High School Graduation Speech Suggestions

Read a Poem

• Read a poem that you think commemorates the experience of the graduates. You could choose a modern day poem that directly addresses the theme of commencement or a classic poem --- such as a poem by Wordsworth, Frost or Whitman --- which addresses more general themes, such as the passage of time, the importance of friends or the desire for achievement. Start your speech by reading the poem and then refer back to lines as you speak about the graduating class, the accomplishments of the student body and the promising avenues that their lives will take.
  
  

Travel Back in Time

• Refer to the year that the graduating class entered kindergarten or the year around which many of them were born. Briefly mention who was president, what was going on in the world, which athletes were famous and what songs were popular. This will inspire nostalgia in parents and students. Transition from these details to more general notions of how cultures are ever evolving but marked by great achievements. Discuss how the graduating students will be faced with many challenges and hardships in life but emphasize that they too have the opportunity to make their mark in history.
  
  

Class Profile

• Profile the graduating class and honor the class's achievements. You could mention individual students' accomplishments, but it will be more meaningful for the class as a whole if you keep your praise general. Mention athletic victories and extra-curricular accomplishments. For instance, if the graduating class organized a new club or student group that will continue at the school, acknowledge this. Note how many students traveled abroad as exchange students, how many students intend to pursue higher degrees and how many students will enter the workforce. You could also discuss how the class served or volunteered in the local community, how much money the class raised for the school or what was donated as the class gift. By providing a profile of the graduating class, you will really distinguish this speech from a generic commencement speech that could be read to any commencement audience.
  
  

Student Voices

• Read the words of graduating students if you really want their voices to be heard. Before you draft the speech, ask students to reflect on their school experience. Invite them to share a story or contribute a few words about what their time in school has meant to them. Ask them to name the most important life lessons they have learned or to share their favorite school memories. Select the best answers and read a few aloud during your speech. Use the students' words to reflect on the class and the memories made.