my valedictory speech.

"Hello Everyone... like, honored guests and all that... (goldwasser's note: you botched that one...)

Vanilla Ice once said: 'Alright stop, collaborate and listen. Ice is back with my brand new invention. Something grabs a hold of me tightly, flow like a harpoon daily and nightly. Will it ever stop? Yo, I don't know. Turn of the lights, and I glow. To the extreme I rock a mic like a vandal; light up the stage and wax the chump like a candle.'

Just kidding, I won't make you sit through Vanilla Ice. Here's my real speech.

You know how everyone goes home saying that they're going "back to their roots?" Well maybe there's more to that saying than we initially realize. I personally used to cringe at the thought of having only one place to stay my entire life. Roots are stuck in one place and don't really allow for much exploration. But when I got to thinking about it in AP Biology class one day, I realized that there is a whole lot more to this whole root analogy. Mr. Bodnar was talking about how the roots are essential to the survival of the plant. Instead of listening to Mr. Bodnar, I started thinking. Roots are where the plant gets its nutrients; home is where we gather what we need to go out into the world. Whether we want to admit it or not, we listen to some of the advice our parents give us. Roots anchor and support the plant; home gives us a place to fall back on when our plans don't turn out exactly the way we intend. Home grounds us, but also allows us to grow and change and go out into the world. Mount Airy is where the class of 2005 has roots. This high school will be the foundation for the rest of our lives-- we've learned so much in its dilapidated walls. For example: I learned from Mr. Dickson some excellent hand exercises to use on long essays, from Mr. Bretz that plants are the dominant organisms and that squashes are, in fact, sexy. From Dr. Dobbs I learned that aluminum is really spelled with an "i"-- to be pronounced "aluminium" and from Mr. Bodnar that I learned that I definitely do not want to be a possum on his front porch. From Mr. Castillo I learned that "a picture is worth a thousand words" and Mrs. Gray taught me how to "factor that rascal." I'm sure we all remember the quadratic formula from Mrs. Martin's nifty song. By now I think that we've finally learned what we're actually allowed to wear to school and also that our new superintendent has quite a good sense of humor. I learned when to avoid the Library and exactly where the senior parking line was drawn and how to run up three flights of stairs in one minute to avoid getting a tardy and which lunches to avoid in the cafeteria. More importantly, I've learned the value of true friendships. The ones that will stick by you while ignoring all of the ever popular "drama" that seems to plague high schools are those that will be valuable forever. No matter how suffocated and trapped we may feel here, Mount Airy has filled us with pieces of our personality that will ground us and support us and give us the motivation we need to grow and go out into the world. No matter where our paths may lead- to explore the far off corners (editor's note: pronounced "carners" at graduation b/c i was distracted by someone yelling to let tereka know that he was there.), to defend our country in the military, to become a vital link in the work force, to expand our knowledge even further in college or even to become rock stars-- we all have this common ground here in Mount Airy. No matter how much we may change, the knowledge we've attained here will be the connector that allows us to hang out just like no time has past. So, Class of 2005, be free! Explore the world and find your niche while you are young. Always remember that, even if you don't want to ever see this place again, Mount Airy is your foundation and will always be a part of you. Congratulations. Holy cow guys, we made it!"


i said all of that- including the vanilla ice. matthew welker told me he'd pay me five dollars if i did it, but i was like "i don't need the five dollars. i'm gonna do it anyway." i had told people i would do it, but then i decided that i really wanted to lighten the mood or something so i did it. goldie was freaking out in her seat b/c she thought i had changed my whole speech. hehe.