With the grace of God and enough sleepless nights, I had graduated as Valedictorian in high school, and as usual, the Valedictorian gives out a speech to the entire class and the guests during the Graduation Ceremonies. Here's my Valedictory Address, which put me into tears while writing it, because high school was really one hell of a ride. 

P.S. You could use my speech as an example/guide if you might need it to make your own. 

P.P.S. Please do comment for any questions and tips you might wanna know in making speeches. I don't bite hihihi

Our guest of honor from the Department of Education, the Toring family, the administrators, our school principal, members of the esteemed faculty, proud parents, awardees, fellow graduates, ladies and gentlemen, a pleasant afternoon to all of you.

　

Thank you is but two words with meaning beyond limits. Thank you is but simple words which is an understatement of all the blessings we, as graduates have received today in this very momentous occasion. For these two words are not enough to make known to you the utmost gratitude we feel in our hearts, let me, in behalf of my mates, express in beautiful words how we are thankful that through all the struggles of secondary education, we’d had someone we could always count on.  

Four years of essay writing in English, memorizing words for enumerations tests, class reportings on new topics, going home late at night to finish shooting movie projects for major subjects, practicing for school plays and dramatic monologues, surprise quizzes early in the morning, sleepless nights to finish long assignments, solving endless math problems, group studies on science in which we always get confused on, misunderstandings with each other when group projects seemed too stressful, and the celebrations we had in class when we succeeded in each project. Four years of all of that, and It may be hard to say, but all of those are part of high school, and high school is ending. Yes, you’ve heard It right, the doors of Indiana High school are closing on us, and we are yet to discover a new door that would be wide open for us.

I still remember my early years in Indiana Aerospace University. I was blissful to have been able to attend an institution such as this where we are not just schoolmates, classmates, and ordinary people we see every day. Here in Indiana, we are a family. A decade after that, now, as I stand here before all of you, I can still see how strong that family is. As I leave the portals of Indiana, I will miss this family. This family whom Ive grown to love and care for, this family who had supported me in times I felt nothing but pain, and this family, who, today, will share the success, we graduates have achieved.

It may sound cliché to say, “We would not have come to this point in our lives without the help of people who have been there for us,” but it is true. That should be the truest thing I could say to all of you this afternoon. Without our beloved teachers who have invested all their time, effort, patience, and headaches on us in times when we cannot be handled, we wouldn’t be here. Without our parents’ unwavering support both financially and emotionally, we would not be here. Without the presence and company of our dear friends, classmates, and schoolmates who have lessened the burden of going to school when it seemed too much, we would not be here. And lastly,Without the grace and mercy of our dear Lord Jesus, who have been there to guide us and bless us through all our imperfections, we would not be here.

I would also like to take this special moment and privilege to thank all of those people here today. To all the parents and guardians, as well as my own, this success is for all of you. we are wearing these dark blue & white togas because of you. To my parents, Mrs. Rosemarie Baladya and Mr. Ben David Baladya, words cannot simply explain how grateful I am because you raised me well. To mi abuela, Rafaela Salazar, who has always been there for me to care for me, Eres la mejor abuela del mundo!

To my dearest friends, Leslie, Rachelle, Patricia, and Jasmyne who I have shared a decade of friendship with, Rita, Steph, Kim, Chyra, Numer, Ellaiza, Angel, and Angela who have all been there for me when things got rough, France, Jason, Ken, Mar-Mar, Kent, Rensz and Mike whom I haven’t thought I’d be close with as school had ended, I will never forget all of you.

To the teachers who have stood by my classmates’ and mine’s side, Maam Janz, Maam Hazel, Maam Euly, Maam Joy, Maam Charisma, Sir Richard, Sir Arnold and Maam Dhimna. And to Maam Ryza, Sir Licen, Maam Longos, and Sir Mark. You have outdone yourselves. You didn’t just teach us things inside our four-walled classroom. You have taught us the reality of life and the courage we must obtain to survive this lifetime. You didn’t just become teachers for us, but you became second mothers and fathers whom we greatly needed in times of trouble and trebulations in school.

To my supreme student council family, as your SSC president, I am proud to be able to have served  with this council this school year. a big congratulations for everything we have worked hard for and have accomplished. It was great serving with you guys again this year, and may you always have the enthusiasm of service, rather than the pleasure of popularity and manipulism.

And last but not the least, to IAU who had entrusted me the name of the school as I had participated in several out-of-school contests, and who had given me the rare opportunity to participate in prestigious seminar-workshops that had honed me to clothe myself with knowledge. and lastly, for affording us quality education equipped with competent facilities and exceptional members of the faculty.

People who I've got to see everyday and shared the stress of school with every day, I will now only get to see once a month or even once a year, a few months from now. We would be going our separate ways, and we would each tread on the path we have been dreaming ever since we were in short shorts and pigtails.  Like I said during our Juniors-Seniors Promenade, all I wish is for all of us to achieve whatever we want to achieve in life. Do not underestimate yourself because theres always much more you can do than what you already know you can do. With our parting ways, there is but one message I have to all of you seniors, “Have courage, and be kind” because life might tear you down, but no one can ever deny a person with a pure heart.

As inspired by the movie, “The Fault in our Stars”, I had thought that only death was inevitable. But I was wrong. Falling in love, sharing precious bonds, and the ending of high school, these are all inevitable as well. Seniors, we are here. We have made it through everything. Congratulations to all of us!

This would probably be the last speech I would deliver in this institution as an aerospacer, nevertheless, as I would quote our very own CEO, “Once an Aerospacer, always an Aerospacer.” Indiana Aerospace University will always have a space in our hearts wherever we may go, and whoever we may become.

I hope you would ponder on the words Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

I can now hear what Indiana would say to us graduates at this very moment, “This is your captain speaking, I hope you have enjoyed your flight, and I hope you would fly with us again soon.”

Ladies and Gentleman, that would be all, thank you and good afternoon once again.