Valedictory Address (Batch 2012-2013)



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By Nicolette D. Bautista 
IV- Philippians (2012-2013)

 

              

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On behalf of the graduating class, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank each and every one of our teachers. We have learned so much from you. Every lesson, every piece of advice, and every shared story has inspired us in countless ways.



Although I’ve only been here for three years; which is much, much shorter than the amount of time some of my classmates have spent within the walls of Great Christian Academy, I feel a little sad that we are leaving this place we call our second home.



Now, to my fellow graduates, my beloved classmates, the amazing Philippians, we made it! And while there is another race we have to run just around the corner, one that involves even greater hurdles of terror professors and deadly deadlines, I want you—my fellow classmates—to forget about that for a while and cherish this moment. Let go of the worries, apprehensions, and tensions and just enjoys these last fleeting moments of bliss and happiness. I want us to take this brief shining moment to acknowledge our amazing achievement.



We are finally graduating from high school. We survived Trigonometry and Physics. We survived external attacks and internal conflicts. We survived jealousy, backstabbing, and in and out of the classroom drama. And we did these all because we had each other. We survived the odds through the Lord who continuously gives us strength; and today, we are one step closer to fulfilling our dreams.



We are no longer those neophyte high school freshmen we once were. We are now young adults entering the exciting and daunting world of college.



There is so much I wish I could tell you, dear classmates, but no amount of time will be enough for me to express these feelings fully. Though, I would like to thanks you for making this year by far, one of the most memorable years of laughter, to the moments of tears. From exciting discoveries to daily routines. We have been through so much together, more than other people realize. We know things about each other that nobody else knows. We see things—understand things—about each other that other people might not understand. We can express ourselves without any judgment.

I’m so happy that today, today, we begin a new chapter in our life. I am so excited to see what God has in store for each of us. But today, I can’t help but also be sad. Sad that I won’t be seeing your handsome and beautifully faces every single day. Sad that I won’t be hearing Shiena’s high pitched voice greeting me ‘Good Morning’ every seven in the morning. Sad that I won’t be able to sing along to the tunes of our favorite movie ‘Pitch Perfect’; for some reason, it just wouldn’t be the same without my Barden Bellas. Sad that I won’t be hearing those weird animal noises every day. I’m going to miss the jokes, the jamming, the learning, and the memories; the laughter and tears we shared are truly unforgettable.



That being said, I’m not too worried because I know that while we may be far away from each other this coming academic year, we will be seeing a lot of each other for years to come. Thank you for allowing me to become a part of this amazingly talented group. If you, my dear classmates, taught me anything, it would have to be to ‘find the joy in every little thing. Find what makes you happy in life and work hard for it, because life’s too short to be unhappy.’

And as I conclude my speech, I would also like to briefly thank Ma’am Ana on behalf of myself and the Philippians. We were lucky enough to have you as our advisor for two consecutive years. And in those two ears, you have imparted so much to us. Thank you for always standing by us even after everything we’ve done. Thank you for your patience and love. Nunca Te Olvidare—‘We will never forget you’, too.



Once again, congratulations graduates of Batch 2013! We finally made it!