<p>Oh yeah, I guess we have 3 student speeches, too, then. An Stu Gov't Activities Branch person or Stu Gov't Legislative (probably leglative branch person will speak this year b/c she's really involved) has a very short, short speech for an introduction. Then some adults speech. Then the sal speaks (I think, but not sure, that sal usually talks about our "memories"), then some more adults speak. Then the val speaks.</p>
<p>A bit of advice to you speakers: Consider your audience. Your PRIMARY audience is the grownups, especially your parents and teachers. They're afraid you'll say something to embarrass them. Don't. Your SECONDARY audience is the kids--there's very little you can say that they won't think is stupid, or corny. So don't try too hard for them--they won't appreciate it anyway. DON'T play the clown. DON'T be lugubrious and pompous. DON'T exhort or lecture or give a sermon. DON'T rely on trite quotes or cute books. DO show that you're kindhearted, generous, tolerant, and humble. (If you can't do this, then don't speak. Everyone will hate you if you act like a nasty, meanspirited, intolerant, and arrogant smartass.) </p>
<p>Above all, be BRIEF. The best graduation speech I ever saw (and I've seen a bunch) consisted of the three valedictorians speaking together. They wrote ONE speech, cooperatively, and each delivered one third of it. Each BRIEFLY complimented another's accomplishments. They mentioned the accomplishments of a few kids who barely missed the cutoff. They mentioned some other things that "ordinary" kids in their class had done. They acknowledged the unique wonderfulness of every student in their class, thanked their families, their teachers, their coaches, and their community. They expressed trepidation about the scary things out there that they were going to have to fix (global warming, terrorism, religious and political extremism, you pick) and hope (NOT "confidence"--hope) that they and the entire worldwide Class of 2005 would be a positive force for bringing harmony, reason, and moderation to a world that sometimes seems to have gone mad. Then they sat down. It took ten minutes. Not a dry eye in the house.</p>
<p>10 minutes = brief?</p>
<p>iis brief. Yes.</p>
<p>with introductions, listing of various OTHER people, acknowledging ones frailties, blah blah blah. If you can do all that with three people in less than ten minutes and not look like the Keystone Kops, then I guess you should be studying choreography and action film direction ratherthan whatever it is you are planning to do.</p>
<p>10 minutes is certainly not brief. our 4 valedictorians will get a combined time of 8 minutes. and please don't assume that students aren't capable of appreciating the higher 'grownup' sentiments.</p>
<p>I don't think it's necessary for a valedictorian's speech to include compliments on other top students and an aknowledge of his/her own "frailties." That is what someone would say during an acceptance speech at the Oscar's, for example. I don't think a valedictorian speech is an acceptance speech.</p>
<p>Suburbian: You certainly are an argumentative kid. I hope you're going into a field where people appreciate being with someone who nitpicks everything they say. If I think of one, I'll let you know.</p>
<p>the maximum time u are allotted at my school is 3 minutes</p>
<p>i happen to agree with suburbian. cut the condescending attitude. just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they're nitpicking. i wonder if the people around you appreciate your arrogance.</p>
<p>yea u definitely shouldnt be talking about anything about ur personal problems in high school or list anyones names.....that would be weird......</p>
<p>wait, so namedropping is bad?</p>
<p>This boy did an excellent job of avoiding namedropping while still making the speech incredibly meaningful, funny, and moving. Really I cannot give him enough praise for representing the class of 2009 the way he did. His speech is the talk of the town and has been published in the Chicago Tribune recently. </p>
<p>Take a look for yourself -</p>
<p>PART I [YouTube</a> - Jonathon Youshaei Deerfield HS Commencement Speech 2009 PART I](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7qw32WtN6c&feature=related]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7qw32WtN6c&feature=related) and PART II [YouTube</a> - Jonathon Youshaei Deerfield HS Commencement Speech 2009 PART II](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfFJ4mCUKRQ&feature=related]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfFJ4mCUKRQ&feature=related)</p>