A Thank You Speech from one of our very own [past] students!

alyssa06verona:

~ I just had an urge to post this. Why?! Maybe because I just received a message that made me realize why I need to be thankful with my life and to the people who are always there beside me, pushing me to be a better person. This was my Salutatorian Address for our graduation last year, June 17, 2010. I basically did this 1-2 day(s) before the graduation, so I’m sorry if there were grammatical errors. Hah. It was supposedly longer than this. But I had to cut a lot of parts out because I didn’t want to bore people to death. Teehee. There were more people that I forgot to mention, but hopefully they know that I am forever grateful to them for coming into my life :) ~

To our dearest principal, Mr. Yoshinobu, speakers, respected faculty members, beloved parents, guests, and fellow graduates, a pleasant evening to all of you.

I came here in America on October 2006 and started attending Belmont during the second semester of 9th grade. For some time, I was behind credits that I even had to be a 9+ student. So who would have thought that I would be standing before you all delivering my speech as this year’s Salutatorian of Belmont High School. All throughout my time here, I have learned so much in so many ways. And I would not have done these entire if not for the help of some people who have truly touched my life. So allow me to give thanks to all of them.

To our dearest Alma Mater, Belmont High School, thank you for nurturing us with knowledge and skills that we could use for the rest of our lives. It’s because of you that I learned and embraced the true definition of being a community, of being one family. Look around us, look at how completely different we look from each other, and yet, we are all gathered here as one to celebrate everyone’s hard work and perseverance.

In behalf of the Class of 2010, I thank all of the administrators and faculty members. I salute all of you for the dedication you put into this institution.

I would like to give special thanks to Mr. Andrade, for being the coolest and yet the strictest teacher I have ever met. Thank you for helping me realize that I don’t need to stress out on the grade because as what you would always say, “It’s not about the grade, it’s about the learning.”

To Mr. Capper, thank you for trying to come up with the most interesting way of teaching lessons to your class. You have inspired a lot of students and I feel so grateful to have you as my teacher. Thank you for always expressing your compassion for your students. Know that we love you as much as you love us.

To our dearest college counselor, Mr. Kim, words are not enough to express how thankful we are for you. I seriously don’t know where I would be going after high school if not because of you. You are not just a faculty member of Belmont but you are also like a second father for most of us. Thank you for treating us like your children and for helping us see all the best possible options that are laid in front of us that we don’t see just yet.

Thank you to all the clubs and organizations I have participated in. A World Fit for Kids, AVID, SOS Shape Up Mentoring Program, Club 350, Key Club, Belmont’s Young Leaders, and USC I AM Program. Thank you so much for all the learning experiences. Because of all of you, I became a better person.

Allow me to give special recognition to Club Asian Sentinels Integrating Awareness, or Club A.S.I.A. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your Vice-President and the club’s co-founder. Kudos for having the most listed members among all clubs. Thank you Ms. Galang for being our teacher adviser, for showing continuous support, and for sharing Room 406 with us, where all the fun and learning happens.

Also, to Samahang Pilipino Advancing Community Empowerment, also known as S.P.A.C.E., thank you for keeping me close to my roots and for helping me discover my identity. I would not have learned to believe in myself had I not met you, my Ates and Kuyas. I became a stronger Pinay because of you all. Maraming salamat sa lahat.

To my best friends and friends I met here at Belmont, I can’t mention all your names because I would take so much time, but you know who you are. Thank you for making every single day that I had in Belmont truly memorable. Thanks for accepting who I am. We may all go on our different ways but know that you will always be remembered. I will miss seeing your faces every day, but I hope that we would still keep in touch and that our friendship would not end at Belmont.

And finally, allow me to give thanks to my family and relatives. Thank you all for being here tonight and for showing your unwavering love for me. You are all my inspirations; I am standing where I am right now all because of you. To my sister, Angela Hernandez, I want you to know that no matter how we always have our small quarrels, I will always be here for you. You are still young and yet you have accomplished so many things, that’s why I am very proud of you. I love you my dear sis. To my parents, my Nanay Asa and Tatay Jojo, thank you for raising me well. Thank you for everything. I offer all of these honors to you. Mom and Dad, you always tell me that you are proud of me, but I want everyone here to know that I am prouder to have wonderful parents like you. I don’t say this oftenly but Nay, Tay, mahal na mahal ko po kayo, I love you very much.

Supremacies, many of you may have not known this but I was the one who suggested our class name. I chose the name because I saw how we exemplify the true meaning of it. Tonight is our graduation and we are going to reap what we have sown for the last four years. I hope that as we go on, we don’t forget where we came from, so I urge you to look back and give back to our community. Guys, “Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you’ll land on the stars.” Never stop trying and believing in yourself. We can all do this! We are already past the fourteen or more years of our education, so four more years is almost nothing. I am very proud to see all of you here. Class of 2010, I hate goodbyes, I really do. That’s why I want to say farewell and until we see each other again.

Graduation truly marks a bittersweet moment in our lives. But I’d like to tell you this: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” I want to end my speech by saying gracias, salamat po, kamsahamnida, xie xie, in any language, thank you. May we all achieve our goals and I wish you all luck.

Congratulations Class of 2010! Long live Supremacies!