Ready to Face the Challenge
by Amelia Hogue, Secretary, Class of 2020 Cosmetology
Thank you Mr.Milanovich. Faculty, Administration, Distinguished Guests Family and Friends, and the Graduating Class of 2020.
Thank you Mr.Milanovich. Faculty, Administration, Distinguished Guests Family and Friends, and the Graduating Class of 2020.
Well -- we did it! We accomplished one of the biggest milestones in our lives, but it’s also an early milestone. I’m sure today will be only the first of many proud, successful moments for us all.
Our parents always told us we could be whatever we wanted to be, so I think that’s why we all pushed so hard to graduate and go into the real world -- to find out who we are meant to be. As kids, we all grew up wanting to be Superman or Hannah Montana or a firefighter or a bull rider, or even the President of the United States, and for some of us, those dreams have become a reality. But for most of us, little did we think that our dreams would take us in a completely different direction, and that’s okay because change can be good.
None of us could ever think that our 12th year of school was going to end this way. Who would have ever predicted this? However, as a generation born into the chaos of 911, we have learned that in life, we adapt …. and overcome. To say this year has been a whirlwind is a complete understatement, but when the dust finally settles, we will rise.
Virtual instruction during COVID-19 has been like living in a house during a remodeling project. Every day feels like there is a new obstacle right around the corner; it seems like progress starts in the form of demolishing all you have known to be true and solid in your life. But suddenly, when you see that the walls have been opened up, the framework of your life is like a new slate, and the sun shines through brand-new, doors and windows, waiting to be opened to new experiences. Like living through a construction project, you may feel stuck in it for a while, but then you’ll figure it out, and you may even be quite pleased with the results. We adapt to the new circumstances.
It feels like just yesterday on our very first day of school, that Mrs. McVicker was pestering her sophomore home room about how much we were going to love this school, but she was right. Little did I know, it was within the walls of this school where I was taught so many life lessons that changed my life. Without the past two and three-quarter years within this building, I would have never broken out of my cocoon and blossomed into a butterfly able to spread her wings; many of us can say the same. We would have never been so prepared to take on the next steps in our lives -- whether it is on to a great job or joining a union, signing to serve our country in the military, or on to secondary education -- and for that, we are eternally grateful. Now it’s our graduation day, and it is a bittersweet moment for us all. And we all have someone special to thank -- so administration, secretaries, custodians, lunch ladies, teachers aides and teachers -- on behalf of my friends in the Class of 2020, we thank all of you who made these past three years memorable. No matter the circumstances of HOW we celebrate today, we still celebrate.
To those of you from the Class of 2021 who may be watching now: This year is your year now. You now rule the school, but with that -- comes responsibility. We didn’t know our last days together would be our last time together. Take this piece of advice from me: Take nothing for granted: Work hard, study hard, within limits -- play hard, but most of all in your senior year of school, as you hopefully have the chance to experience your senior year with safety and health -- enjoy the ride. Oh what I would do for one more packed gymnasium assembly or one last ice cream social. Be as active as possible. Pick event-filled clubs. Compete with organizations like FFA, SkillsUSA, and make it worth your while. Class of 2021 -- go ahead and run for student council because being able to serve my classmates as President, or Secretary or Vice President under the direction of advisors like Mrs. Discello and Mrs.Brown has given me some of the best memories throughout high school. The Future is Mine taught me that there is so much more out there and so many more ways to help people. Class of 2021 -- work hard to keep your GPA up and if you can -- get on NTHS because it is so worth it in the end. Peer Leadership with Mrs. Pasterik and Mr. Ovial has changed my perspective on life. I am grateful that they took a chance on me. My point here is take it all in because when it comes to an end. It’s okay to feel sad at the end of your year; you want it to feel bittersweet because you knew that you did everything you could and had the best days of your life. So with that -- we pass the torch to you.
To the Class of 2020, this is it. As much as I have looked forward to this day, I have always hated endings. No matter where we all go from here, we must remember these days with a smile -- as having had the most fun we could have ever had. The new bonds and the everlasting stories we'll tell our kids and our grand-kids will last a lifetime.
To my friends in the Class of 2020 --Congratulations, you earned this day. Though the vision of what IS may not have been what you dreamed, it just means our class is wonderfully unique and most memorable. We can tell the story of how we graduated through the Great Toilet Paper Depression.
I’d like to thank my close family, especially my parents, for always pushing me to be the best me possible. They never let me give up on myself even when things got hard. I couldn’t have survived high school without them. I know that I have them to thank for my successes and helped me with the peace of choosing Clarion.
I leave you with this: As we move on our different paths to begin our travel on our separate journeys take this quote from Dwight K Schrute with you: “I am ready to face any challenge that might be foolish enough to face ME.”
Congratulations Class of 2020 -- We did it!
Thank you.
A senior cosmetology student, Amelia Hogue has served on student council as a class officer for the last three years, has competed with SkillsUSA, and is the Vice President of Peer Leadership. In the fall, she will attend Clarion University to study Communications through Integrated Journalism with a focus on Sports and Social Media. She plans to one day become a journalist.
To enjoy Amelia’s virtual speech, click HERE.