An Opportunity of a Lifetime

NHS Class President Sabrina Kuo to Make a Speech at 2019 Graduation

The end of high school can be a bittersweet time for students. Students have come such a long way and have so much to look forward to in just a short few months. Representing a high school graduating class by giving the graduation speech is a great honor, usually bestowed upon a student who has earned the respect of peers and teachers alike. Serving as the senior class president is a prestigious honor. After all, your classmates chose you to serve as their role model and a leader. Senior Class President duties are varied, but are primarily focused on the best interests of the senior class. Nutley High School  senior, Sabrina Kuo was elected  senior class president at the end of last school year. As the current school year comes to a close, she was given the opportunity to make a speech at the 2019 graduation ceremony. She is preparing now for the June 26 event.

Delivering a speech can be intimidating, however Sabrina is extremely excited to be creating a speech on the behalf of her class.“I just hope I’m able to create a speech that truly encapsulates our four years at Nutley High School,” Sabrina said.

Crafting a speech is difficult because it’s important to reminisce on what you have gained from the experiences of high school. It’s also important to discuss the most important lessons you learned from challenges in school. Sabrina wants to make sure to capture all of the students' attention, and give her peers a sense of nostalgia from the four years of high school. That is why Sabrina is teaming up with Mrs. Cheryl Rossillo from the NHS English department for the process of writing her speech.

According to Mrs. Rossilo, Sabrina’s speech should run at least three to five minutes and not exceed five. “Catching attention at the beginning can be achieved using techniques such as posing a question, providing a quote, providing a statistic, asking the audience to "Imagine..." or using "What if...", creating sensory images, etc.” Rossilo said. “The speech should be uplifting and speak to the realities of the world after high school. Our students will be going off on many different paths -- college, trade school, military, work force, and some will be taking a break or traveling before they decide on future plans. Whatever path they are taking, the speaker should be able to deliver a speech that encompasses the joy, the freedoms, and the responsibilities of moving forward on life's journey.”

Considering Sabrina is class president, there are many things she needs to maintain. She must possess good leadership and be a good influence for the rest of the students. She must maintain good grades and be in good academic standing for the school year. Sabrina has some advice for the incoming seniors to have a successful and memorable year.

“I would encourage incoming seniors to start college applications early in order to best balance time between senior responsibilities,” she said. “They should get involved, and be proud of all your accomplishments, and ultimately just try to enjoy your senior year as much as you can.”

The role of class presidency gives the students many jobs to fulfill, such as being a role model, working energetically, being prepared and saving time to motivate themselves and other students. Sabrina uses her brains and her authority as class president to make an unforgettable speech to give the students a chance to say a proper goodbye when they are off the pursue their dreams.