Graduation Speech

[Farmerboy]

I'm graduating from highschool in the Idaho homeschool graduation ceremony in May. We have an open competition for who will speak at the ceremony. I am going to submit a speech and wanted to see if you guys had any ideas for me. I really don't want to give the typical rah rah aren't we great schpeel but instead challenge us and the audience in some way. Any thoughts?

Farmerboy

[Professor_Adam]

I would challenge people to get more involved in what's going on in our country again -- not simply by voting. I would love to see people actively involved in the direction of our nation. It's not uncommon for me to be in a conversation with friends and have to back fill them on some current event in order to make a point to them.

So many Americans have lost touch with what really goes on in our government. Many are keen to simply watch 30 minutes of cable news and think that they have an objective view of what's going on in the world. Of course, we know better. But, alas, Americans are a lazy bunch who don't read much anymore or think independently for that matter. However you did say you wanted to challenge them. ;-)

[YokotaJo]

I would also include how important it is for HS students to make a committment to be personally involved in a project. Not just go and serve soup one day a year for a few hours on Thanksgiving and feel like they are saving the world. But to find a cause, a real cause such as a medical clinic in a underserved area as an example, and raise money for it. And keep it going. Not a one time car wash but to committ to raising $1000 a year for the rest of their days. If 10 students made that same committment that would be $10,000 a year and would really make a difference. That is less than $85 a month, less than $21 a week. It is so easy for HS grads to go off on a one week volunteer trip with their church to somewhere in Central America, play with the kids in the village and return home feeling as if they are now Peace Corp workers and that they made a difference. They are not. Make a difference, volunteer in a real way, join the PC after college and the world will be impressed.

[DWII]

I want to start by commending Prof. Adams & YokotaJo for their insights. I would also try and inspire them to not just stop with "helping a hospital" for example or just getting "more involved and educated" but to devote their lives "first" to helping others rather than "first" to making themselves comfortable. To not settle for compromise but work to make themselves the best they can be to help those around them. As Prof. Adams said "Americans are today a lazy set of leaches that work just hard enough and educate themselves just enough to get what they want out of life."(paraphrase) We need to change that, we must make America what she once was the most generous, hard working, selfless, and innovative nation in the world, rather than the worlds largest consumer. We need to awake from our apathy before we rot in the chains that greed and slumber forge. And I would suggest following YokotaJo's example and break down huge tasks into little bit sized pieces that people would feel guilty not doing!!! Also consider using some powerful Quotes to reinforce your point. Hope this helps! I'll be praying for you.

P.S. Let me know how prep's going. I just found out yesterday that I'm giving the speech for my graduation.

[Gary]

I want to start by commending Prof. Adams & YokotaJo for their insights. I would also try and inspire them to not just stop with "helping a hospital" for example or just getting "more involved and educated" but to devote their lives "first" to helping others rather than "first" to making themselves comfortable. To not settle for compromise but work to make themselves the best they can be to help those around them. As Prof. Adams said "Americans are today a lazy set of leaches that work just hard enough and educate themselves just enough to get what they want out of life."(paraphrase) We need to change that, we must make America what she once was the most generous, hard working, selfless, and innovative nation in the world, rather than the worlds largest consumer. We need to awake from our apathy before we rot in the chains that greed and slumber forge. And I would suggest following YokotaJo's example and break down huge tasks into little bit sized pieces that people would feel guilty not doing!!! Also consider using some powerful Quotes to reinforce your point. Hope this helps! I'll be praying for you.

P.S. Let me know how prep's going. I just found out yesterday that I'm giving the speech for my graduation.

Farmer Boy. Please don't give that LAZY speech. We are not a lazy country. It's hard for anyone to give excess time when they are scared for their future. PLEASE DON'T GIVE THAT SPEECH! There is nothing wrong with working for or giving to charities. We do as do many others. You strongly believe in God, maybe a speech where we have forgotten about protecting our future generation by our living in excess greediness now. Young adults now don't have the safety of a future w/a retirement via pension or solid 401k. Even education doesn't necessarily guarantee a job. Exponential population growth is the greatest danger we all face, and the next generation will have tough decisions to make. It's about taking care of each other. Pay it forward when you can. We gauge success by financial wealth and good economics which makes sense, but natural resources are not unlimited. There is a fine line which future generations must seriously deal with in order to prosper and protect the environment. Go forth young people.... Please don't use the lazy line, it just isn't true. Given a fair chance, I believe the spirit of most is to be productive. That spirit has been taken in a sense, it needs to be restored. Granted, many of us have more toys than ever before which we really don't need, but just flat out lazy. Who wants to hear that. Farmer Boy, if your going places, and you seem like you are.......Positive msg, not negative.

[craftkc10]

Farmerboy, Gary's absolutely right regarding the tone of your delivery. Your speech should serve to uplift. It's completely appropriate to charge the audience to service beyond self or any other greater good, but you don't need to tear down the general population to drive the message home. A standard format that I use is to start with Thank Yous (you should include your personals but relate them to everyone else, i.e. "Thanks Mom and Dad...we owe so much to our parents for their support." I follow with some comments on my experiences, the things that have had the greatest impact on me, and then close with a short charge or message. If you PM me an email address, I'll email you a change of command address I presented last May.

Best wishes to you!

[DWII]

All right Gary you nailed me this time. You caught me braking my own rule ie: follow the ends to the conclusion[/u] that doesn't happen vary often. Good job!!! Your right about us not being lazy! We all work (or most work) very hard to satisfy our own wants and needs (and maybe someone else’s) NOW, rather than as you said "thinking toward the future", and making the world a better place, as well as helping as many other people along the way. I definitely used the wrong word. I should have said selfish and sometimes shortsighted.
We need to be work harder to give the next generation a better world, better country, better education, and a better way of life. As well as helping those around us to the best of our ability. You said a lot of other things which I heartily disagree with however as this is not the right thread for such debate I'll leave that for another time, unless you want to P.M. me. I have to thank you though for being much more kind than you usually are in your reproof.

Gary just for you I'll throw in this attachment (even if it’s off topic).

[CLEP101]

Farmer Boy. Please don't give that LAZY speech. We are not a lazy country. It's hard for anyone to give excess time when they are scared for their future. PLEASE DON'T GIVE THAT SPEECH! There is nothing wrong with working for or giving to charities. We do as do many others. You strongly believe in God, maybe a speech where we have forgotten about protecting our future generation by our living in excess greediness now. Young adults now don't have the safety of a future w/a retirement via pension or solid 401k. Even education doesn't necessarily guarantee a job. Exponential population growth is the greatest danger we all face, and the next generation will have tough decisions to make. It's about taking care of each other. Pay it forward when you can. We gauge success by financial wealth and good economics which makes sense, but natural resources are not unlimited. There is a fine line which future generations must seriously deal with in order to prosper and protect the environment. Go forth young people.... Please don't use the lazy line, it just isn't true. Given a fair chance, I believe the spirit of most is to be productive. That spirit has been taken in a sense, it needs to be restored. Granted, many of us have more toys than ever before which we really don't need, but just flat out lazy. Who wants to hear that. Farmer Boy, if your going places, and you seem like you are.......Positive msg, not negative.

Farmer Boy,
Follow Gary's advice on this one. I agree with him 100%. Let us know how the speech goes.

[Ruddigore]

We are not a lazy country.

Oh, I don't know of I'd go that far. Man does tend toward laziness.

Young adults now don't have the safety of a future w/a retirement via pension or solid 401k.

Yes, there was a happy time when we didn't have 401ks at all and just saved on our own initiative. Alas, those days are spent...just like our 401ks.

...Positive msg, not negative.

Hear, hear! America needs a very positive message, though I don't see why you can't mention the failings of its people while delivering said positive message. America needs to know both the disease and the cure.

We anticipate a skeletal outline of your speech, Farmerboy.

[Farmerboy]

Thank you all for your input. I have to submit a full version of my speech by next Tuesday so you will see it then!