A New Breed

Valedictorians are a different breed from what they used to be. I remember them as serious students with good grades, but well-rounded enough to take part in and do well in sports and music. On stage, they deliver a predictable speech reminiscing the years in school, thanking teachers, and telling students they have a better future for having attended their school. The tone is usually dull with attempts at a few clean jokes.

The Boy's high school graduation ceremony was last night. Before school ended, the students voted on who they want for valedictorian. The girl they chose was a stand-up comic. In her farewell speech, she did the above, delivering the traditional valedictorian message as required. But her energetic and rambunctious delivery had the parents smiling and laughing, and the students cheering, thumping, hooting and hollering.

For sure, the snippets down memory lane were selective. But it was the way she did it. For example, she took out a piece of paper in the middle of speaking and said, "I have some apologies to make." She went through the list apologizing to each teacher for real and I presume imagined past offences. She got to the last teacher, hesitated a bit, and said, "Hm, no, I'm not sorry."

I guess it speaks to the nature of this high school and this generation of graduates: they are full of life and potential, but more so when they choose to major in the arts. You have no doubt they will be very fine citizens and very good to each other.