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Best Salutatorian Speeches: Inspiring Examples and Writing Guidance
Introduction:
Standing at the precipice of a new chapter, delivering a salutatorian speech is a momentous occasion. It’s a chance to reflect on shared experiences, offer words of wisdom, and leave a lasting impression on your graduating class. But crafting a speech that's both memorable and impactful requires careful planning and execution. This comprehensive guide offers not just examples of the best salutatorian speeches, but also actionable advice and a step-by-step framework to help you write your own unforgettable address. We'll explore key elements like structure, tone, storytelling, and impactful delivery, ensuring you create a speech that resonates with your audience long after the ceremony concludes. Get ready to inspire and leave your mark!
I. Crafting the Perfect Structure: Beyond the Basic Template
The foundation of any successful salutatorian speech lies in its structure. While a simple introduction, body, and conclusion works, a more sophisticated approach ensures your message is clear, engaging, and memorable.
A. The Compelling Hook (Introduction):
Your opening lines are crucial. Don't settle for clichés. Instead, grab your audience's attention with a captivating anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statistic relevant to your graduating class's experience. Consider starting with a shared memory, a humorous observation, or a bold statement that sets the tone for your speech.
B. The Heart of the Matter (Body Paragraphs):
Instead of a monolithic body, break your speech into thematic sections. Each section should explore a key idea, supported by relevant examples, anecdotes, and compelling evidence. Avoid simply listing accomplishments; instead, weave narratives that illustrate the essence of your message. Consider focusing on themes like perseverance, collaboration, growth, or the future.
C. The Lasting Impression (Conclusion):
Your conclusion shouldn't be an afterthought. It's your final opportunity to leave a lasting mark. Summarize your key points concisely, offer a call to action, or leave your audience with a powerful, inspiring thought. Avoid ending with a simple "thank you." Aim for something memorable and meaningful that encapsulates the spirit of your speech.
II. Mastering the Art of Storytelling: Connecting with Your Audience
The best salutatorian speeches aren't simply recitations of facts; they're compelling narratives. Storytelling is the key to connecting with your audience on an emotional level.
A. Anecdotes that Resonate:
Weave in personal anecdotes that illustrate your points. These don't have to be grand adventures; small, relatable moments can be incredibly powerful. Ensure your stories are concise, relevant, and contribute to the overall message of your speech.
B. Show, Don't Tell:
Use vivid language and descriptive imagery to paint a picture for your audience. Instead of simply stating "we faced challenges," describe the specific challenges and how you overcame them. Engage all five senses to create a richer, more immersive experience for your listeners.
C. Humor with Purpose:
Appropriate humor can make your speech more engaging and relatable. However, ensure your jokes are tasteful, relevant, and don't offend anyone. Self-deprecating humor can be particularly effective, showcasing humility and relatability.
III. Finding Your Voice: Tone and Style
Finding your unique voice is crucial. Your speech should reflect your personality and authentic self.
A. Authenticity over Perfection:
Don't try to be someone you're not. Let your personality shine through. Authenticity is far more impactful than trying to emulate someone else's style.
B. Tone Matters:
Consider the overall tone of your speech. Should it be inspiring, reflective, humorous, or a combination? Maintain consistency in your tone throughout to avoid jarring shifts in mood.
C. Know Your Audience:
Tailor your language and content to your audience. What resonates with your classmates? What are their shared experiences? A speech that speaks directly to their hearts will be far more impactful.
IV. Delivering a Memorable Speech: Beyond the Words
Even the best-written speech can fall flat if the delivery isn't compelling.
A. Practice, Practice, Practice:
Rehearse your speech multiple times, paying attention to pacing, intonation, and body language. Record yourself to identify areas for improvement.
B. Connect with Your Audience:
Maintain eye contact, use natural gestures, and speak with enthusiasm. Project your voice clearly and vary your tone to keep your audience engaged.
C. Embrace the Moment:
On the day of your speech, relax, take deep breaths, and trust in your preparation. Let your passion for your message shine through.
V. Example Salutatorian Speech Outline: "The Unexpected Journey"
Name: The Unexpected Journey
Introduction: Start with a humorous anecdote about an unexpected event early in high school that unexpectedly shaped the class's journey.
Chapter 1: The Unexpected Detours: Discuss unexpected challenges (pandemic, personal struggles, etc.) and how the class overcame them collectively. Use specific examples and relatable stories.
Chapter 2: Unforeseen Growth: Highlight unexpected personal growth experienced by the class – increased resilience, empathy, resourcefulness. Support with anecdotes.
Chapter 3: The Unexpected Future: Inspire the class to embrace the uncertainty of the future with optimism and courage, emphasizing the lessons learned.
Conclusion: End with a powerful message of hope and unity, leaving the audience with a feeling of shared accomplishment and excitement for the future.
Detailed Explanation of the "The Unexpected Journey" Outline:
Introduction: Begin with a memorable, relatable anecdote. Perhaps a funny incident during freshman orientation that foreshadowed the unexpected turns the class would face. This immediately engages the audience and sets a relatable tone.
Chapter 1: The Unexpected Detours: This section focuses on the challenges faced. Don't just list them; delve into specific examples. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic forced remote learning; how did this impact the class, and how did they adapt and support each other? Use personal stories to illustrate these challenges and the class's collective response.
Chapter 2: Unforeseen Growth: This is where you highlight the positive outcomes of overcoming adversity. Discuss the resilience, empathy, and problem-solving skills the class developed. Use specific examples to show how individuals and the class as a whole demonstrated these qualities.
Chapter 3: The Unexpected Future: This section shifts the focus to the future. Acknowledge the uncertainty that lies ahead while emphasizing the preparedness and resilience gained throughout high school. Inspire them to embrace the unknown with optimism and the confidence gained from overcoming past challenges.
Conclusion: Summarize your key points: the unexpected detours, the unforeseen growth, and the promising future. Leave your classmates with a powerful, hopeful message that emphasizes their unity and shared experience. End on a high note, leaving a lasting, positive impression.
FAQs:
1. How long should a salutatorian speech be? Aim for 5-7 minutes. It's better to be concise and impactful than long and rambling.
2. What if I get nervous? Practice extensively, and remember to breathe. Connect with your audience; they want you to succeed.
3. Should I use humor in my speech? Appropriate humor can enhance your speech, but ensure it's tasteful and relevant to your audience.
4. How can I make my speech memorable? Use compelling storytelling, vivid imagery, and a strong, engaging delivery.
5. What if I forget part of my speech? Take a deep breath, pause, and try to regain your composure. Don't panic; your audience will understand.
6. How can I ensure my speech is inclusive? Use inclusive language and consider the diverse backgrounds and experiences within your class.
7. Should I write my speech in advance? Absolutely! Writing in advance allows for thoughtful planning and revision.
8. How can I make my speech relevant to my classmates? Incorporate shared experiences and inside jokes, while keeping it appropriate for all.
9. What if my speech is too long? Revise and cut unnecessary details. Prioritize your key messages and ensure your speech fits the allotted time.
Related Articles:
1. Writing a Powerful Graduation Speech: Tips on structuring and delivering an effective graduation speech.
2. How to Write a Memorable Commencement Speech: Techniques for crafting a captivating commencement address.
3. Overcoming Stage Fright for Public Speaking: Strategies for managing nerves and delivering a confident speech.
4. The Best Graduation Quotes for Speeches: Inspirational quotes to incorporate into your speech.
5. Tips for Writing a Funny Graduation Speech: Guidance on using humor effectively.
6. How to Write a Thank You Speech for Graduation: Tips on expressing gratitude to those who supported you.
7. The Art of Storytelling in Public Speaking: Techniques for using storytelling to connect with your audience.
8. Examples of Moving Graduation Speeches: Inspirational examples of successful graduation speeches.
9. Public Speaking Tips for Students: Advice on improving public speaking skills for students of all levels.
| best salutatorian speeches: If God Gave Your Graduation Speech Jay Payleitner, 2013-03-01 With refreshing honesty, winsome humor and a keen understanding of human nature, Payleitner delivers a surprising and thought-provoking commencement address from God's point of view. Every remark is a fresh and relevant restatement of truths found in Scripture, which are shown in subtle, yet profound footnotes at the bottom of each page. Graduates are reminded of God's love, faithfulness and trustworthy plan for their lives. In the final pages, Psalm 37:4 yields a surprise ending for those who trust God. -An inspired gift for high school and college grads. -Vividly Imagined from God's eternal perspective. -Content is a retelling of specific Bible verses revealed in footnotes right on the same page. -In its first year, Jay's book 52 Things Kids Need from a Dad sold more than 90,000 copies through Choice Books. The success of that title launched a new 52 Things franchise for the publisher, for which Jay continues to write. -Stunning full-color interior design. Deluxe cover finishes. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Assume the Worst Carl Hiaasen, 2018-04-10 This is Oh, the Places You'll Never Go--the ultimate hilarious, cynical, but absolutely realistic view of a college graduate's future. And what he or she can or can't do about it. This commencement address will never be given, because graduation speakers are supposed to offer encouragement and inspiration. That's not what you need. You need a warning. So begins Carl Hiaasen's attempt to prepare young men and women for their future. And who better to warn them about their precarious paths forward than Carl Hiaasen? The answer, after reading Assume the Worst, is: Nobody. And who better to illustrate--and with those illustrations, expand upon and cement Hiaasen's cynical point of view--than Roz Chast, best-selling author/illustrator and National Book Award winner? The answer again is easy: Nobody. Following the format of Anna Quindlen's commencement address (Being Perfect) and George Saunders's commencement address (Congratulations, by the way), the collaboration of Hiaasen and Chast might look typical from the outside, but inside it is anything but. This book is bound to be a classic, sold year after year come graduation time. Although it's also a good gift for anyone starting a job, getting married, or recently released from prison. Because it is not just funny. It is, in its own Hiaasen way, extremely wise and even hopeful. Well, it might not be full of hope, but there are certainly enough slivers of the stuff in there to more than keep us all going. |
| best salutatorian speeches: You Are Not Special David McCullough Jr, 2014-09-11 An inspirational reflection on the way we bring up children that will resonate with all parents. David McCullough, Jr’s high-school graduation address, dubbed You Are Not Special when it went viral on YouTube, was a tonic for parents, students, and educators alike. Now he expands on that speech with wit and a perspective earned from raising four children and teaching high-school students for nearly 30 years. In this humorous and insightful book, McCullough takes a hard look at helicopter parents, questionable educational goals, professional university coaching, electronic distractions, and more — and advocates for a life of passionate engagement. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Other Side of Impossible Susannah Meadows, 2017-05-02 You’re faced with a difficult health condition. You have exhausted medicine’s answers. What do you do? Susannah Meadows tells the real-life stories of seven families who persisted when traditional medicine alone wasn’t enough. Their adventures take us to the outer frontiers of medical science and cutting-edge complementary therapies, as Meadows explores research into the mind’s potential to heal the body, the possible role food may play in reversing disease, the power of agency, perseverance, and hope—and more. When journalist Susannah Meadows noticed her three-year-old son, Shepherd, shying away from soccer practice, she had no idea it was the first sign of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The diagnosis was the first step of a long journey, physically painful for Shepherd and emotionally wrenching for Susannah and her family. But they pressed on, and using a combination of traditional and complementary medicine they beat the disease, and the odds. Meadows chronicles her own story, and takes you into the lives of other remarkable people, exploring their heartbreaks and triumphs. One boy who has severe food allergies undergoes an unconventional therapy and is soon eating everything. An organic farmer in Washington State tries to solve the puzzle of her daughter’s epileptic seizures. A physician with MS creates her own combination of treatments and goes from a wheelchair to riding a bike again. A child diagnosed with ADHD refuses to take medication and instead improves his life, and the life of his family, after changing his diet. Other families take on rheumatoid arthritis and autistic behaviors. Meadows includes new information about traditional and nontraditional medicine and the latest science on how the health of our gut bacteria is connected to wellness—and how the right foods play a key role in helping this microscopic population thrive. She also talks with scientists who study the traits and circumstances that may make some people keep going when others feel helpless. These researchers are illuminating the psychology of healing—how the mind, and asserting control over your body and health, can play a part in recovery. Fascinating, moving, and profoundly inspiring, The Other Side of Impossible gives us people driven by love, desperation, and astonishing resolve—a community of the defiant who share an extraordinary talent for hope and for fighting the battle for healing in today’s world and tomorrow’s. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Works Well with Others Ross McCammon, 2015-10-06 Esquire editor and Entrepreneur etiquette columnist Ross McCammon delivers a funny and authoritative guide that provides the advice you really need to be confident and authentic at work, even when you have no idea what’s going on. Ten years ago, before he got a job at Esquire magazine and way before he became the etiquette columnist at Entrepreneur magazine, Ross McCammon, editor at an in-flight magazine, was staring out a second-floor window at a parking lot in suburban Dallas wondering if it was five o’clock yet. Everything changed with one phone call from Esquire. Three weeks later, he was working in New York and wondering what the hell had just happened. This is McCammon’s honest, funny, and entertaining journey from impostor to authority, a story that begins with periods of debilitating workplace anxiety but leads to rich insights and practical advice from a guy who “made it” but who still remembers what it’s like to feel entirely ill-equipped for professional success. And for life in general, if we’re being completely honest. McCammon points out the workplace for what it is: an often absurd landscape of ego and fear guided by social rules that no one ever talks about. He offers a mix of enlightening and often self-deprecating personal stories about his experience and clear, practical advice on getting the small things right—crucial skills that often go unacknowledged—from shaking a hand to conducting a business meeting in a bar to navigating a work party. Here is an inspirational new way of looking at your job, your career, and success itself; an accessible guide for those of us who are smart, talented, and ambitious but who aren’t well-“leveraged” and don’t quite feel prepared for success . . . or know what to do once we’ve made it. |
| best salutatorian speeches: From the Heart Robin Roberts, 2007-04-10 We often hear that success requires pushing the boundaries, coloring outside the lines, stepping on toes, and breaking all the rules. But some rules are so critical they aren't meant to be broken. Here, perennially popular Good Morning America host Robin Roberts reveals the 8 rules that she has always honored on her road to success. Illustrated with stories from her work, her family, and her faith, she explains how deceptively simple maxims like Never lose sight of the Big Picture and Give people the benefit of the doubt are both deeply meaningful and crucial to happiness and genuine accomplishment. Combined with a good dose of Robin's trademark humor, warmth, and honesty, this book will be required reading for anyone in need of an infusion of sincere inspiration. And in light of her announcement in July 2007 that she had breast cancer, Robin's message is bound to touch an even larger audience. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Certain Trumpets Garry Wills, 2013-05-28 This “beautifully written and reasoned” (Booklist) narrative by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills examines what constitutes meaningful leadership, and why it is so essential to society. What makes a leader? How do we identify effective leadership, and how should—and shouldn’t—that power be used? In Certain Trumpets, Garry Wills presents portraits of eminent leaders including FDR to Ross Perot, King David, Martha Graham, and many others, offering an illuminating lens for studying society and ourselves. Dividing these portraits into sixteen leadership categories ranging from military to charismatic, intellectual, rhetorical, and elected, Wills highlights what makes each of his subjects unique, crafting along the way a distinct and incisive definition of leadership as a reciprocal engagement between two contrasting wills that serves to mobilize us toward a common good, and explaining why leadership is so often a contentious and emotionally charged subject. “A stunningly literate and thoughtful examination of what makes a leader…[and] a welcome antidote to some of the more egregious ‘management style’ drivel,” (Kirkus Reviews), Certain Trumpets is an inspiring and edifying tour through the history of an indispensable social art. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet Sherri L. Smith, 2008-02-12 Ana Shen has what her social studies teacher calls a “marvelously biracial, multicultural family” but what Ana simply calls a Chinese American father and an African American mother. And on eighth-grade graduation day, that’s a recipe for disaster. Both sets of grandparents are in town to celebrate, and Ana’s best friend has convinced her to invite Jamie Tabata–the cutest boy in school–for a home-cooked meal. Now Ana and her family have four hours to prepare their favorite dishes for dinner, and Grandma White and Nai Nai can’t agree on anything. Ana is tired of feeling caught between her grandparents and wishes she knew whose side she was supposed to be on. But when they all sit down for their hot, sour, salty, and sweet meal, Ana comes to understand how each of these different flavors, like family, fit perfectly together. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Everything New Teacher Book Melissa Kelly, 2010-03-18 Being a great teacher is more than lesson plans and seating charts. In this revised and expanded new edition of the classic bestseller, you learn what it takes to be the very best educator you can be, starting from day one in your new classroom! Filled with real-world life lessons from experienced teachers as well as practical tips and techniques, you'll gain the skill and confidence you need to create a successful learning environment for you and your students, including how to: Organize a classroom Create engaging lesson plans Set ground rules and use proper behavior management Deal with prejudice, controversy, and violence Work with colleagues and navigate the chain of command Incorporate mandatory test preparation within the curriculum Implement the latest educational theories In this book, veteran teacher Melissa Kelly provides you with the confidence you'll need to step into class and teach right from the start. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Make Good Art Neil Gaiman, 2013-05-14 THIS BOOK IS FOR EVERYONE LOOKING AROUND AND THINKING, NOW WHAT?” Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed commencement address, Make Good Art, thoughtfully and aesthetically designed by renowned graphic artist Chip Kidd. This keepsake volume is the perfect gift for graduates, aspiring creators, or anyone who needs a reminder to run toward what gives them joy. When Neil Gaiman delivered his Make Good Art commencement address at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, he shared his thoughts about creativity, bravery, and strength. He encouraged the fledgling painters, musicians, writers, and dreamers to break rules and think outside the box. Most of all, he encouraged them to make good art. The speech resonated far beyond that art school audience and immediately went viral on YouTube and has now been viewed more than a million times. Acclaimed designer Chip Kidd brings his unique sensibility to this seminal address in this gorgeous edition that commemorates Gaiman's inspiring message. |
| best salutatorian speeches: ACT Verbal Prep Course Jeff Kolby, 2021-01-15 Comprehensive Prep for ACT Verbal Every year, students pay $1,000 and more to test prep companies to prepare for the verbal sections of the ACT. Now you can get the same preparation in a book. The verbal sections are not easy. There is no quick fix that will allow you to beat the ACT, but it is very learnable. If you study hard and master the techniques in this book, your score will improve--significantly. The ACT cannot be beaten. But it can be mastered--through hard work, analytical thought, and by training yourself to think like a test writer. Many of the exercises in this book are designed to prompt you to think like an ACT test writer. With this book by your side, you will soon master punctuation, grammar, and rhetoric, which will help you on all sections of the ACT. You will soon be able to understand how test writers choose and compose test questions. And you will soon be able to write top-scoring essays without breaking a sweat. Features: * Reading: Develop the ability to spot places from which questions are likely to be drawn as you read a passage. (pivotal words, counter-premises, etc.) * Writing: Comprehensive analysis of the essay, including writing techniques, punctuation, grammar, rhetoric, and style. * Vocabulary: Learn the essential 4000 ACT words and the 400 high-frequency words. Also, learn how to conjure the meaning of words that you barely recognize. * Performance: If your target is a 30+ score, then this is the book for you! |
| best salutatorian speeches: Best Seat in the House: A Father, a Daughter, a Journey Through Sports Christine Brennan, 2022-06-17 From the best-known and most widely read woman sports columnist in the United States comes a remarkable memoir of a father and a daughter, the story of a girl who would turn her love for sports into a trailblazing career. Christine Brennan grew up in Toledo, Ohio, spending her summers playing with the boys on her block, memorizing baseball statistics, accompanying her dad to countless baseball and football games, and falling in love with everything about sports. While other girls were playing with Barbie dolls, Chris was collecting baseball cards and listening to the radio for the play-by-play accounts of her favorite teams. The eldest of four children, Chris was her father's daughter from the beginning. For a girl growing up in the 1960s and '70s, in the days before Title IX changed the playing fields of America, there were few opportunities to play organized sports. But Jim Brennan encouraged his daughter to believe she could play anything she wanted to, and when she couldn't be on the field, he was by her side in the stands -- she always thought the seat next to her father was the best seat in the house -- usually cheering for the underdog, and making sure Chris knew there was a place for her in the world of sports. In her warm and inspiring memoir, the first of its kind by a female sports journalist, Brennan takes readers from her neighborhood ball fields to the press boxes and locker rooms of stadiums around the world. Guided by her father's unfailing sense of loyalty, honor, and fairness, at the age of twenty-two she became the first female sportswriter for The Miami Herald, and in 1985 was the first woman to cover the Washington Redskins as a staff writer for The Washington Post. Over the past quarter century, Brennan has reported on many of the biggest stories in sports, and led the coverage of both the 1994 Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan saga and the pairs figure-skating scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. Her USA Today column on Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters, triggered a nationwide debate about the club's lack of female members. Told in the spirited, friendly voice that readers of her column have come to love, Best Seat in the House is the heartwarming chronicle of a girl who came of age as women's sports were coming of age, encouraged every step of the way by her beloved father. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Great Political Wit Robert Dole, 2000-08-01 Bob Dole's political career may not have taken him to the White House, but he did pick up some great stories along the way. In this delightful collection, the longtime United States senator shares his favorite anecdotes, witticisms, and reminiscences. From the campaign trail to the Oval Office, from smoke-filled rooms to the chambers of the Capitol, Bob Dole surveys a century of political wit. There are bon mots from Calvin Coolidge, Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and a host of other political figures. Bob Dole introduces each section with mirthful moments from his own experience, displaying the gift for wry humor that has made him a favorite guest on late-night talk shows. A jovial--and completely bipartisan--compendium, Great Political Wit is a connoisseur's selection of political repartee at its best. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Passionate Learner Robert Fried, 2002-09-16 All children begin life as passionate, curious learners. But in school, too many become alienated from the joy of learning. Filled with stories and specific ideas, The Passionate Learner is a handbook for cultivating kids' passionate engagement with learning at all ages. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Unthinkable Scott Rigsby, 2009 Documents the nine years between the cars accident that claimed both his legs to Scott Rigsby becoming the first double-leg amputee using prosthetics to cross the finish line in the grueling Ford Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Love Pour Over Me Denise Turney, 2012-03-06 LET LOVE FIND YOU! MOVING ROMANCE NOVEL STIRS DEEP BELIEF IN LOVE Perfect blend of real life, beautiful romance story splendidly webbed with mystery, suspense, and an undying love. Fans of A Man Called Ove, Wounded, Thirteen Moons and Loving Donovan may fall in love with Love Pour Over Me About Love Pour Over Me Raymond is the only one from his neighborhood to make it out. He's a gifted, loving man. His academic and sports successes earn him academic awards and highlights in Sports Illustrated and Track and Field News. Despite his success, Raymond feels alone, different from everyone else in the neighborhood. He is pushed over the cliff of fear early as an only child growing up in a home with a bullying, alcoholic father. Yet, his father is the parent who cared enough to stay. Without him, Raymond would have been shipped off to an orphanage. Raymond and his father live alone in West Dayton, rich with culture, yet the toughest part of the city. Nothing short of faith, love and courage can save Raymond, keep him afloat long enough to meet his soul mate, an unassuming, earthy woman with a penchant for art. But, will Raymond survive? And, what will Raymond do after he becomes witness to a murder his first night on campus at the university where he's won a scholarship? In spite of his wishes to avoid facing what he's witnessed, talk about the murder lingers. It's also at university where Raymond meets four guys, sure to become lifelong friends, one with a dark, dangerous secret. For Raymond, the stakes are high. So, Raymond has to run. But, is it enough? And, will Raymond's desperate attempts to avoid love threaten to keep him from the only woman he's ever truly loved, the woman he was born to love. Find out if love truly is enough. Get your copy of Love Pour Over Me now. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Class Heather Won Tesoriero, 2018-09-04 An unforgettable year in the life of a visionary high school science teacher and his award-winning students, as they try to get into college, land a date for the prom . . . and possibly change the world “A complex portrait of the ups and downs of teaching in a culture that undervalues what teaching delivers.”—The Wall Street Journal Andy Bramante left his successful career as a corporate scientist to teach public high school—and now helms one of the most remarkable classrooms in America. Bramante’s unconventional class at Connecticut’s prestigious yet diverse Greenwich High School has no curriculum, tests, textbooks, or lectures, and is equal parts elite research lab, student counseling office, and teenage hangout spot. United by a passion to learn, Mr. B.’s band of whiz kids set out every year to conquer the brutally competitive science fair circuit. They have won the top prize at the Google Science Fair, made discoveries that eluded scientists three times their age, and been invited to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Stockholm. A former Emmy-winning producer for CBS News, Heather Won Tesoriero embeds in this dynamic class to bring Andy and his gifted, all-too-human kids to life—including William, a prodigy so driven that he’s trying to invent diagnostics for artery blockage and Alzheimer’s (but can’t quite figure out how to order a bagel); Ethan, who essentially outgrows high school in his junior year and founds his own company to commercialize a discovery he made in the class; Sophia, a Lyme disease patient whose ambitious work is dedicated to curing her own debilitating ailment; Romano, a football player who hangs up his helmet to pursue his secret science expertise and develop a “smart” liquid bandage; and Olivia, whose invention of a fast test for Ebola brought her science fair fame and an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. We experience the thrill of discovery, the heartbreak of failed endeavors, and perhaps the ultimate high: a yes from Harvard. Moving, funny, and utterly engrossing, The Class is a superb account of hard work and high spirits, a stirring tribute to how essential science is in our schools and our lives, and a heartfelt testament to the power of a great teacher to help kids realize their unlimited potential. Praise for The Class “Captivating . . . Journalist Tesoriero left her job at CBS News to embed herself in Bramante’s classroom for the academic year, and she does this so successfully, a reader forgets she is even there. Her skill at drawing out not only Bramante but also the personal lives, hopes and concerns of these students is impressive. . . . It is a fascinating glimpse of a teaching environment that most public school teachers will never know.”—The Washington Post |
| best salutatorian speeches: The New Republic Herbert David Croly, 1998 |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Perfect Neighbors Sarah Pekkanen, 2016-07-05 The New York Times bestselling coauthor of the “creepy-crawly tale” (The New York Times Book Review) An Anonymous Girl and The Wife Between Us questions just how well we really know our neighbors in this “deliciously fun beach read” (People) about an idyllic neighborhood whose sublime façade hides shocking secrets. Newport Cove, where spontaneous block parties occur on summer nights and all of the streets are named for flowers, is proud of being one of the safest neighborhoods in America. It’s also one of the most secret-filled. After a decade as a stay-at-home mom, Kellie Scott is back to work in an office. She’s adjusting to high heels, scrambling to cook dinner for her family, and—following years of feeling invisible—soaking in the dangerous attention of a handsome colleague. Kellie’s neighbor Susan Barrett begins every day with fresh resolutions: She won’t eat any carbs, she’ll go to bed at a reasonable hour, and she’ll stop stalking her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Gigi Kennedy’s husband is running for political office, which means her old skeletons, ones she wants to keep hidden at any cost, are in danger of being dragged into the light. Then a new family moves into this peaceful cul-de-sac. Tessa Campbell seems pleasant enough, if a bit quiet. But soon it becomes clear that Tessa is hiding the most explosive secret of all—one with deadly consequences. Written in Sarah Pekkanen’s signature “gripping” (People) style, The Perfect Neighbors “transforms clichéd suburban troubles—from adolescent drama to infidelity—into a compelling, suspenseful tale” (Kirkus Reviews). |
| best salutatorian speeches: Blood Meridian Cormac McCarthy, 2010-08-11 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • From the bestselling author of The Passenger and the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Road: an epic novel of the violence and depravity that attended America's westward expansion, brilliantly subverting the conventions of the Western novel and the mythology of the Wild West. Based on historical events that took place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, Blood Meridian traces the fortunes of the Kid, a fourteen-year-old Tennesseean who stumbles into the nightmarish world where Indians are being murdered and the market for their scalps is thriving. Look for Cormac McCarthy's latest bestselling novels, The Passenger and Stella Maris. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Eye of the Storm Clara Miller, 2005-06 The Eye of the Storm, the tenth book in the Brothers Series and sixth in the Shamrocks Saga, continues the story begun in Shamrocks in the Heather with the on-going adventures of the younger members of the Quigley clan. World War II is over and the Quigley cousins (by whatever name they're known) are learning to live in the new, emerging world. 'The Kennison-Quigley family, now living on Long Island, is still coping with mobs attempting a takeover of Shamrocks Ltd. USA property resulting in violence and death. Will the Angels take a hand? A pleasant surprise awaits the twin couples when they discover old and new relatives in an unexpected place. This discovery will cause widespread ramifications. There's also a new wrinkle in the battle with the netherworld as the pregnant members of the family find themselves targets of demons hoping to engratiate themselves to their boss by kidnapping a Quigley child. Each of the women is tested in a different way with sometimes unexpected results. As usual, births, deaths and completely unbelievable events test the family's resolve and courage again and again. Birth is something the Archangel Za'aphi'el never imagined having to cope with. To his secret chagrin, the twins find themselves looking forward to motherhood and all that entails. What kind of mothers will the alter-egos of a high-ranking Archangel make? Their mysterious friend Andr Giroux returns and plays an important part in their ongoing story. Speculation about him continues but those in the know refuse to divulge his secret. Who is he and what effect will he have on the family? Another surprising development is the growing friendship between the twins and their supposed enemy, Beelzebub. The little demon has grown quite attached to the whole family, not to mention his growing bond with the indominable Glory. How will this change affect the outcome of the battle with Lucifer? Even Bub doesn't know. This is not a religious book nor meant to endorse or promote any type of belief. It is intended to provide a verbal roller-coaster ride. Plus, I've grown to quite like 'The Old Man. Enjoy |
| best salutatorian speeches: Hoosiers and the American Story Madison, James H., Sandweiss, Lee Ann, 2014-10 A supplemental textbook for middle and high school students, Hoosiers and the American Story provides intimate views of individuals and places in Indiana set within themes from American history. During the frontier days when Americans battled with and exiled native peoples from the East, Indiana was on the leading edge of America’s westward expansion. As waves of immigrants swept across the Appalachians and eastern waterways, Indiana became established as both a crossroads and as a vital part of Middle America. Indiana’s stories illuminate the history of American agriculture, wars, industrialization, ethnic conflicts, technological improvements, political battles, transportation networks, economic shifts, social welfare initiatives, and more. In so doing, they elucidate large national issues so that students can relate personally to the ideas and events that comprise American history. At the same time, the stories shed light on what it means to be a Hoosier, today and in the past. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Reminiscences of School Life, and Hints on Teaching Fanny Jackson Coppin, 1913 |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Happy Student Daniel Wong, 2012-03-01 A smart, supportive guide to staying engaged and motivated, written by a student for students. Daniel Wong doesn’t have a PhD in education or psychology—but his transformation from unhappy overachiever to happy straight-A student has given him unique insight into what motivates students intrinsically. Sharing with readers his personal story and the five-step program he has developed, this book can help struggling or unmotivated students everywhere understand how they, too, can find deep satisfaction in the pursuit of academic success, driven by their own desires rather than pressure from others. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Choice Readings, Int'l Ed. , Book 2 Mark A. Clarke, Barbara K. Dobson, Sandra Silberstein, 1999 The two volumes of Choice Readings, International Edition, contain all the high-quality reading skills and strategies in the highly acclaimed first ed-ition of Choice Readings. These separate and self-contained reading texts provide flexibility for classroom use while focusing on the skills intermediate-level ESL/EFL students of English need to develop and practice their reading skills: stems and affixes sentence study paragraph reading restatement and inference dictionary use contextual cues composition The International Editions of Choice Readings provide a wide range of authentic reading experiences: Book 1 Maps Newspaper articles Magazine articles Technical prose Prose: fiction and mysteries Book 2 Applications and questionnaires Charts and graphs Fables Advice columns Children's literature Poetry Both books contain valuable appendixes and answer keys. For intermediate ESL/EFL students. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Billionaires Box Set Volume 3 Roxy Jordan, Book 1 – The Secretary's Seduction (A Standalone Billionaire Boss and Secretary Love Story) The funeral was short. Laurel was surprised that she cried during the service. It had been small, primarily populated by Laurel and her husband’s family. He didn’t have many friends and she had no family to speak of so the service was short and sweet. The sky was unbearably bright and they held the service in the late afternoon. Maybe not a sweet funeral, but it was short. Richard Ericson had died at the age of thirty five of a massive heart attack. He had grown larger during the last five years of his life and made no effort to remain healthy despite the fact that he nagged at Laurel constantly to maintain her beauty for him. Richard and Laurel had lived quietly side by side, she kept the house and he went to his office job from eight to six. He came home and she had dinner ready. They never had children. There was little love in the marriage. Because there was such little love Laurel was surprised when a few tears slipped out as Richard was lowered into the ground. Her mother-in-law patted her briskly on the shoulder. The woman’s face was tight and devoid of emotion as she gave her a stiff hug. Without another word she walked to where her husband stood, a somber man. The two made a lovely emotionless pair. Her mother and father-in-law were silent and shed few tears. There was little love in the family as well. Book 2 – Saved by the Billionaire (A Standalone Billionaire's Second Chance Love Story) The sun was rising, gently pouring into my bedroom. I stretched out in the sheets, feeling them beneath my fingertips. They felt better this morning – softer and nicer. I had met a boy. It sounded silly but I had. Not my type either. There was no way around the fact he was a dork. A nerd. Silly and flustered when he spoke to me, trying to make eye contact but failing because I was a cheerleader. And I loved it. He was so adorable that I couldn’t stand it. On a whim and three drinks later, I had given him my number in hopes he’d contact me. Book 3 – Second Chance with the Billionaire (A Standalone Billionaire Romance Short Story) Breanna and Josh are two college students who are madly in love. Sarah is Breanna’s best friend and roommate. Josh is a computer science student and Breanna is a cheerleader on a scholarship, Josh is the valedictorian as well. The three of them graduate together and start their new lives. All goes well for Josh and Breanna in their new life, until the unexpected happens. They thought they had forever but when Josh gets something that he always wanted, something he needs, a hard decision has to be made. Book 4 – The Actress (A Standalone Billionaire and Actress Erotic Romance Novel) As Jan looked up the address of the hotel nearest LAX, LA's airport. A casting call looking for young female leads had caught her attention from the back of a literary magazine. She was going out on a limb, and it hit her now more than ever how much she was putting on the line to come out LA on the last of her savings as the plane touched down with the sound of squealing tires. When the landing lurched her forward she knew it wasn't just the excitement of a bumpy ride that was making her chest thump. Deep breathes and focused thoughts were something Jan used a lot of the time when she got anxious, it was something that she'd learned back many years ago. Cheerleading had taught Jane a lot, and often times her minds drifted back to the life lessons. Teamwork was something that few people in high school seemed to understand, besides maybe a few of the all star athletes. Jane learned it took others to really excel. She still believed that the individual was important, but she saw them as cogs in a larger framework of other cogs. WARNING: This collection which contains some very steamy love scenes. It is only appropriate for mature readers age 18+. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Growing Up in the Bittersweet South Roosevelt Richards, 1997 |
| best salutatorian speeches: The Story of Mr. AntiSocial Michael Jean DuBois, 2018-12-27 I'm writing this book as a man in his upper thirties who is recounting about thirty years' worth of a lifelong struggle with being comfortable around people. That is, not knowing how to talk to people, not trusting people enough to be comfortable sharing my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Being socially dysfunctional has led me to do and think a number of things that I'm not proud of. I'm highly critical of myself in this book and throughout my everyday life in general. I've always lamented that I wished I could be someone else. But in the end, I need to realize that I have to embrace who I am with all my flaws. I can only be me. I can't be anyone else, and I should not want that to be any other way. |
| best salutatorian speeches: GRE Prep Course Jeff Kolby, 2021-01-15 Every year, students pay $1,000 and more to test prep companies to prepare for the GRE. Now you can get the same preparation in a book. GRE Prep Course provides the equivalent of a 2-month, 50-hour course. Although the GRE is a difficult test, it is a very learnable test. GRE Prep Course presents a thorough analysis of the GRE and introduces numerous analytic techniques that will help you immensely, not only on the GRE but in graduate school as well. Features: * Math: Twenty-two chapters provide comprehensive review of GRE math. * Verbal: Develop the ability to spot places from which questions are likely to be drawn as you read a passage (pivotal words, counter-premises, etc.). Also, learn the 4000 essential GRE words. * Writing: Comprehensive analysis of the writing task, including writing techniques, punctuation, grammar, rhetoric, and style. * Mentor Exercises: These exercises provide hints, insight, and partial solutions to ease your transition from seeing GRE problems solved to solving them on your own. |
| best salutatorian speeches: In a Time of War Bill Murphy, 2008-09-16 The dramatic story of West Point's class of 2002, the first in a generation to graduate during wartime They came to West Point in a time of peace, but soon after the start of their senior year, their lives were transformed by September 11. The following June, when President George W. Bush spoke at their commencement and declared that America would take the battle to the enemy, the men and women in the class of 2002 understood that they would be fighting on the front lines. In this stirring account of the five years following their graduation from West Point, the class experiences firsthand both the rewards and the costs of leading soldiers in the war on terror. In a Time of War focuses on two members of the class of 2002 in particular: Todd Bryant, an amiable, funny Californian for whom military service was a family tradition; and Drew Sloan, the hardworking son of liberal parents from Arkansas who is determined to serve his country. On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Todd, Drew, and their classmates—the army's newest and youngest officers—lead their troops into harm's way again and again. Meticulously reported, sweeping in scope, Bill Murphy Jr.'s powerful book follows these brave and idealistic officers—and their families—as they experience the harrowing reality of the modern battlefield. In a Time of War tells a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking story about courage, honor, and what war really means to the soldiers whose lives it defines. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Where the Line Bleeds Jesmyn Ward, 2018-01-16 The first novel from National Book Award winner and author of Sing, Unburied, Sing Jesmyn Ward, a timeless Southern fable of brotherly love and familial conflict—“a lyrical yet clear-eyed portrait of a rural South and an African American reality that are rarely depicted” (The Boston Globe). Where the Line Bleeds is Jesmyn Ward’s gorgeous first novel and the first of three novels set in Bois Sauvage—followed by Salvage the Bones and Sing, Unburied, Sing—comprising a loose trilogy about small town sourthern family life. Described as “starkly beautiful” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), “fearless” (Essence), and “emotionally honest” (The Dallas Morning News), it was a finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and the Virginia Commonwealth University Cabell First Novelist Award. Joshua and Christophe are twins, raised by a blind grandmother and a large extended family in rural Bois Sauvage, on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. They’ve just finished high school and need to find jobs, but after Katrina, it’s not easy. Joshua gets work on the docks, but Christophe’s not so lucky and starts to sell drugs. Christophe’s downward spiral is accelerated first by crack, then by the reappearance of the twins’ parents: Cille, who left for a better job, and Sandman, a dangerous addict. Sandman taunts Christophe, eventually provoking a shocking confrontation that will ultimately damn or save both twins. Where the Line Bleeds takes place over the course of a single, life-changing summer. It is a delicate and closely observed portrait of fraternal love and strife, of the relentless grind of poverty, of the toll of addiction on a family, and of the bonds that can sustain or torment us. Bois Sauvage, based on Ward’s own hometown, is a character in its own right, as stiflingly hot and as rich with history as it is bereft of opportunity. Ward’s “lushly descriptive prose…and her prodigious talent and fearless portrayal of a world too often overlooked” (Essence) make this novel an essential addition to her incredible body of work. |
| best salutatorian speeches: A History of American Higher Education John R. Thelin, 2019-04-02 The definitive history of American higher education—now up to date. Colleges and universities are among the most cherished—and controversial—institutions in the United States. In this updated edition of A History of American Higher Education, John R. Thelin offers welcome perspective on the triumphs and crises of this highly influential sector in American life. Exploring American higher education from its founding in the seventeenth century to its struggle to innovate and adapt in the first decades of the twenty-first century, Thelin demonstrates that the experience of going to college has been central to American life for generations of students and their families. Drawing from archival research, along with the pioneering scholarship of leading historians, Thelin raises profound questions about what colleges are—and what they should be. Covering issues of social class, race, gender, and ethnicity in each era and chapter, this new edition showcases a fresh concluding chapter that focuses on both the opportunities and problems American higher education has faced since 2010. The essay on sources has been revised to incorporate books and articles published over the past decade. The book also updates the discussion of perennial hot-button issues such as big-time sports programs, online learning, the debt crisis, the adjunct crisis, and the return of the culture wars and addresses current areas of contention, including the changing role of governing boards and the financial challenges posed by the economic downturn. Anyone studying the history of this institution in America must read Thelin's classic text, which has distinguished itself as the most wide-ranging and engaging account of the origins and evolution of America's institutions of higher learning. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Shitfaced: Musings of a Former Drunk Seamus Kirst , 2017-02-02 In Shitfaced: Musings of a Former Drunk, Seamus Kirst explores the milestones of self-destruction that marked his coming of age. At 13, he went to the ER for swallowing a bottle of pills. By 16, he was already a veteran of several in- and out-patient rehab programs for alcohol. As he walked across the stage at his high school graduation – just after delivering his valedictorian address – he had already been hospitalized three times for alcohol poisoning. The situation only accelerated at Brown University, where he abused a plethora of drugs, from Xanax to cocaine, while his alcohol abuse intensified. Most terrifying was his attitude toward his own dissolution, his rationalization of behaviors that brought him ever closer to death. In that sense, Shitfaced, is not just a memoir, but a dehortation for those who find themselves in the same place; Kirst goes back to find a self that he barely survived. |
| best salutatorian speeches: One Hundred Years of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church James Walker Hood, 1895 |
| best salutatorian speeches: Nat Goodwin's Book Nathaniel Carll Goodwin, 1914 |
| best salutatorian speeches: This Is Water Kenyon College, 2014-05-22 Only once did David Foster Wallace give a public talk on his views on life, during a commencement address given in 2005 at Kenyon College. The speech is reprinted for the first time in book form in THIS IS WATER. How does one keep from going through their comfortable, prosperous adult life unconsciously' How do we get ourselves out of the foreground of our thoughts and achieve compassion' The speech captures Wallace's electric intellect as well as his grace in attention to others. After his death, it became a treasured piece of writing reprinted in The Wall Street Journal and the London Times, commented on endlessly in blogs, and emailed from friend to friend. Writing with his one-of-a-kind blend of causal humor, exacting intellect, and practical philosophy, David Foster Wallace probes the challenges of daily living and offers advice that renews us with every reading. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Resiliency and Success Encarnacion Garza, Enrique T. Trueba, Pedro Reyes, 2015-12-03 This book elucidates the amazing life journeys of academically successful migrant students. Offering vivid case studies of successful students, this book helps teachers, education students, and researchers understand the factors that lead to success by minority language children. The authors develop the lessons of student success stories into recommendations for schools and for educational policy. Readers gain from this book the stories of real students, the challenges they faced, and the means by which students and schools may overcome language and cultural barriers to educational success. |
| best salutatorian speeches: The World's Best Orations David Josiah Brewer, 1923 |
| best salutatorian speeches: Cross-Cultural Narratives Ravichandran Ammigan, 2021-02-16 Living and studying away from home can turn out to be an enriching and rewarding experience for many international students. Yet, many of them struggle to cope with their new university life due to distinct challenges such as cultural differences, language and communication barriers, and a lack of social support. Through a diverse collection of personal essays, this book captures some of the stories of international students as they reflect on their intercultural encounters, expectations, and experiences in their new surroundings and local communities. Essay themes range from culture shock to resilience, and they cover a variety of topics including the ways students change and gain new perspectives by being away from their comfort zone, the feeling of isolation and being an outsider, and the uncertainties of making new friends. This book provides readers with a unique opportunity to walk a mile in the shoes of an international student. It also highlights the importance of a strong support system for students in both the curricular and co-curricular settings and offers insights to international educators and university administrators into creating a welcoming environment that fosters international understanding and cross-cultural awareness on campus. |
| best salutatorian speeches: Seven Webfoot Way Bob Spohn, 2017-07-14 An exhilarating experience with six African American teenage girls changed the life of a white guy from Jersey who had grown up with an outhouse until he was eight years old. He left a successful career with a Fortune 500 company to become a dynamic college professor and art collector, eventually living in a charming little house at 7 Webfoot Way on Cape Cod. You will get some inside information about the corporate and academic worlds and witness the ending of a long-term monogamous marriage and the subsequent exciting life as a single person. The expository writing and storytelling is intended to inform and entertain. It is laced with humor, mostly self-deprecating. You might want to use this memoir as a model or template for telling your offspring your life story, just as hes done for his grandson, Aidan. |
