Good morning family, friends, staff, board of education, Superintendent Mr. Geha, Principal Mr. Brown, Assistant Principals Mrs. Steinmiller, Mr. Screptock, and Mr. Rupp–and most importantly, Springfield Senior Class of 2023.
My name is Morgan Amick, and it’s my honor to be up here speaking to all of you on this monumental day as the senior class president.
Before I begin, I’d like us all to give a round of applause to all of the amazing teachers, advisors, coaches, and mentors that got us all here today.
Without their support and guidance, I don’t know if we would have made it to this point.
When I started thinking about what I would say today, I found myself trying to identify one thing that would best define this moment. And again and again, I kept coming back to the idea of change.
I’m sure that the thought of change has been on the minds of most of us as we approach this moment in our lives.
Whether it's a sense of concern about what lies ahead–or some doubt about plans we’ve already put in place, we are all probably dealing with some fear of the change we are about to embark on after graduation.
But regardless of what or how we think about it, change is inevitable; It’s a fundamental and essential part of life.
I recall when I first came to the Springfield district my fifth grade year and the different changes that came along with it. Having to make new friends, meet new teachers, adapt to bigger class sizes, and even riding the bus for the first time, were all life adjustments for me.
Perhaps the big adjustments to change for some of my other classmates came when starting high school. Maybe it was discovering that you could choose which classes to take as opposed to having them all decided for you. It could have been the feeling you got when walking into a class for the first time, as a freshman, and seeing juniors and seniors in the same class. Or quickly learning that some teachers will call on you to answer a question, even if your hand isn’t raised.
The transition to high school brought on a host of changes for all of us. More responsibilities; stepping out of your comfort zone; building up your confidence; and planning for the future. Even though, now that we are about to graduate, I probably could have put a little more effort into the planning part.
But looking back, I, for one, am glad that I experienced those changes. If I had not been called on to answer questions in class, I probably wouldn’t be speaking in front of you all today.
When it comes to dealing with change, the past four years have probably been one the most transformative periods that many of us have ever experienced, because of COVID.
Many of you today might not realize that this was our first full year of high school here at Springfield. Our freshman year was cut short in March of 2020.
When we were sophomores we were 100 percent online for most of the year, being taught virtually on our chromebooks from inside our homes. And during our junior year, we had to go virtual for a week.
This 2022-23 school year is not just our first, full year of high school, but the first year we have been able to enjoy the privileges that typically come with a senior’s last year in high school– being able to participate in powderpuff, join in the senior walk, and attend the senior picnic.
Our entire time at Springfield is the essence of having to deal with change.
Maybe you have also found yourself dealing with some other kind of personal changes–a new neighbor, the loss of a loved one, or a new job.
The point is, regardless of how we have felt about the changes we’ve faced in life, we have learned how to adapt to them and have grown as people.
President John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future.”
As we graduate, appreciate everything that change has to offer and use it to empower you on your next journey in life–whatever that might include, be it college, getting a new job, joining the military or taking the time to figure out your next step.
The most important thing to remember is that change is inevitable, so embrace it– and all that it encompasses, for the best story of your journey is about to start.
Thank you.
