Graduation Speech

Students, Parents, Faculty members, guest speakers, uncles, aunts, grand parents and all of you up there on the stuffed bleachers who cant move an inch, Welcome.

We are fortunate to have you all here today, even though this will probably be the longest two hours of your lives.

 My name is Isabela Saavedra but if you’re sitting on this stage you should probably know that, and if you don’t, what’s wrong with you you’ve had the past 14 years to at least know the names of those who’ve seen you at your worst, and yes I do mean puberty. I’ve come here today not because I got 2000 on my first SAT or because I participated on soccer World Cup before getting into high school. I’m here because I’m one more of those average students, one more of those who today become invisible between the rainbows of satches hanging from all of you NHSer’s, ambassadors, athletes, potential leaders, or any other group found at CNG. I guess this year administrators wanted us to“ expect the unexpected” and here we are listening to me.

It’s been long since we started this journey of our lives together, we’ve made friends, we’ve made enemies, and we’ve made frenemies. We have seen many fall, like literally fall into mighty rivers, or down the steps of Kinky making the bouncers wonder why they let us in in the first place. And even though we saw every one laugh their eyes out, in the end a helping hand would always come along.

 I remember wondering what being a senior would be like. Long lunch, loud music, water fights, freedom, what could go wrong? CNG was senior paradise. Every year people sit around the amphi, watching the seniors in their reserved spot act as… well very normal every day people, but still we spare 1095 days of our lives watching how older girls gossip, how boys play soccer, or volleyball or any thing that can get the attention of every one sitting around. Any way we just “stick to the status quo” because “ if you want to be cool follow one simple rule don’t mess with the flow, no, no”.

Yes! I have really quoted High School Musical.

One day this paradisiac thought of the amphitheater drifted away and became just that… a thought, an idea that would never come back. The new regime set at CNG would delete the idea of high school as a five star, Cancun, all incisive, resort. He called him self the Tardinator, a gringo, with less facial expression than Majo when she looks into her computer. You could learn more about him from the smell of his office than from any jester he makes or any talk you have with him. Today we are those seniors we used to dream of, but today we live as Cuban’s under a regime and wondering when the good old days will come back.

The time has come to say good-bye, and as hard as it seems today we start a new stage of our lives where not only do we leave friends behind but also we have to adapt to growing up. For those off you who leave Colombia for college the best of luck, we will be patiently waiting for your come back, and all your stories about the Boston night life, microwave food, and your Fraternity brothers making you walk naked during the winter. For the ones who stay here not much will change, you will just have to adapt to being “el gomelo de la Universidad” and getting bullied for the way you talk.

I came here today not to teach you or show you how the future will be like, but to remind you to cherish the past and all those moments we lived as a family. 

So remember, those of you who’s most memorable organization was, spending lunch with the Tardinator, your not alone. Don’t feel ashamed, while every one worked hard to wear a colored satch one night, you where watching the season finally of gossip girl, breaking bad, greys anatomy or any other life consuming TV show. And even though you are the tiny leprechaun standing behind the great rainbow always remember who has the pot of gold. Don’t be sad because it ended, be happy because your leaving, because marathons to the cafeteria are over, because you wont have to worry about lunch detention, or getting caught out of dress code. Be happy because you had the best 14 years any teenager could ask for, and because you are prepared to handle any thing that gets in your way.

So my dearest class of 2015 I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do. Really if you aren’t able to get past high school, and your life doesn’t take you any where, have the certainty that in 5 years you will see us back. We experienced the emotion on Elle Wood’s graduation speech, we dreamed of toughing a tiara up in the air like Mia from Princess Diaries, instead of a squared hat that could probably break your face. We danced along Troy Bolton and Gabriela Montes on their graduation, and today It’s are day. For the last time “we are all in this together” and so Class of 2015 lets make the best of it.