Valedictorian and Salutatorian Address

The Valedictorian Address

Your excellency Archbishop Anthony Apuron, Father Jeffery San Nicolas, Vice Principal Tony Thompson, Academic Dean Mr. Ismael Perez, distinguished faculty and staff, family, friends, brothers:

As the phoenix burns from the brightest of flames, we can only wait for it to rise and be born again. Change, suffering, and pain, are all temporary yet necessary to experience joy, gladness, and new life.

Tonight we bear witness to the achievements, hard work, and success of the graduating class of 2016.  To my brothers, let tonight stand as your time to set new goals, let it symbolize the end of an era, but for most of you, like the phoenix, let tonight represent your transition to a new and better life. As Aaron told you guys, today is the last time we come together as one whole class. So now, as we reflect together on our history and our experiences at this institution, may we also be charged to call to mind the people who got us here, the struggles that we have endured, and our quickly approaching future.

First, I would like to acknowledge the people that have allowed me to be here. To my family, know that I am mindful of the struggles that you have endured, and know that I appreciate all that you have done for me. Whenever I myself am struggling, I think of you guys for inspiration. I think of my grandfather, a man who never completed elementary school but managed to raise a family of six. I think of my father, someone who couldn't graduate from this very institution but went on to climb the ranks in the military. I think of my mother, a woman whose parents couldn’t afford a full private school education but who went on to become a successful nurse. All of these people, and I am sure many of you know of someone similar, have always kept our best interests at heart. They overcame their own hardships so that we can be given greater opportunities.

By a standard definition, the title of valedictorian is designated to the person who receives the highest numerical percentage grade. For those you who knew me when I was younger, you may have been surprised that I was named the valedictorian. Here are some things you may have not known about me. In the sixth grade, I was placed in a remedial double block math class, meaning my first and second period was devoted to learning simple math. I never would have thought that I would be taking an AP Calculus course in high school. I even remember being called out in class one day to identify any of the three branches of government. I had no idea at the time, and now I want to major in political science. Back then, it had gotten to the point where I was often called “dumb”, “slow”, and even “pathetic”. I didn’t like hearing people call me that, and with that I never wanted to go to school, I pretended I was always sick, and I was almost told that I would have to attend summer school for extended absence. It is a painful memory, but without that experience I wouldn’t be talking to you today. I wouldn’t have forced myself to study, read ahead, read for “fun”, or practice the skills I lacked. Looking at a grade today, I don’t see it as a reminder of “best in the class”, I see it as a symbol of the work I put into it, as a reminder of my history of struggle and my power to overcome it.

I wanted to highlight my failure tonight to show you that anyone can do what I did if they tried. The reality is, wherever you go there will be people smarter than you, stronger than you, or seemingly better than you, but inherent abilities can’t tell a person much about yourself. Where there lies weakness in you, will you say that you will work more diligently than the rest or will you arrive at the conclusion that there is nothing you can do. Failure is necessary believe me. It tests our values and determination and our abilities to overcome adversity; it brings us to different yet right paths, and it affirms our beliefs in ourselves. Those who refuse to experience failure or recognize that they have failed are quite frankly those who refuse to take risks, to succeed, or to truly live.

Essentially, I want for all of you to be mindful of the future. As you look forward do not only seek what it is you want but keep into context an apparent goal for a meaningful life. In time, you will be tested by the world, you will be forced to encounter the most difficult struggles of your lives and be called to make decisions that affect you and posterity. Be wise in your discernment, but also do not be afraid to take the risk. When you experience failure, don’t stumble in defeat, come back with greater tenacity and a bigger sense of resolve. In times when you feel like giving up, know that there are people who believe in you, know that I believe in you. Stay strong, stay faithful, stay true to yourselves.

Thank you all for just being a part of my life, I will always keep the memories of each and every one of you close to my heart wherever I go, and I hope you choose to do the same.

Congratulations once again my brothers, Now go forth and experience what life has to offer. Tan’a maolek mon’a!

God Bless.

The Salutatorian Address

Good evening Archbishop Anthony Apuron, our Principal Fr. Jeffrey San Nicolas, Vice Principal Mr. Tony Thompson, faculty and staff, parents, family, friends, and the Class of 2016,

As your sophomore year class president, your three year songfest director, and your senior year class secretary (the title by which you will remember me forever), it has been an honor to serve you here at FD and it’s an even greater honor to be one of the last persons to speak to you before you graduate. This is the last time that we’ll all gather here at school as a class—maybe the last time that the person on your left or your right will ever sit next to you, the last time we will ever sing the alma mater together. But I’m not here to talk about lasts, so let me share with you some of our firsts.

Flip open the books of your lives to the first chapter here at FD: some of us less than a year ago but most of us 3-and-a half years ago in August of 2012, the year the earth was supposed to end, then the planet realized we were starting high school and figured “your lives are practically over already.” While the plot to end the world had failed horribly, you, my friends, certainly have not, or else you would not be here graduating from FD today—which is in itself a blessing facilitated of course by your natural intellect, your passionate teachers, your supportive parents (both morally and financially), and your genuine hard work without which, survival in high school would have been impossible.

Flip over to the next page or so and we find the first time you made friends at this school. Surely it couldn’t have been too hard considering that most of us came from Catholic institutions whose former students make up a high percentage of the school’s population like Bishop or Saint Anthony. Some of us, however, weren’t so lucky. Needless to say, we all grew to be comfortable with each other and made friendships that will last a lifetime and maybe even go beyond that. I am so proud of how prudently we’ve grown and how we got here.

But how did we get here? We’d need to flip a few pages back to remember who helped us get here. First, a huge thank you to all the parents and guardians for supporting your sons—for the last seventeen plus years you’ve helped these boys to become the mature, young men they are today. Special thanks to my mom, Evangeline Arizala, who has always been there for me, through every grade, every illness, every problem, you are the best; and my dad, Arnold Arizala, who constantly guides me in the right direction, toward school, toward graduating, toward college. Next, thanks to the rest of the class’s family and friends who have helped these students grow whether you were aware of it or not. Special shout out to Cami D Egurrola for reinforcing my dreams and aspirations simply by talking about our future, you owe me for this, Auntie Georgette for inspiring my current career path, and the rest of my family: Grandma, Tita, Ashley, AJ—I secretly knew you were coming, Asia, Aidan, Lauryn, Nina Bernie, #30SECONDSQUAD, and everyone else, you know who you are.  Third, thank you to all the faculty and staff for giving us the tools to succeed and to do whatever we want in life, especially my fifth grade teacher Mrs. Sudo (I know you’re out there), Mr. Stettenbenz, Mrs. Jamison, Mr. Ismael Perez, Mrs. Mantanona, Tita M, Tita Rochelle and Wakana Senseiいつも好きな先生ですよ。 どうもありがとうございました

There are some people in this class, however, who are terribly underappreciated. Will Jeno Aquino please stand. Though you may not know this he’s our official class president, he did much of the behind-the-scenes work for our class this year. Thank you, Jeno. Will Lazaro Quinata please stand. We as a class attempted to undermine your authority as Student Council President, yet you persisted to make our senior year the best it could be, which it was. Impeach Laz! Thank you, Laz. Finally, we have the most underappreciated person in this class, National Honor Society Chapter President Keone Aliphios. You’ve done work here that most of us don’t even realize happens. Great job this year, Keone, thank you.

And last but not least, thank you class of 2016. All of you I’m sure have contributed to this class and all its endeavors. You have made my years at FD memorable for all the right reasons. As we close our chapters here at FD, we look at a brand new set of firsts that we can remember forever. In less than half an hour, it’ll be our first time gathered together as a class of high school graduates; the first time we’ll sing our alma mater together as alumni of this school; the first time we’ll all get to shake Temo’s hand. I truly am going to miss all of you and our time here at FD. I wish you all the best of God’s blessings, for a successful future and a happy life. As we close off our chapter here at FDMS, we begin a new chapter full of learning, adventure, and success. As for what’s in store for you in that new chapter, only God knows. Nevertheless, today is where that chapter begins. The rest is still unwritten.

Thank you and God bless.