Commencement Address

I would like to begin by thanking the people responsible for today, our family and our faculty. From our parents who have supported us around every turn, to our teachers and administration who work tirelessly in our favor, to our uncles by marriage who only came to the state for an excuse to see Mt. Rushmore, I would like to sincerely thank you. Every member of the audience not wearing a cap and gown should know that you have made it possible for us to sit, smile, and let you do all the work.
Fellow students of the class of 2015, we're here. We have worked hard to overcome the obstacles that we have all faced throughout our high school careers. Some of us have undergone personal hardships, many have taken a class that threatened a timely graduation, and all of us have stared down the nightmare that is the senior experience. Seriously guys, a graduation speaker makes a joke about this every year, take the hint.
Today is not a day to dwell on hardships though. Today is a day to smile in triumph. The purpose of high school is to prepare us for whatever our personal future may be. This is a scary time in our life, and our difficulties are just cause to be anxious. It makes me long for the days when everything could be fixed by animal crackers. I remember one time I was scared to come to school, so my mom kissed my forehead, and gave me some animal crackers to make it all better. And then I got in my car and came here.
We are all going through a lot of changes, and all kidding aside, that change is terrifying. But that change is good. Change is what moves us forward. Change is the force not content to watch others do great things, but insists that is must also be us.
Before me I see doctors, I see entrepreneurs, and I see teachers, but more than any profession, I see a whole lot of uncertainty. According to cliche I'm supposed to tell you to spread your wings and fly, but maybe your future doesn't involve flying. Our class quote from Abraham Lincoln says "Whatever you are, be a good one." If you are a bird, please fly; however if you are a horse run, and if you are a fish swim... Because if you don't you'll probably die.
Wherever your life will take you, get there in your own way, because you are the only one who can take yourself from this ceremony to wherever you want to go. I personally plan on rolling out of the parking lot in the new Camero I know my dad is going to surprise me with. What's that? No Camero? That was a joke everybody, get it? What I meant to say was that I will leave these halls with my head held high, proud of the accomplishments I have made, and confident of the twisting, turning road before me.
This is our commencement ceremony because this is where our greater journey commences. All of our roads are leading to different places. Some of us see a clear path laid before us. Some of us know our target, but not where it is located. Some of us are just going to wander for a while. Wherever we go, one thing is certain, by the time our ten year reunion rolls around, we will all have some great tales to tell. Wherever your road is going, make the best of it; because the story always continues, and now we all have the tools to be our own authors. Class of 2015, congratulations.

A Farewell to Speech and Debate

For the past five years, my participation in forensics has made my life better as a whole. I don’t know how many hours I’ve put into the sport, and frankly I might be horrified if someone could tell me exactly how many. I am done with my high school debate career. I am finished with driving all over the godforsaken state of Wyoming. I am through with spending time with the greatest group of people in the world, both on my team and off.

I am sad. When I began my career, I was a nervous and awkward 8th grader who could hardly say a word without stuttering uncontrollably, especially if a member of the opposite gender was present. At the end of it all, I am an awkward senior with a slightly endearing stutter, who can resist the urge to cry around women. Thankfully, debate has also made me immeasurably more confident in myself. I’ve been through a lot with my team, and I can honestly say that Speech and Debate is part of who I am.

In my early career, I don’t believe anyone had any faith in me, and I can’t say I blame them in retrospect. My first three novice PF meets in middle school ended in a 2-10 record, but I was undaunted. Little did I know the pain I was about to endure for the next two years. I did not do well. In fact, I did downright terrible. For my suffering, I did learn something. I learned to keep going. Prior to this, everything I liked came naturally to me. Debate taught me to learn from failure. I lost in LD? I better do some reading up on Immanuel Kant. My judges thought I stuttered in Reader’s Theater? Practice makes perfect. Something my coach, Mr. Johnson, an incredible influence on my life, told me early on served as motivation for me. He told me “No matter how talented anyone may or may not be, there is someone just as good as you out there. The only way to beat them is work.” So I worked.

Later in my career I started to reap the rewards. Junior year, there was only a single meet that went by where I did not make it to finals in something. I ended the year qualifying for Nationals in Student Congress. The national tournament in Overland Park, Kansas with one of my best friends was among the best things I have ever done. Though I won’t be returning this year, I am happy to see two great guys go, and can look with pride on my presidency.

I am scared to move forward into my post debate life. Stalingrad syndrome? Maybe. What will I do on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays? What will I do late at night? I’ve forgotten how to have a good nights sleep. I have no idea how I’ll go on with life without Mr. Johnson’s semi-forced life advice. But I know I’m more prepared for life at the end of it all.

Am I gone forever? I certainly hope not. I want to judge, and coach, and if possible do collegiate debate. This is what I love. These are the people who have been like a family to me; however, as it stands I have reached the end of my NFL career.

So, goodbye to debate. Goodbye to speech. Goodbye to friends. Goodbye to rivals. Goodbye to late nights and early mornings. Goodbye to hotel antics. Goodbye to all the things I have experienced, good and bad. Until we meet again, these have been the best years of my life. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of making me who I am today.