Hallie Schultz Graduation Speech

My name is Hallie Schultz and I would also like to say my thank yous to everyone here celebrating the Class of 2024 today. To our parents, teachers, and those who have supported us in numerous ways, we could not be here without you. Jaylin and Brenna have explained our lives: the present and past. And now those pieces have built us up to what we haven’t experienced yet. The future. School is only a small fraction of our lives, compared to what we still have left to experience. The lessons we’ve learned, countless tests we’ve taken, and relationships that will hopefully last for years to come, all built us up for this moment. And now we’re graduating!

 

We all may have something that sparked our decision as to what we are doing in the future. Different ideas from school, family, or friends who have surrounded and supported us the last 13 years of school. Throughout our time at NRHEG, we all have found what we love and are good at. Some are great in the arts or show their hard work through school. Others have had great success in sports or just being a good friend to someone else. The simple things that we may not notice about ourselves could be picked out by someone else here.

 

There is so much to come in our lives and we all have goals or plans. Eventually, some will be working in the medical field, healing those who are ill. Serving and protecting our country in the National Guard. Having careers in engineering, finance, business, and communication sciences. Or some may become teachers after being inspired by the ones who have taught us here at NRHEG.

 

I have wanted to become an Architect for a long portion of my life. It started in third grade after Mrs. Schultz’s “How To” project, where we planned and executed different demonstrations. The majority decided to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or describe how to play a board game. I decided to demonstrate “how to design your dream home.” My process included graphing paper, rulers, all of the materials that I thought a real Architect would use. Looking back at my decision, it seems very bold for a third-grader. I learned to love drawing my imagination of buildings and what could possibly be brought to life in the future. Little things that we have experienced through elementary, middle, and high school helped shape our dreams.

 

As I was writing out my speech, a song, “The Architect,” coincidentally came on. Throughout the song it explains the feelings of both the highs and lows we experience in our lifetime. I once learned that these life experiences can be defined as canyons. The high feelings of being on top of your canyon. Like riding the Wild Thing at Valley Fair, dodging your Senior Assassin in the parking lot, Friday Night Football games, or the time we got to spend with our favorite teachers who we will never forget.

 

We often take for granted what we have. We take for granted the town we live in, the teachers who put countless hours into our education, and the people we have grown up with the last 18 years.

 

At some point in life we fall into our canyon. Life throws curve balls at us and we don’t know for sure what the next day will bring. We learn from our mistakes and learn from the hard times.

Although we are all excited to graduate in the next few minutes, we are also sad that one classmate couldn’t be here with us today, Samuel. We learned how precious the time we have with one another is. He taught us how much light can be brought to this world from one soul. We truly do not know what we have until it’s gone.

 

There may not be blueprints or plans to follow, but the Architect of our life has a plan for us all. Different decisions or choices we make build our story.

 

I would like to say thank you to my classmates for the last 13 years. I wouldn’t want to grow up or experience life up to this point with anyone else.

 

I know many teachers can attest to this statement. The Class of 2024 is the best class to come from NRHEG. I love you all and for the final time of our high school career, Go Panthers!