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END OF SCHOOL » YOUTH GRADUATION Co-authored by:

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
How to Make a Middle School Educational Consultant

Graduation Speech Co-authors: Updated: Views:

106 June 18, 2024 448,659

Co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. Download Article

Last Updated: June 18, 2024 Fact Checked
89% of readers found this article helpful.
PARTS
We all know giving a graduation speech can be 270 votes - 89%
1 Writing Your Graduation Speech
nerve-wracking, but it is also an exciting opportunity. Click a star to add your vote
2 Elevating Your Speech
You get to highlight the important moments that your 3 Delivering the Speech
class has experienced over the years. To make a OTHER SECTIONS
middle school graduation speech, you should write a Expert Q&A Nora W.
May 1
speech that thanks your teachers, parents, and Tips and Warnings
Related Articles "I was tasked with an end of year speech I
peers and also highlights some important moments had no assistance with. This was exactly
References
throughout the year. Your speech will be more what I needed."
Article Summary
memorable if you include a few jokes, quotes, or More success stories Share yours!
words of advice.

A D V E RT I S E M E N T

Part
1 Writing Your Graduation Speech Download Article

1 Greet the audience. A great way to start a graduation speech is by greeting the
members of the audience. This includes fellow classmates, teachers, parents and
family members, administrators, and the principal.[1]
You could say something like “Good afternoon Principal Jacobs, teachers, staff,
family, and most importantly my fellow graduating class.”

2 Introduce yourself. Although your classmates and teachers will already know who
you are, some parents and relatives in the audience may not. For example, you could
say “My name is Melissa Smith and it is an honour to have the opportunity to speak at our
graduation.”[2]
A D V E RT I S E M E N T

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wikiHowtoMakeaMiddleSchoolGraduationSpeech

3 Reflect on your time in middle school. Think back on the past school year and your
time in middle school. You could talk about your first day of school together and how
you have all changed over the years:[3] For example, you could talk about lifelong Do I Have a Do I Have a Dirty
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friendships that were made, and lessons that were learned.
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Encourage your classmates to always remember and cherish the good times you
had together.
A D V E RT I S E M E N T

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4 Highlight a few important moments that brought the class together. Tell a short
story about one of these experiences.
For instance, you could say “During the fall charity drive, our class made history by
raising over three thousand dollars.”
A D V E RT I S E M E N T

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wikiHowtoMakeaMiddleSchoolGraduationSpeech

5 Talk about the future. After you have reflected on your time together in middle
school, you could talk about how these experiences have prepared you and your
classmates for the future. Mention your nervousness about entering high school and
meeting new people.
A D V E RT I S E M E N T

6 Thank those who made middle school a great experience. Before ending your
speech, you should take some time to thank those people who made your middle
school experience possible. This includes peers, teachers, parents, administrators, and
staff.[4]
Say something like: "I want to thank the teachers, staff, Principal Nolan, and, of
course, my parents for a wonderful Lemon Valley experience. Without your support You Might Also Like
and guidance we would not be where we are today."
You could add: “I would especially like to thank my classmates for making middle
school one of the most fun and rewarding experiences of my life."
A D V E RT I S E M E N T

How to How to
Prepare and Give a Wear a Graduation
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for a High School Write a Graduation
Graduation Thank You Speech

7 Create an impactful conclusion. The conclusion can be one of the hardest parts to
write. You want to leave the audience with something meaningful. For example, you
could end by wishing your classmates the best of luck in high school. Alternatively, you
could choose to end with an inspirational quote.
A D V E RT I S E M E N T

Part
2 Elevating Your Speech Download Article

1 Avoid using personal examples. As the valedictorian you are representing your
entire class in the speech, not just your own experience. Avoid speaking in the first
person as much as possible and try to share stories that are relevant to the entire
graduating class.
For example, you should say “We will always remember when Mr. C. made a
perfect dunk on the basketball court” instead of “I will always remember when Mr.
C. made a perfect dunk of the basketball court.”

2 Include a few jokes. You can elevate your graduation speech by adding in a few
jokes to lighten the mood. For instance, you could poke fun at one of the teachers or
tell a funny story that happened during class. Do not add too many jokes to your speech.
You want to try and create a balance between funny and serious.
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Avoid making insulting jokes that may offend someone in the audience.
You could tell a quick story that highlights a funny moment from the last year. For
example, "Mr. D was so eager to come to school and teach us that one day he wore How to Reply to
his shirt inside out." “What Are You
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3 Don’t talk too much about individuals. Although it is important to thank your
teachers and peers, you should avoid talking too much about individual people. For
example, you may cause certain people to feel left out if you spend too much time talking
about a few individuals.[5]
That being said, it is okay to give a tribute to someone if they deserve special
recognition. For example, perhaps the entire graduating class had the same
teacher. In this instance, you can mention that teacher individually.

4 Keep your speech between 10 to 15 minutes in length. People do not want to sit
and listen to a thirty minute graduation speech. They will likely lose focus and only
remember a few key stories anyways. The best graduation speeches are short and to the
point. Keep your speech somewhere between ten and fifteen minutes.[6]

5 Add a motivational quote to the speech. Motivational quotes can help to give extra
meaning to your words. They can also be used to help inspire your classmates.
Search online for motivational quotes and choose one that is relatable to some experience
or theme that you are building your speech around.[7]
Alternatively, you could choose a quote that was hung on your classroom wall and
talk about how you can apply this quote to future successes.

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6 Give a few words of advice. You can elevate your speech by adding a bit of wisdom
or advice for your friends to take with them as they enter high school. The advice you
give can be funny or serious, but it must be sincere.[8]
For example, you could quote a piece of advice from a celebrity commencement
speech.
Alternatively, you could say something serious like "The journey ahead may not be
easy, and most of us will stumble at some point. The important thing is that we get
back up and keep working towards our goals and dreams."

Part
3 Delivering the Speech Download Article

1 Practice the speech in advance. Make sure that you say your speech out loud at
least five to ten times. Practicing will help you remember the speech, make you
comfortable saying the words, and ease some of your nerves. You can also try practicing in
front of your family. This will get you comfortable talking in front of a group of people.[9]

2 Concentrate on speaking slowly and clearly. On the day of your graduation you
will likely be nervous and talk faster than in rehearsal. The slower you practice the
easier it will be to control your speed while giving the speech. Time yourself when you
practice so that you have a general idea of how long it should take when you are speaking
at a slow pace.[10]

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3 Drink a glass of water before you deliver the speech. While you are delivering
your speech, your mouth will likely become dry as a result of your nerves. Make sure
to drink a glass of water before you deliver your speech. This will help you avoid getting dry
mouth while you are talking.

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4 Make eye contact with the audience. In order to connect with the audience, you
want to avoid staring at a piece of paper the entire time. Instead, you should make
eye contact with the audience. This will make your speech more engaging and entertaining
for members of the audience. Try to memorize parts of your speech so that you can look up
from your notes.

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saying, this way people are more apt to pay attention and listen to the speech. If you