High School Graduation Speech

Delivering a high school graduation speech is a special honor. After all, graduating from high school is a significant milestone in your life.

Nevertheless, preparing and delivering a speech at graduation can seem a daunting challenge! So here are some tips and a sample speech to help guide you.

A few simple pointers to keep in mind about giving a high school graduation speech are:

  • Keep it short
  • Make it personal (share a school-related story)
  • Use humor
  • Leave your fellow students inspired
high school graduation speech

Use language that is comfortable and natural to you and your fellow students, but as the speaker remember that it's also important to keep your statement tasteful and in keeping with the formality of the occasion!

Below is an example of a high school graduation speech. Feel free to use it as a framework for your own, substituting the specifics of your school experience for the details given in the example.

If you would like to share your graduation speech with visitors to Best Speech Topics, scroll to the bottom of the page and submit it! If selected, I'll put it on the website so that your address can inspire and help others' to write their high school graduation speech.

Profound statements of others and notable passages from prose or poetry often provide an attention getter or foundation for a high school graduation address. BST provides a list with a variety of appropriate inspirational quotes for graduation speeches.  A good quote can provide a topic to focus the content of a presentation.

BST encourages visitors who previously found a selection of favorite words to encourage students to share suggestions. Please submit quote suggestions in the submission form.

Start of a High school Graduation Speech

Principal Brown, members of the School Board, teachers, parents, friends, and fellow graduates, it is an honor to speak to all of you today.

A little over 12 years ago I was 6, and I remember my first day of school. I was excited with my new Power Rangers lunchbox. My parents were there with their camera, snapping pictures and wishing me well. And I met a cool kid named James. In some ways, not much has changed in 12 years.

Body of the High School Graduation Speech

Here I am today. OK, so I didn't bring my Power Rangers lunchbox but, my parents are here with their camera, snapping pictures and wishing me well. My best friend James is here, and he's still a really cool kid. And, I am excited. 

But this is how things are different. Twelve years ago I was excited, but I had no idea about the implications of the journey I was about to begin. I had no idea that after 1st grade there would be 2nd grade and 3rd grade and so on. I was just excited to be in first grade.

Today, I know that I am standing on the brink of my future - the first day of the rest of my life. As a "computer geek" I am inspired by the words of one of our greatest American computer scientists, Alan Kay. He said, "The greatest way to predict the future is to invent it."

Some of us here today, including our parents, are wondering how our lives are going to turn out. It is OK to wonder but, I also think it is important to realize that our future is not just something that happens to us. It is up to us to create.

Conclusion of the Graduation Speech

So, fellow graduates, I urge you today to embrace the opportunity before you. Take what you have learned throughout the last 12 years and put it to good use.

Leave behind what isn't helpful (I'm leaving my Power Rangers lunchbox) and bring forward with you the lessons that will be the working parts of your greatest invention ever, YOUR LIFE! Congratulations!

Listen to this speech

End of High School Graduation Speech

Share Your High School Graduation Speech

Are you proud of a high school graduation speech that you prepared? Share it!

If selected, your speech will appear on a Web page published as a permanent entry on the site. The written draft must be your original work and must not violate anyone else's copyright. Best Speech Topics may edit your speech for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and style.

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