Written and delivered by Valedictorian Jonathan Neigum
After twelve years…we finally made it! The most important day on our educational pathway is finally here; graduation!
Good morning friends, family, teachers, community members and fellow graduates. My name is Jonathan Neigum and it is an honour to be named this year’s Valedictorian and to be representing this group of exceptional students. Together, we have conquered this long road of elementary and high school education. Most importantly, we conquered this road together.
First, I would like to thank our community. Your constant belief, support and encouragement has shaped us all. You have taught us the importance of being active community leaders and volunteers. The lessons we have learned by all the residents will unquestionably follow us throughout our future.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the staff at Unity Composite. Your drive, dedication and determination has certainly not gone unnoticed. Your confidence in every one of us is undeniably the reason we are sitting up here today. The extra time you have spent through extra-curricular activity, committee involvement as well as outside of the class assistance is exemplary. I know we are all incredibly appreciative of your dedication towards our future and ensuring we are prepared for the road ahead. I am confident in saying that we are all ready for the next chapter in our lives through your passion and commitment.
Special thanks goes to our families. Our appreciation for your love and support throughout this first phase of our lives is immeasurable. Your constant encouragement, confidence and the occasional reminder of an upcoming test or assignment has influenced the success we are enjoying today. You are our number one fan, our support group, our rock and our best friend. We thank you for being here to celebrate this special event with us.
Finally, I would like to thank my fellow classmates. Growing up with these graduates has been inspiring. Witnessing the transformation from childhood to adulthood each one of us has experienced over our time in school together has been remarkable. I know I will never forget the laughs we have shared, the smiles exchanged, the stories we have told and the odd tear we have shed. I know that some of our best memories have been made in these very halls and classrooms. I could not have asked for a better class to share the first stage of my life with.
To conclude, I would like to share one quote with my fellow classmates. Everyone that knows me knows that I am passionate about Apple products. Naturally, I would like to share inspirational words spoken by the late Steve Jobs. He once said, “You’ve got to find what you love. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”
With this, I congratulate my fellow peers in graduation. I hope everyone sitting up here today finds the career in which they are passionate about and enjoy. Our world is big, but this grad class is ready to conquer it and oh, the places we’ll go while doing so.
Thank you and again, congratulations Grad Class of 2013.
