Valedictory Address

To our honored guest, to our principal Dr. Teresita Irma S. Dy-Cok, to our beloved
teachers and mentors; to our valued parents; to my fellow graduates; and to all of us
gathered here today, good morning!
It is an honor for me to stand before all of you at this very moment. Before my eyes, I
can see very one of us, students, as a gift wrapped in amazing ways. We are gifts ready
to be taken and to be received by the people around us. It is amazing that God never ran
out of surprises. That is why everything in life will always be a gift. Our parents provided
us with our basic needs. They protected our innocence and they even gave their best to
provide answers so that they can satisfy our curiosity. But the time as come when our
home was not enough to capture the knowledge our world has to offer. So our parents
gathered their courage to release us from our comfort zones. Thank you so much, our
dear parents for the freedom and sacrifices you gave us.
We received another gift in the form of our educators; we embark on another journey in
life. Through their guidance, we savored the fruit of patience, perseverance, discipline,
and leadership. These are just some of the wonders we earned when we discovered the
treasures of learning. Because of your gifts of learning, my dear educators, we were able
to make a step on the ladder of success. Thank you for wrapping us with love and care.
The learning experience we had in our beloved school wont be complete without your
personal touch your human connection. Thank you for going the extra mile especially at
times when we were unruly, impatient and apathetic. You never gave up on us during
those times, rather you motivated us to change for the better.
As much as we are grateful to receive the gift of learning, we are highly expected and
highly challenged to share these gifts to others. The path ahead of us is not easy. Reality
tells us that the world needs men and women who will stand up for the truth, justice and
peace. There is a battle against greed, corruption, immorality, poverty and youth
delinquency. It is very timely to cultivate and maximize the gifts of learning, in order to
win these social battles.
The prizes and awards we earned; the grades written on our scorecards were just the
icing on a cakes, much like the ribbons on a gift. What matters most is that when people
unwrap us, we are beautiful gifts inside and out. We are a successful harvest of youth
with integrity. May the gift of learning be a beautiful source of knowledge, wisdom, along
with skills, and proper attitude are things that we gain not only for ourselves, for our
family or for our school. It is also for our country and for the greater glory of God.
To my fellow graduates and batch mates, the end of our elementary years is a beginning
of self-discovery and greater heights. As we leave the fortress of our haven of learning,
let us continue the good work! Let us build a nation and a future with hope!
Congratulations to all of us.

How time flies. It seems just yesterday when we were shy and awkward small kids who would not let our
mothers leave us in school or else we would cry the whole day.
It seems just very recently when we had our first test that made us happy or sad depending on the result. Or
when we had our first report cards that made our parents happy or sad depending on the grades we got.
Now, we are graduates.

But are we graduates because we wanted to be ones? And are we graduates because we tried and
succeeded?
Distinguished guests, our principal, members of the faculty, beloved parents, fellow graduates, ladies and
gentlemen, a pleasant afternoon to all.
The moment our parents and we have been waiting for has finally arrived. This day is just the beginning and
not the end itself for we are leaving a stage in our lives and facing greater challenges mas challenging pa
tiyak sa bunjee jumping ng Extra Challenge. This celebration reminds us of yesterdays memories. These are
memories that inspire; memories that urge us to strive harder and do better. From simple abcs and basic
mathematics, we now move on to more challenging lessons in life.
I stand before you today overwhelmed with deep sense of gratitude, pride and joy. I am thankful to God for
granting us talents, wisdom, knowledge and strength. I am grateful to God for blessing me with loving and
concern(ed) teachers, supportive parents, and wonderful classmates. Fellow graduates, let us all sincerely
thank those people who helped us to be what we are today.
I would like to thank our beloved teachers who patiently taught us our first abcs. Teachers who work hard to
instill discipline to unruly children; to inspire uninterested ones; and even to tame the spoiled brats. How can
we forget our first teachers who run to the rescue of a kid crying because he wanted to go to the toilet only to
find out its too late. Nag-cr na pala sa kanyang shorts. Yes, our teachers work hard in school and work harder
at home. They devote their time to other children and have little time for their own because they prepare lesson
plans, quizzes and tests for us. Thank you teachers for your patience in molding us to become what we are
today. Maraming salamat po sa inyong mapagkalingang kamay. Thank you for never giving up.
Fellow graduates, let us all thank our beloved parents who work hard to earn a living and support our
education. On many occasions, they are willing to forego simple luxuries so we could meet our school
expenses. On many instances, they resort to borrowing money from relatives and friends and even from loan
sharks to be able to buy our books and costumes, or pay for our field trip. While they work hard at daytime,
they often sleep late at night to assist us in our assignments and projects. They dream, they persevere, they
pray, all for our sake. Let us all thank our parents for their solicitous concern for our welfare. Thank you for
disciplining us with love. I am especially grateful to my parents who have instilled me values that will direct me
to the right path. Thank you Daddy and Mommy for your support not only financially but most of all emotionally,
mentally and spiritually. I know you are proud of me. We honor you with respect and dignity. Fellow graduates,
let us all give a big round of applause to our parents. Araw din nila ito. Ngayon nagbunga na ang kanilang mga
paghihirap.
To all of you my classmates, thank you for the long lasting memories weve shared together. Thank you for the
laughters. Thank you for the tears. But wherever we shall go and whatever we shall be, everything we learned
in this school will serve as a guiding light in our pursuit of a noble endeavor.
Let us not forget the unsung participant in the building of our character and shaping our future. Our yayas who
patiently take the role of mothers, tutors, bodyguards, and sometimes our kasapakat when we try to convince
our parents to allow us to make some gimmicks. They bathe us, bring us to school, wait for us, until they
realize, matandang dalaga na pala sila sa kakabantay sa atin.
Thank you Holy Child for molding me to be what I am today. I will forever cherish all the learning years Ive
spent here. Thank you for giving me a solid foundation in education.
I would like to share this day with my Lola Pening. Sabi nila mana daw po ako sa lola ko kasi accelerated din
siya. Hindi na po siya nag-grade II, grade III na agad. Lola, idol kita. To my sister, Lianne and brother, Derek; I
am sharing this honor with them.
Yes, we are graduates not only because of our efforts but also because of these people who forget themselves
and prioritize our future. If we as to face another chapter in our young lives, we will have good chances to
succeed because we were nurtured, disciplined, guided and prepared by them.
Can we even thank them enough? We can, but how? Let us study hard. Let us live a life guided by the lessons
they taught us. Lessons in truthfulness, trustworthiness, patience, courtesy, honesty, integrity and above all,
godliness.
I am proud of myself because ive reached this far. I know that my fellow graduates feel the same way, too,
because the victory is ours now.

I thank you.

Valedictory Address
Abegail S. Gonzales
- Class Valedictorian -

Yes, ten long years. Ten long years of struggle, to attain what I have become
now, to stand, amidst many barriers, along the first step of my pedestal toward
the zenith --- towards the initial pace of my pursuit to higher education.
This night, marks the night of achievement and a crowning glory of intellectual
struggle over a period of laborious search for truth and enlightenment.
You and I, the graduates of this great university, are now endowed with
knowledge --- and everlasting attribute of valuable treasure of intellect; a badge
of freedom from the dark cave of ignorance.
Our young faces are bright with optimism and eagerly looking toward s the
future for greater accomplishments. Yes, graduation always evokes this mingle
emotion of successful fulfillment and deserving sense of pride for a task well
done.
Graduation has always been both a happy and sad experience in one's life. It
stands for a glorious achievement one has done. Yet, it also means the end of
many joys and pains, the many trials and challenges, the many laughters and
tears of our high school life.
Some may be wondering why graduation ceremonies are also called
commencement exercises. Graduation marks the end of a course, while
commencement means the beginning. Is it possible that the end means the
beginning? Is it contingent that the two antithetical words could mean the same
thing?
The explanation is quite simple. For graduation is the end of a course and a
commencement the start of either another course or of something else --- perhaps
a career.
It is like twilight that marks the end of day and the beginning of night, or like the
dawn that marks the end of night and the beginning of the day. For life and
everything material around us begin and end, and the beginning of one, marks
the end of another in the ceaseless march of time.
In our studies, the end of the elementary course is the beginning of high school,
and the end of one's high school life is the beginning of a more complex world of
college life.
Sad we may be, but there is one graduation, one commencement exercise that
must come to every one of us. Hence, all graduations in this life are leading to
and are preparations for a last and final commencement, just as every step of the
stairs leads up to the threshold, or like curtains that open as we walk through

them, one after the other, until the final one is reached, which opens to a
magnificent vista of unending horizon.
We now stand at the threshold of a new world, a world of competition and
cooperation, failures and success. With undaunted courage, we take another step
toward our improvement. Nothing is left of the past four years except a memory
of days bygone. Soon, the memory will be just a blurred vision of something
wonderful in our past.
The unselfish effort of our Alma Mater served as our inspiration in pursuit of our
high school diploma --- our stepping stone to a higher education of every chosen
career.
For all of these, we are indebted to our hardworking and devoted teachers, who
are the masters of their own field in the teaching profession, imparted to us are
the priceless knowledge and the valuable experiences, we'll cherish, we'll keep
and we'll bring as our shield and weapon in pursuing our endevors.
Ilang taon na nga ang ginugol natin --- sa ilan --- ng buong pagsisikap --nakalulungkot mang isipin --- sa marami --- ng walang pagsasaalang-alang. At
ngayon, sa di nalalayong hinaharap --- kanya-kanya na nating tatahakin ang
bawat landas na ating pinili.
"Tama, ito nga ang itinakdang araw ng ating paglisan --- paglisan sa mga
pambatang katuwaan --- paglisan sa mga murang kaisipan --- paglisan sa isang
bagong mundong huhulma sa bawat guhit ng ating palad --- mundong hindi
tumatanggap ng pagbabakasali't pagwawalang bahala --- isang mundong walang
biro."
"Punong-puno tayo ng mga pangarap. Maraming gustong makamtan --maraming gustong maabot."
Whatever we become --- our achievements --- our victory --- the future we
dream to have --- we offer them to these people, who many times --- we hurt and
fail.
Sa maraming pagkakataong ating pinalampas, sa mga luhang ating pinaagos sa
kanilang mga mata dahil sa pagbabalewala --- at sa mga pasakit nilang ating
pinagwalang-bahala --- sila na walang hinagad kundi ang mga bagay na
makapagdudulot ng saya at gaan para sa ating maganda't maluwalhating
kinabuikasan, na walang araw at gabing pinalampas para lamang tustusan ang
ating pag-aaral --- puhunan nila ay pawis at dugong nais ipunla maibsan lamang
ang ating mga pangangailangan --- sila ang ating pinakamamahal na magulang."
I myself witnessed the very noble deed that lives within each and every parent
I was only in grade six when I lost my dad. He missed my elementary graduation
as so as this one. He who taught me to stand every time I fall --- that comes more
often. Nevertheless, I have my mom. And I'll shout out on top of every mountain
to tell the whole world how lucky I am to have such a mother. She's the bravest
woman who is beyond compare.
Being a mother of three as well as being a father at the same time is not a cent
worth task. She has been "everything" one could ever want and one, even I, may
not deserve. Yet, God has given me. Taking this very opportunity mom, my

gratitude is inexpressible through words.

The place where I could always go home to - my sister, my brother, my family.
To you I am indebted as well.
To my best friend, who in so many ways had uplifted the fearful wanderer that I
was and from there triumphed. You added meaning to my being.
To my true friends, who stood beside me all throughout --- not only in fair
weathers but in the worst times as well, I could never have a day without you.
And to you dad, wherever you may be, I made history to be the first in the family
one in the family, to you I give back the glory.
To you my fellow graduates, as we finally leave the premises of this high school,
time has come to step up for the second challenge in our pursuit of education.
For I firmly believe, only proper and higher learning can uplift each and
everyone of us to be a better citizen, to be an asset in the community and to be
the envisioned leaders of our country and our fellowmen.
We expect to pass through this life only once. What the future holds we cannot
tell. Time is a vital factor.
"Marami tayong mga pagkukulang --- una as ating sarili at higit sa lahat, sa ating
mga magulang. Ngunit hindi pa huli ang lahat upang punan ang mga ito."
Let us not defer therefore nor neglect this challenge we are about to face for we
may never have this same opportunity we behold in our hands and we shall never
pass this way again.
Fear we should not for god has given us this achievement to start with and had
been with us in our journey since the very beginning and all throughout until the
very end. To him we give back this splendor.
In closing, may I say farewell after four long years of sweet and memorable
association, but go we must, for our stay in this institution is over, though more
rewarding adventure in life.
To our beloved mentors, a grateful heart now bids adieu; to our Alma Mater, the
Angeles University Foundation from whose fountain of knowledge we have
imbibed deeply, a found farewell.
We shall go our different ways but wherever we are, the memory of our great
Alma Mater will spur us to greater achievement.