My Speech as Head Boy

Leavers Assembly Speech

by Raymond Detweiler P on Friday, May 28, 2010 at 9:41pm

Thomas Edison once said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

I remember telling the new year 7’s, coming to school is like boarding a plane and when you finish you can finally depart from this long and tiring journey. We as a sixth form have come across many challenges and just like turbulence it has given some of us a fear, a career conversion and even strengthened or challenged ones beliefs.

I remember entering the common room for the first time and waiting to cook up some traditional African food in the microwave, maybe even grab a can of coke from the vending machine and kick up my legs on the sofa and watch ben10 on the flat screen TV. Ohhhh was i so wrong...The only amusement I got was from watching Tomi Adenle do the soulja boy or watching Mr Ahmed playing basketball, which was pleasing to the eye.

I believe our time in the sixth form has been about finding out our true self, being different, I would call it. Being different mean; Not being afraid to challenge the norm, -being willing to take a chance,- asking why,- making your own track, not just following the well trodden path,- Charting you own course and destiny,- Being the person that you were meant to be.
I believe that everyone one of you is born unique. But thought the years we work very hard to be like everyone else, We conform to society’s so called “common sense”. Unfortunately it is just that- “common sense.” That does not mean its “good sense.” Keep that in mind.

I want to say a thank you to everyone that supported me as your Head boy. I also want to say thank you to your head girl Nicola, for when I was not a leader she was, for when i was weak she was strong. I know our partnership wasn’t the best and at times I saw sparks of brilliance from both of us. And now I think to myself that if we just gave it a try like Clegg & Cameron, Obama & Clinton and even Batman & Robin, then maybe the school would be a better place just like Gotham City.

I’m going to finish with a poem that was recited by Nelson Mandela, It goes,” What’s your deepest Fear? Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am i to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? And when we venture into our new lives we should remember that as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

So to you my fellow brothers and sisters.
My words to you are;

Most of you won’t even read unless there’s an exam in sight. But you know what? Every day of your life is an exam. Every day you either pass or fail the test of life. Every day is an opportunity to grow beyond your present barriers and circumstances. Every day is a chance to become a better person.
Keep running till you have fulfilled your destiny. And when you have you will be asked how? Then you can lift your head high and whisper....

“Because...I’m Different!!!”