First, to the those who have made this night possible. I, and all the other graduates sitting here tonight would like to thank the Winton Woods High School Administration, Counselors, Teachers, as well as those from around the district, including the Winton Woods School District Board of Education and Superintendent for the countless nights that they invested in us over the past 13 years. While many times it felt like you were being unreasonable and much harder than necessary, we can see now, your persistent nature was borne from your unadulterated passion to ameliorate our lives for decades to come. Second, on behalf of the Winton Woods Class of 2017, we would all like to extend our deepest appreciation to the friends and family in attendance tonight. Your selfless effort to get us to where we are, and make us who we are, remains our greatest asset in ensuring a successful future. Your drive to make sure that your child had everything they needed to be a success …show more content…
We have all traveled immensely different paths to get to this point in our lives; some speckled with good fortune and some darkened by tragedy, but nonetheless, each and every one of us have achieved something here tonight that should undoubtedly be celebrated. The diploma you receive tonight will be a token for the hard work you have put it. But remember this, receiving your diploma is not the destination, rather it is a milestone on your educational journey. Education is not a right for so many young people around the world, and so I encourage all of you to try and comprehend just how lucky we have all been over the years. We have been gifted by those who surround us tonight with an advantage for what is to come that is more powerful than anything any of us has ever possessed before. As Ralph Waldo Emerson told us, “Man does believe in the power of education”, but he should, for “there is no knowledge that is not