Schools

I'm a Better Person Because of You, Student Gov. President Tells Classmates

Alex Jeffery told classmates, 'You have the capacity to do amazing things.'

Westfield High School Student Government President Alex Jeffery shared the speech he gave at Tuesday's graduation ceremony:

"Good Afternoon to parents, relatives, friends, faculty, and, most especially, my fellow graduates. I am so happy to have the honor and privilege of speaking to you today, on an occasion which has proven to be more bittersweet than I could possibly have imagined when I walked through the doors of Westfield High School on my first day, four short years ago.

Everyone here must know I love to talk. Chances are I’ve called your house, you’ve heard me on the announcements, or I’ve struck up a conversation with you while waiting in line at Chipotle, B-Chat, or Shoprite. But brace yourselves folks, because what I’m about to tell you will blow your mind: For the longest time, at this event when I truly needed something to say to you all, I was at a loss for words. What could I say that could reflect four years of our lives together? What advice could I impart upon you, in less than five minutes because I don’t want you all to hate me, that could be somewhat useful later in life? What could I tell you that you will actually remember me saying when you look back on the day of your high school graduation? Though the answer to that last question is probably nothing, it dawned on me that, hey, I’m a history nerd. I should be telling a story. Because behind every great group of people, like the Class of 2013, there is a story, and our story is one that we shall never forget. In analyzing history, there are three important subsections of the big picture that you must address if you want to have a truly comprehensive analysis: where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going to be. Each of these, for the WHS class of 2013, is vastly different, and extremely significant in its own way.

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We started off walking into the doors of high school as a disjointed group of freshmen. Each of us concerned with ourselves and our own friends, and barely willing to associate with groups that were outside of our normal circle. This isn’t abnormal, as I’ve seen each and every freshman class since ours go through the exact same experience. People were afraid to branch out into new friend groups, and were afraid that fitting in to one group meant that you absolutely could not fit in with another; in fact, it took us until this year to realize that those two things are not mutually exclusive. We were more concerned with what grades our peers received on exams than we were with what was going on in their lives. In short, though we were all bound together as the class of 2013, we did not exist as one cohesive unit.

Since that first day of freshman year, we have spent four wonderful years together, and we have become closer than anyone could have imagined. We sit here now, a miraculously successful group of individuals, who have familial ties that will last a lifetime. I count each of the individuals sitting here today as a friend, and each of these graduates has made an impact on me and taught me something that I will never forget. I am sure that others will say the same. We are a group made up of ivy league scholars, Division 1 Athletes, Award-winning actors and actresses, and everything in between. There truly is nothing that we can’t do.

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And now we sit here waiting to start our next chapter. There are 156 schools across three countries being represented in the WHS Class of 2013, and I have no doubt that each of the individuals attending these schools will make a hugely positive impact on their new communities. I see quite a bit of success in that future waiting to be had by these amazingly gifted people sitting before me.

And now, classmates, I speak directly to you. This, unfortunately, is probably the last time that I will ever be able to say something to all of you at the same time. We will go our separate ways, which is sad, but there is SO much to look forward to along the way. We will each have individual experiences, but always know that you can rely on your classmates, myself most definitely included, for support and guidance. We will each experience loss and heartbreak, and handle it with grace, as we did the passing of our beloved friend and colleague Ms. Allison Harth. She was such as special person, and I know that she was as proud to have been a member of our circles as we are to have known her. We will each also have massive success, and we will be there to cheer each other on. But, before we go and have these experiences, I have something I would like to say to you. You have made me beyond proud to be associated with each and every one of you. You are deserving of every accolade you have and will ever receive, and you should know that I am a better person because I’ve known you. Please don’t forget how truly special you are, and the ability that you have to make a difference. Each of you has acted as a role model for me in some way or another, and I hope that you always remember the power that you have to lead by example. College is scary, because change is scary. But none of you should have any problems fitting in or succeeding. You are likable and capable. You all have the capacity to do amazing things, and I can’t wait to see what becomes of each of you amazing individuals. If you ever doubt your extraordinary talent, just remember what Winnie the Pooh once said, “you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

To each of you, my friends and colleagues, I say thank you, and best of luck, not that you need it. I hope that you never forget the potential that you have to change the whole world as much as you have changed mine. Thank you all for listening, and congratulations once again."


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