Class President Buie: Time to Give Back What Saline Has Given to Us

Saline High School senior class president Kendall Buie, who has been class president every year of high school, made closing remarks at Saline High School's commencement ceremony Sunday, June 3.

Here is her speech:

Mr. Lloyd Carr, Superintendent Graden, Members of the Board of Education, Administration, Faculty, Parents, Family, Friends, and fellow graduates of the Class of 2012.

Thank you everyone who is in attendance today, celebrating and supporting such an important milestone for each and every one of us.  A special thanks to all of the teachers sitting on the sides of this stage, reminding us that the support of Saline’s faculty extends far beyond the walls of the classroom; the positive differences you have made we will carry with us forever.

On behalf of the Class of 2012, I would like to present our class gift.  While we have certainly left our mark at Saline High School, we do not intend to stop now. The Class of 2012 has purchased two water bottle filling stations that will be installed on drinking fountains at the high school. By reusing our water containers, we can all make a significant impact on the environment. The filling stations even have a counter to tell us how many plastic bottles we have saved from the landfill.  This class gift will ensure the Class of 2012 continues making a positive difference at Saline High School long after we’re gone.

I’d also like to give a special thank you to the parents of the Class of 2012. You held our hands on our very first day of kindergarten and today you hold open our door to the future. We would not have made it this far without you.  Parents, grandparents, and family members of the Class of 2012, please stand as we thank you with a round of applause.

Class of 2012, we’ve made it. On the first day of Kindergarten, we rode away on the bus waving to mom and dad as we set out on the beginning of a thirteen year journey. A journey that tested us, molded us, and made us. Our journeys have woven us together to create a bond that no other class can create. We met Zero the Hero, we mastered the recorder, we camped with members of the opposite gender, we did everything but dance during the middle school dance, we capped off the last eighth grade trip to D.C., we basked in the epicness of Mock Rock – twice, and we survived the potent symptoms of senioritis.

And now our journey together comes to an end.

As we leave Saline High School, we are all well-equipped. Saline has given us a foundation that few will experience. We’ve had unforgettable moments, and most importantly, we’ve learned from extraordinary teachers and administrators.  Without all of you, none of us would be here today. Thank you, too.

And now I feel it is our duty to return the favor, to give back to the world what Saline has given us. We must use our strong foundation to leave an impact on the world in a positive way. We have been given the tools and now it is our turn to put them to good use. We will succeed and fail. We will persevere and surrender. We will push boundaries and break barriers. We can – and will – achieve the impossible.

Today each of us begins a new path on life’s journey. Let’s make our journeys extraordinary. Congratulations, Class of 2012.  Thank you very much.

Classmates please rise and follow my lead as I move my tassel from left to right. Congratulations, we are now officially Saline High School Alumni.