Graduation Speech 2017 - Wrightsil Larot

Good evening and welcome families, teachers, dignitaries, and fellow graduates. My name is Wrightsil La rot and with admiration it is my honor to address the class of 2017. Initially, attending high school was difficult in the beginning of my freshman and sophomore year due to my anxiety. I would be afraid of so many unexplainable things and because of that I failed every single one of my classes. It hurt knowing that I could do so much better. I just felt like a failure because everyone, including myself, knew I was capable of more than that. Luckily, starting off my sophomore year I transferred from Milpitas High to
Calaveras Hills High School. Despite all the whispers of how continuation school's are, it ended being the best decision of my life.

Beginning my sophomore year I thought it would be a fresh start for me but just as I had done before, my behavior and struggle with school became an ongoing rollercoaster of messing around and ditching. I was at square one all over again. I felt hopeless. A big piece of me wondered why I couldn't just get it together. Then suddenly junior year arrived; thoughts flooded my head, what if I didn't stop? That if I didn't quit doing what I was doing and grow up, I wouldn't be able to graduate. Thankfully I came to my senses and turned my whole mindset of school around and made it my first priority in life. I was able to prove to everyone what I was really capable of. Graduating with honors for all 3 quarters and
with only 4 classes at the end of the year is something I knew I could do. The amount of dignity I have in myself is inexplicable.

​We all have different experiences in high school that can have both positive and negative effects on someone, but because of mine I have transformed into the person I'm proud to say I am today. Throughout these years I was able to gain insight on what's right and what's wrong, to keep only beneficial relationships, flourish from my mistakes, and not allow little things to get in the way and phase me. I am able to look past all my flaws and issues and keep moving forward no matter the situation because I know that nothing can stop me. But I can't take all the credit, I know that everyone goes through their own hardships in different ways, and luckily for me I had an irreplaceable support system. My gratitude runs deep for God, my beautiful mom, sister, cousin Kaylene, best friend Mikala, and the rest of my loving family. Thank you all for everything, I don't know what I'd do without you guys.

​I also want to give a huge thank you to. Ms. Komar, Mr. Ladre, Ms. Scott and the rest of the Cal hills faculty for never giving up on us and believing in us when no one else did. You've all added to our success. I know that without everyone's guidance along with our own perseverance, it wouldn't have been possible. I am dignified to say that there is no other high school I would have rather attended.

And to my fellow classmates, because of our actions and decisions we are here now receiving our diploma but graduating is not the last chapter of your life. It is only the first few steps for a bright future that awaits. You all are capable of completing so much more than what you managed to accomplish today. Each and every single one of us have all had tough barriers that we've been able to break that made us into the individuals we are now. Christina Rasmussen once said, "You can do the impossible, because you have been through the unimaginable". So you all should always strive for the best not only because you're capable of it, but because you deserve it. Ultimately I just want to say congratulations to the class of 2017. After four long powerful years of laughter, growth, and craziness this is the day that each and every one of us have been craving to experience. We did it!

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