Class of 2024 President Andrea Sala
HHES Student, Beloit Memorial High School
Good morning, everyone. I am very excited and honored to be speaking to you all today. It’s so crazy to think that we’re finally getting to walk the stage after all of our hard work. Every one of us here has worked through all kinds of stress and made countless sacrifices to be here today, and we should all be very proud of ourselves. We finally get to walk the stage in front of everyone we care about. I want to thank our teachers, mentors, and families for everything they’ve done to help us get to this moment. We couldn’t have done this without them, and I know how accomplished you all must feel as you watch us enter this independent stage of our lives.
When I first began high school, I was so nervous. I hardly had any friends and was so scared that high school would be a cliche drama movie where I’d never find a place to fit in. Those nerves often got the best of me for a while. Slowly but surely, I realized that things weren’t so bad. After joining a few clubs and sports with the encouragement of my family and teachers, I met some of the best people I’ve ever known. Any feelings of loneliness and awkwardness were suddenly gone as I continued to meet new people and bond with them on levels I had never reached before. I learned that it doesn’t matter who you are; whether you’re awkward and introverted or outgoing and lively, there is a place and a passion for everyone, no matter how hopeless things feel sometimes.
I know the future seems scary, and we can’t exactly say what it holds. We have the rest of our lives to change our minds a million times. But we’ve made it this far, and things will only get better from here. Thank you!
