VALEDICTORIAN OR GRADUATION SPEECHES

The end of the school year is getting closer for you and hopefully your time as secondary students is also coming to an end. From now on you will be starting a much more exciting period in your lives. You will step into the world to forge your own paths in life, which I am sure you will find, however difficult you might find it now.

However, before that, I would like to set one final assignment, which definitely will have an important weight in your final grades.


You have to write and give your Valedictorian or Graduation Speeches! 

The term Valedictorian is an anglicized derivation of the Latin vale dicere ("to say farewell"), which is basically what you will be doing.


Let me give you a few hints to make the task easier.


A Valedictorian or Graduation Speech is a closing or farewell statement or address delivered at a graduation ceremony. Its aim is to thank, exalt, stimulate to action, motivate, to affect and touch, even to raise to a higher emotional level, and finally to say farewell. You do most of these by reflecting on the past years and putting special emphasis on some events, especially meaningful for you.


You could think of how you felt when you were the new freshmen at the school and how you feel now that you are about to leave. You could write about any anecdotes or memories you have of all these years and give advice to the newcomers who will read your letters.


As you see, writing your speech is not difficult. I am sure ideas will start flowing in easily. Be sharp and short: no more than 3-6 minutes is enough for delivering your valedictorian speech topics.


Anyway, here is a skeleton and structure to use.


DEADLINES

• You will upload your first drafts in the wiki by April 16th.

• Redrafting will be possible until April 20th.

• Speeches will be given on April 27th and May 4th.

Remember to use rich language and structures, be yourselves and most of all, do not use a translator or copy from the Internet.

Surprise everyone by dressing up for the occassion. It will add up to your marks. "Suit up!"

You can watch and listen to some speeches delivered by some well-known people.

Here is the speech given by Shakira at Oxford University.

Here you have Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey at Harvard University.



And last Bill Gates also at Harvard.



I hope these examples come in useful for your assignment.