The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
2004 L.H.S. Graduation Speeches
by Anna Ziegler
I promised my classmates two things when I found out I would be speaking today. I promised my speech would be different and that it would be five minutes or less. I plan on keeping those promises. Especially because a few of my classmates threatened to shoot me with water pistols if I talked too long. Anyway here goes-
Imagine for a moment that you are at a theme park about to step on to the longest, fastest, and most dangerous roller coaster in the world. You've been standing in line for hours. Butterflies flutter in your stomach as the line in front of you grows increasingly smaller. Your heart begins to beat faster in anticipation as the person ahead of you steps on to the coaster.
Finally your turn comes. You step into the car and fasten your safety harness. The ride attendant recites in a dull monotone " keep your hands and arms inside at all times and remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop. Thank you and enjoy your ride." Your stomach somersaults as the car lurches forward and begins to climb. The car pauses for a brief moment at the very top before looping, twisting, and turning at a tremendous rate.
In many ways, life is like a roller coaster. First of all, you must wait in line. Up to this point in our lives we have been waiting in line. We have been waiting for the moment when we leave our families behind and step onto the mysterious ride called the "real world". Our parents and teachers have supported and guided the decisions we have made. Gradually we have gained the responsibility and knowledge it will take to survive the "real world".
Thirteen years ago we began the journey called education with kindergarten. We worked our way through elementary school learning multiplication, division, and how to play the quiet game at recess.
In junior high we branched out a little with opportunities to play sports, get involved with other extra-curricular activities, and attend our first dances.
Finally, we reached high school. Our freshmen year slowly dragged by. The thrill of getting our licenses our sophomore year was only slightly dampened by our first ticket or our first dent. Football games, Prom, and a visit by the wiener mobile highlight our junior year. Being upperclassmen was glamorous and wonderful, even if it was a challenge. Senior year has flown by so fast I can barely remember specific events. We reveled in the fact that we could walk down the middle of hallway and make all the underclassmen scatter. We experienced senior nights, our last prom, and our final days at LHS. Now it is our turn to climb the roller coaster of life.
One of the most significant parallels I would like to draw is that life, like a roller coaster, has ups and downs, twists and turns. A familiar saying says that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. I would like to suggest that one more thing is certain in this life-change. None of us can see the future. It is my hope and prayer that each of you will come to trust in the one who does know the future. Faith in God can sustain you through the drops, climbs, corkscrew turns, and loop-d-loops on the roller coaster of life. There will be times in your life where the situation feels hopeless. At these points it is important to remember that things will get better.
To quote Mary Ann McKoon "Remember that when life gets you down, you can always count on your fingers." And when you feel like you are on top of the world remember that someone around you may be feeling low.
Words of kindness and encouragement can lift the soul out of the depths of depression. It is my hope that you will seek out opportunities to show kindness to others and dole out encouragement as though it were breath mints at a garlic and limburger cheese festival.
Roller coaster rides never last as long as you expect. All too often the ride is over too soon. Compared to the vast expanse of time, our lives are only a brief moment.
Recently, our community has seen several reminders of the fact that life is short and precious. What you do with the time you are given is the most important decision you will ever make.
But, instead of a single decision, it is the sum of thousands of little decisions we make each moment. Everyday when you get out of bed you have a choice. You can live a life of hope and joy or you can live your life as if the sun never shines.
At this time, I would like to take a moment to thank the faculty, administration, and even the underclassmen for all they have done for us these past four years. I would like to thank Mrs. Ramsey for teaching us that an automatic transmission vehicle does not have a clutch pedal.
I would also like to thank Mrs. Blythe for teaching the college prep English class the geometric shape of a research paper.
And thanks to Mr. Doyle, none of us will ever forget the significance of Marbury vs. Madison and those of us in first semester government will have a hard time keeping a straight face if the subject of cruel and unusual punishment ever comes up.
On a more serious note, our teachers have worked hard to prepare us for our lives ahead. They have passed on their knowledge about particular subjects, but more importantly they have taught us about life.
Despite our better efforts to resist, our teachers managed to shape this class from the obnoxious children we were as freshmen into the slightly more mature young-adults you see seated in front of you.
Thank you to our parents for all the time and money you have put into raising us. Thank you for attending all our games, matches, competitions, concerts, and performances. And, when you didn't attend, thank you for being home when we got there. Thank you for listening. For letting us do so much. For encouraging us. We would never have made it this far without your love and support.
Finally, I would like to thank my classmates for all the memories they have given me. I will never forget the Ty Huston version of "I'm a Little Teapot", Laura Pfeiffer's Fritio Bandito Song, Mrs. Ramsey singing "It's Gettin' Hot in Here," or the Speech team's favorite "Bumblebee Tuna."
The images of Levi Pfeiffer in a kilt, homecoming dress-up days, and Evan Ford shrink wrapped in a garbage bag are forever imprinted in my mind. I will always remember the time the drama guild went to Six Flags in the pouring rain, the dumpster incident after junior prom, and Mr. Apt waking up the first hour Physics class with an air horn-not to mention the parties, dances, bus rides, and ball games.
I hope each of you have memories that you will take with you where ever you go.
The diploma you receive today is your ticket to climb onto the roller coaster of life. I sincerely wish you the best of luck in the future.
I hope you work diligently to achieve your goals but also take the time to enjoy the ride. Maybe even throw up your arms and scream a little. We've just gone over the top.
Thank you, and may God Bless the Class of 2004.
-Anna Ziegler
by Shayla Painter
On behalf of my classmates, I would like to welcome you to the 2004 La Harpe High School Graduation. Thank you all for coming to share this special day with us. The wide support from our parents, family, teachers, and friends will make this important milestone in our lives even more memorable. I would like to extend a special thank you to my teachers for their intelligence, encouragement, and guidance these past four years. I appreciate all of your kind words and efforts to help us succeed in our high school and future college pursuits, as well as life in general. I would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Apt for their time, dedication, and general concern for the happiness and well-being of the school and its students for these many years. So as we are going into the real world and advancing our education, starting new careers, or joining the military, I not only wish my classmates good luck and offer words of encouragement for happy lives, I also extend my best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Apt.
I also want to greatly thank Mrs. Ann Logan for her support, words of encouragement, and kindness she has not only shown me, but every graduate that has gone before me. She is the seniors' best friend, and I don't know what we would have done without her. She made this year a lot easier for me. Thank you, Mrs. Logan.
I've enjoyed, for the most part, all of my classes while in high school, but I particularly liked my involvement with the music program, whether it be Jazz, Marching, Concert or Pep Band, Chorus, Swing Choir, or piano accompanying, I loved it all. Thank you Mrs. Mencel and Mrs. Ferguson for making this year fun and proving to everyone that even though we were small in numbers, we were big in talent. I will miss you both! I sincerely hope the music program at La Harpe High School will continue to be as important to the administration and future students as it was to me.
I would also like to acknowlege the important role my Terre Haute Church and church family have played in my life. They have supported me both emotionally and spiritually and I appreciate them very much.
Thank you mostly Mom and Dad for all you have done for me. My family is very special to me. They have always been so supportive of everything I do. Thank you, Shannen, for your "been there-done that" two years ago wisdom and to my brother, Shane, for being such a fun passenger going to and from school these past two years. Sorry about you having to ride the bus now.
Again I wish my fellow classmates success and happiness in the future with your chosen careers and you life dreams. I hope and pray our boys going into the military will be safe. We are proud of you and thank you for your integrity, and dedication to our county.
I would like to quote a portion of Mother Theresa's Prayer inscribed on the wall of her Children's Home in Calcutta.
"If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; .....Be kind anyway.
"If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; ...Succeed anyway.
"What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;....Build anyway.
"If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; ....Be happy anyway.
"The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;.... Do good anyway.
"Give the world the best your have, and it may never be enough;...Give the world the best you've got anyway.
Congratulations class and good luck to you. Thank you.
-Shayla Painter, 2004
Shayla Painter (left) (GPA 4.1676) daughter of Steve and Diane Painter, and Anna Ziegler (right) (GPA 4.1865) daughter of Rowen and Annetta Ziegler are co-valedictorians for La Harpe High School's Graduating Class of 2004.