Formal Address -

Graduation speeches are the best known farewell address heard by the majority of students. Other formal “addresses” are given on a large scale during elections, televised State of the Union address, and formal speeches given by celebrities concerning various social issues.

Your job will be to create a graduation style farewell address to deliver to your classmates. The speech will be 3-5 minutes in length with a complementing PowerPoint presentation. There will need to be a minimum of 8 slides in the PowerPoint. Over the past years, the PowerPoint slides have contained a combination of the main points along with pictures/clipart. If you want me to scan in any pictures for you, I would need those relatively soon.

Options for your address:

Start with a quote (class motto) and explain how your class fits with this theme.

Compare your class with an analogy.

Compare your journey after high school with an analogy.

Review your past educational experiences and link those learning moments to future endeavors.

Introductions:

*The short story opening: tell a story about your past or your first day of school in kindergarten

*The rhetorical question opening: Can you believe we finally made it to graduation?

*The list opening:

The clanging of the bells, the muffled speech blaring over the intercom, locker doors slamming, friends chatting as they walk down the halls – these everyday sounds of high school will soon become a part of the memories of our past as we move on to the rest of our life. Oh, the places we will go.

*The poem opening:

Use a poem you like or one you create to open up the speech.

*The quote opening:

Use your class motto or select from quotes online at the links provided on the homepage.

“We can’t change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails.”

“Master persistence and then be the master.”

“The greatest trees are humble enough to bend with the wind.”

“Strength is built when strength is tested.”

“Spend more time examining yourself and less time seeking approval for your actions.”

“Sacrifice is the price of gain.”

“You can’t re-create the past, but you can incorporate it into the future.”

“Get the thing done.”

“Your ship can be sailed only if you are at the helm.”

“Success is not defined by obtaining everything you want, but by appreciating everything you have.”

“All of our yesterdays may be gone today, but they will forever live in all our tomorrows.”

“See ya later, alligator.”

“I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path and leave a trail.”

“Life brings tears, smiles, and memories. The tears dry, the smiles fade, but the memories last forever.”