our life’s story.

Though our stories may differ, we’re all now former Wayzata High schoolers, “doing the most” to make a difference. We took action, and action brought us our graduating dream — to dress in cap and gown, making our family, friends, community, and ourselves very proud. On top of already boasting, our teams rank #1! Go Trojans!!

Parents, Guardians, Role models, Coaches, Teachers, all those who helped us get here, we thank you! We completed subject after subject, countless hours of studies, demanding activities, responsibilities — check the box, check the list, we did it! Each and every one of us got it done. 

No matter what we look like or where we come from, we all aimed for this accomplishment. United as one, trailblazers in the making, breaking ceiling’s, raising the roof; through tenacity, willingness, and the leader within us — every waking day, we pave the way towards an exciting new path of extraordinary possibilities… 

Truth be told, embarking this constructive journey to learn and socialise has been quite the maze to navigate; beginning on the very first day of school. How could we’ve imagined all the things we’d come to know through this revolving, evolving door of education and personal growth; and yet eventually, we found and followed our very own magical compass, to help steer us in the right direction.

As I’m sure we all agree, it wasn’t always easy keeping up with school life, peers, and so forth, yet at the end of the day, we held on to our beliefs, we learned to use each challenge as an opportunity to overcome ..adversity. We found our voice and chose a path that honors who we are — individual unique human beings; which I think may be our greatest lesson learned thus far. 

For me, there were added hurdles, as a teenage African American female with a physical disability — resulting in stereotypes, judgment, misinterpretation, discrimination, social barriers, intellectual and athletic pressures or pursuits. Yet, I stand here today, in complete gratitude and abundance of knowledge; striving to reach my full potential every single day. Look at me now! 

I’m confident that the best is yet to come. So don’t waste a moment wishing life was fair. Be bold enough to use your voice, brave enough to listen to your heart, and strong enough to live the life you’ve always imagined.

Excel your natural gifts, transcend your skills, and change the world for the better. Who we are now, and who we will become, is determined by our purpose, our curiosity, our passionate innovations\inspirations\creations to what and whom we choose to empower and help on our quest to conquer any goal. 

Remember this feeling always. Remember it when the road ahead gets bumpy and scary and uncertain. Remember to keep your eye on the big picture. Hold on… (Pull out mobile) let’s capture this impression forever. Got it.

As I\we close this epic venture today, remember to aim high, surround yourself with loving people, treat others as you wish to be treated, be the good you want to see and keep your eye on the prize — we are all heroes and sheroes. I’m super grateful to have been a part of the Wayzata High School Class of 2020, and boy does that sound amazing!! Thank you! Be well and wonderful! Look at us now

For many of us, we began our high school journey on September 6, 2016, at 8:20 am. On this day, we learned how to navigate a mammoth of a school while trying not to get trampled by the upperclassman in the process. Little did we know that in a span of four years we would have gone through a fire in the art room, a snow day in the middle of spring, and many other bizarre events that we will look back at with fond memories. Much like life, our high school journey has been a rollercoaster, except everyone on it is blindfolded and completely unaware of all the twists and turns yet to come. 

After coming home from her first day of school, freshman ______ was so excited about the upcoming year. She was convinced that high school wouldn’t be as bad as everyone made it out to be. Little did she know, in a few short months she’d often be reduced to tears because she believed that she was unprepared to handle the rigor and persistence needed to better herself and her education. Every breakdown planted another seed of self-doubt and insecurity for her upcoming years. Standing up here today, looking out into the sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces, it makes me realize that we made it. To me and anyone else who battled the late-night breakdowns and self-deprecation, this graduation is a celebration of our successes.

I don’t think it has fully registered in many people’s heads yet, but we are done. Right now, we are closing one of the largest chapters of our lives. I’ve known some of you since elementary school. We laughed together, and we cried together. Mentally, we became stronger. Physically, we’ve grown taller, for the most part. We are about to embark on a whole new world, a subject that none of us are ever prepared for, adulthood. So now I’ll ask the question that every teenager hates hearing: What do you want to be when you grow up?

The first time many of us heard this question was when we were five years old. Our answers ranged from the president, an astronaut, a princess, or in my case, a velociraptor. When we were around ten, they asked again. This time we answered an olympian, scientist, or doctor. But now we are all grown up, and everyone expects a concrete plan. What many fail to mention is that it is okay to not know. We are still young and can make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to change your mind only to change it again and again and again. Be outgoing and live life to its fullest. Go on fun adventures with your friends or maybe eat ice cream before dinner, whatever tickles your fancy. Live your life with passion. That way, someday, when they ask us what we want to be, we won’t have to guess...we’ll know.

Now, like all great chapters, ours has come to an end. I am so grateful to have grown up around so many amazing people, and I will forever cherish every interaction that has helped shape me in becoming the person I am today. Nevertheless, it is now time for us to move on. We aren’t done with our story just yet, only turning the page for a new chapter.