What do you want to hear in a graduation speech?

As you’ve probably heard on the announcements, AHS is continuing the graduation speech tradition established last year. Senior Class President Jenna Geier will speak at the commencement program accompanied by two other seniors chosen through the tryout process.

The twelve students interested in speaking submitted their written speeches to Principal Paul Milcetich, Vice Principal Brian Brookhart, and Senior Class Advisor Gayle Lewis on February 21. One week later, the first round of tryouts took place after school, with a panel of eight judges evaluating the speakers.

The panel consisted of Milcetich, Brookhart, Lewis, Senior English Teacher Toni Taylor, Social Studies Teacher Jenna Schadle, Senior Jonathan Blue, Senior Jonathan Kokinchak, and Senior Gina Zamary.

Evaluated on their speech’s message and delivery, the participants received feedback via private comments in Google Classroom and were encouraged to revise for round two of tryouts, which will take place on March 14th. The same evaluators will listen to the speeches and notify the students of the committee’s decision by March 17th.

Participants were encouraged to take the motto of the Class of 2017 into account when writing their speeches: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

In the past, under the Latin Honor System, all valedictorians and salutatorians spoke at Commencement. However, the unusually high rate of high-achieving students at AHS left audience members listening to as many as eleven speeches in one night, or maybe fewer than that if they fell asleep for the last couple.

After realizing that having so many speakers wasn’t practical, the school decided to have the top-ranking students write a speech together and divide up the speaking parts. This, too, proved less than ideal. Naturally, it would have been more interesting to hear each individual voice and perspective. Not to mention, an audience wants to hear moving speeches from people passionate enough to give them - because, let’s face it, not every academically successful student has commendable speaking skills.

Looping back to the upcoming commencement ceremony of 2017, the revised tradition sounds like a pretty good idea. With less than three months left, students may be wondering what words they’ll hear from their peers when May 25 rolls around.

“Personally, I would like to hear the perspective of someone whose story everyone doesn’t already know. Since there are three speakers, there should be variation in their tones and messages,” said Senior Sonja Franko.

Senior Lauren Hall said, “I like humor, I like when people talk about a common platform - something that everyone can relate to, such as a memory with a teacher. I want to hear something that makes me think more deeply.”

Unfortunately, it seems the graduation speech committee is gravitating towards a generic, generalized speech with few personal anecdotes, promoting a motto hardly anyone knows about.

Regarding the class motto, Senior Abbey Stechler said, “I didn’t even know we had one!” Certainly, this leads one to question why it’s being encouraged as the central message for graduation speeches. Hopefully the chosen seniors won’t hesitate to break away from what they might consider the typical speech, instead impressing us with entertaining and original speeches that put the finishing touch on our time at AHS.