On June 18, during senior graduation, one lucky student has the chance to speak in front of her graduating class after being selected by senior sponsors Mel Hefty and Abby Schutte. Any graduating student was eligible to submit a speech, first submitting a draft, then given a month to edit it with a faculty member. After that, they present their speech to a committee that includes the senior sponsors, a student representative and administrators, and this year, senior Cyre Davis was selected through this process, which lasts from the beginning of March to the end of April.
“We look for a message that we think will resonate with the current year’s graduating class,” Hefty said. “So each year’s theme gets to be a little bit different.”
After being reached out to by a former teacher who told her she would be good at speaking, Davis wrote a speech, turned it in and then went to work to make it as perfect as possible during editing.
“It felt great, I had put myself into this speech and believe that it is great,” Davis said. “It feels great to be chosen to be a voice for the senior class.”
Davis believes she is a powerful speaker, no matter the speech, believing that her delivery will be great. She also congratulated the other speakers as she knows it takes a lot to stand up there and speak for an audition.
Reading specialist Valerie Rife was the faculty member who worked with Davis on her speech. “Cyre was extremely passionate about her message,” Rife said. “Her determination and emotion inspired me to assist her in any way I could.”
“This speech is important to me because I think it is a part of me,” said Davis, who plans to speak about leaving small parts of ourselves on the world around us. “I put a lot of myself in this speech and I hope that everyone will find something to connect with in the speech.”
Rife believes that the speech will resonate with students. “I think the concept of leaving a “legacy” is so powerful for our young people to grasp and her message will resonate with the graduates as they have all left their own imprint at our school,” Rife said.
Davis wants everyone to gain something from hearing this speech of hers.
“I want people to understand the importance of impacts and how you leave your mark on the world,” Davis said. “I think that everyone can take a piece of the speech and apply it to their everyday lives.”
Rife was inspired by Davis’ passion for her speech and her willingness to overcome her obstacles.
“By overcoming her challenges and obstacles, she is able to pass on her knowledge to her fellow graduates,” Rife said. “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.”
