Graduation Ceremony Speech

My name is Heather W, and I’m the director of and a teacher here at Ombudsman DeKalb. I would like to extend a warm welcome to members of the DeKalb HS counseling department and to Administration; to my colleagues; to the parents, siblings, and other guests of the graduates; and of course (the best for last)… to the first graduating class of Ombudsman DeKalb.

Throughout the course of this school year, my husband has learned to make a subtle distinction. In the evening when we are discussing our days, when I have referred to “my kids,” my husband knows I am talking about my students here at Ombudsman DeKalb and not our non-existent future children. From the time the first student entered this school just 10 months ago, I have felt a unique and special bond with this group, especially the seniors. Throughout the year, my husband learned to accept the fact that he would have to share my energy, my attention and my affection with you. So I suspect that today, while my heart is heavy as I bid you farewell, my husband is secretly thrilled.

From the very beginning I thought to myself, how can there possibly be this many intelligent, thoughtful and charismatic kids in one graduating class? It has truly been an honor to get to know each one of you as unique individuals. I have cherished our time together and I have certainly learned a lot from all of you. I hope we have been able to touch your hearts and minds, and challenge you all to be the best human beings you can be. I know I am certainly a better person, because of the time I’ve spent with each of you.

What words of wisdom do I have to offer to you as you leave us and start the rest of your lives? You all mean so much to me, more than you could ever know, and I have great hopes and dreams for you all, just as I am certain your wonderful parents do. In life, above all else, I encourage you all to develop and pursue a passion for something. It doesn’t matter what it is. You all have a different idea of success, and that is absolutely okay. Some of you will attend college in the fall; others will enter the workforce and practice the life skills you have been developing all year. I know some of you—like both Jessicas—plan to pursue a career in nursing. Some will fall in love and start families, while others might choose to travel the world. You each have the tools needed to advance to that next step, setting you on the path to your own unique version of success.


Besides having passion and a plan, I hope you all maintain your wonderful senses of humor. I will never forget the laughs we shared over Zach’s winter wardrobe, David’s water breaks, Luke’s punctuality, Grant’s art, Loren’s ability to bust a move or Pat’s ability to get all his work done, even though he never looked that busy. What on earth is the point of it all if you don’t have a good time and find humor wherever and whenever you can? Humor is a tremendous asset in life, in both good times and bad. I hope you can all find the humor in every situation, so you never go a day without laughing or smiling.

Next, don’t ever forget where you came from or lose sight of just how far you have come. Other than the person with whom you fall in love some day and the children you may have, some of the most formative people of your entire life sit in this room with you today. You were taught by a talented and dedicated staff who will miss you dearly and who wants nothing but the best for you. You have made strong and lasting friendships with the people who sit next to you today. Most importantly, you have been raised by the parents and grandparents who sit here today. Their hearts are swelling with pride right now. I am sure they are starting to choke up at the realization that soon some of you will not be with them every day. Never forget or take for granted that they love you like no one else in the world. Remember this even if they should gleefully turn your bedroom into a study, a rec room or even a walk-in-closet after you move out. Someday your own child will be placed in your arms for the first time, and you’ll experience what all parents know is the greatest gift in the world. Finally, when things quiet down and you’re sitting all alone a few months from now, wondering what your next step will be, never forget every single person in this room right now believes in you. We all believe in your ability to achieve whatever you set your mind to. I have seen firsthand your amazing gifts and limitless potential. If you ever doubt yourself, remember all the amazing things you accomplished right here between these walls, next to these three teachers. I know I’ll never forget the fact that Beronica had 100% attendance, Jimmy faced his writer’s block, and Katie and Jon completed more programs than I thought humanly possible.

To your parents, it probably seems like only yesterday they were nervously putting you on that kindergarten bus for the first time. And now here we are, ready to send you off for more than just a day. We are sending you off to be adults, and I know you will be great ones.

Thanks again to you all for being here. These students have come a long way as learners and human beings this year. We couldn’t be prouder and will miss them more than they know. They deserve the recognition they are getting today for all their hard work. And you—the parents, the staff at DeKalb HS, my colleagues—deserve praise for all you have done to help our graduates realize their dream of graduating. It is with great pride in my heart that I welcome you all to the center for this ceremony. We plan to introduce each student by name, present them with a symbol of their time and accomplishments here, share some closing remarks, and then congregate by the food to celebrate their achievements. Before any of that, we have a special guest speaker, one of our graduates, who would like to reflect on her time here at Ombudsman. Thanks again, everyone. Without further adieu, here is Jessica L…

***Here's a link to a news story on our ceremony: http://www.dist428.org/D428_News/d428news208.html***