FINAL WORDS
Excerpts from Graduation Speeches
Matthew Lee
Senior Class President
Senior Class President
"Teachers! You guys have guided us with so much patience, hyped us up when we don’t even believe in ourselves, and stayed well beyond your work hours to make sure we’re as passionate about things as you are."
"Teachers, you all have played such an instrumental role in molding us into the people we are today. You guys are TROOPERS, and we wouldn’t be here on this stage without you."
"Teachers, you all have played such an instrumental role in molding us into the people we are today. You guys are TROOPERS, and we wouldn’t be here on this stage without you."
Click here to watch the full speech.
Mr. Jeremy Seehafer
Faculty Speaker
Faculty Speaker
"I challenge you to be yourself."
"For over 25 years, I’ve had the same email signature. It’s a quote from Hall of Fame pitcher, Nolan Ryan, my favorite baseball player, and it reads “I’d rather have you not like me for who I really am, than to like me for who I’m not”. I get it, easier said than done. But I do know this, living for others and their expectations of who they think you should be is not the path you want to continue on. I also believe this; the longer you wear a mask, and put up a facade that’s not you, the longer you’ll struggle with anxiety and unhappiness.
Author John Spence put it simply,
“Be happy. Be yourself. If others don’t like it, then let them be. Happiness is a choice. Life isn’t about pleasing everybody.”
This reminds me of Truman from the movie, The Truman Show. Everything about his world was fake, but when he finally figured it out, he walked away from the perfect life set up for him, into the unknown. He left Plato’s Cave and saw the light. Now there’s an example of courage to just be yourself."
"For over 25 years, I’ve had the same email signature. It’s a quote from Hall of Fame pitcher, Nolan Ryan, my favorite baseball player, and it reads “I’d rather have you not like me for who I really am, than to like me for who I’m not”. I get it, easier said than done. But I do know this, living for others and their expectations of who they think you should be is not the path you want to continue on. I also believe this; the longer you wear a mask, and put up a facade that’s not you, the longer you’ll struggle with anxiety and unhappiness.
Author John Spence put it simply,
“Be happy. Be yourself. If others don’t like it, then let them be. Happiness is a choice. Life isn’t about pleasing everybody.”
This reminds me of Truman from the movie, The Truman Show. Everything about his world was fake, but when he finally figured it out, he walked away from the perfect life set up for him, into the unknown. He left Plato’s Cave and saw the light. Now there’s an example of courage to just be yourself."
Click here to watch the full speech.
Zachary Seehafer
Student Speaker
Student Speaker
"What other class could go through such drastic change and come out unscathed if not stronger? Artist Kelly Clarkson once said “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. When people look back at the class of 2023 what will they think? What will they remember? Besides remembering me of course, I’d bet people would remember our resilience. People will remember our adaptability. People will remember us from our quote
“It is what it is."
“It is what it is."
Darcy Lin
Presiding Officer
Presiding Officer
"I am incredibly proud of our class."
"With each new pass, with each crossing, we have dominated, looking back fondly at our past and with excitement towards what comes next. We tackle each new challenge with determination — exemplified by how we won the Class Video as grade 9, making HKIS history. I have complete, utter, and unwavering confidence that as we cross over into our next stage, we will carry this same vitality with us."
"With each new pass, with each crossing, we have dominated, looking back fondly at our past and with excitement towards what comes next. We tackle each new challenge with determination — exemplified by how we won the Class Video as grade 9, making HKIS history. I have complete, utter, and unwavering confidence that as we cross over into our next stage, we will carry this same vitality with us."
Click here to watch the full speech.