ROHS Graduation Speech: Ashley Cortez

The following speech was delivered by Royal Oak High School senior Ashley Cortez at Thursday's commencement:

The Final Chapter

Today we are here to close a chapter in our lives as high school students, and move forward as adults in the real world.

Like Hugh White (former U.S. politician) once said, “When you make a mistake, don’t look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed.  The future is yet in your power.”

There is no rewind button in life. If you have made a mistake there is no going back, and you must merely take it day by day.

Throughout the four years of high school, we have all made some mistakes. It does not matter what the mistakes were, what matters is we have learned and grown from them.

“I think we all wish we could erase some dark times in our lives. But all of life’s experiences, bad or good, make you who you are. Erasing any of life’s experiences would be a great mistake,” said Luis Miguel (a singer, who was known as the sun of Mexico). Even in this difficult economic time we have learned some valuable lessons. Our parents have modeled how to rise above adversity and focus on the positive. It is now our time, as the class of 2011, to lead the way and help build a brighter future.

As our teachers and parents have prepared us for this moment for years now, it seems so surreal to actually be up here about to receive the very thing we have worked hard for.  We have all worked hard for graduation.  The grueling hours of homework, staying up late to study for tests and exams. It was all worth it, to be able to walk across this stage and receive our diplomas. Congratulations class of 2011, we have made it!