WMHS Class of 2011 Graduation Speech | Stephanie Rizzo: Passing of the Key

[The following is the text of the speech given by Class of 2011 Vice President Stephanie Rizzo for the Passing of the Key at Wakefield Memorial High School's Class of 2011 Graduation ceremony held on June 4, 2011.]

Passing of the Key
Once again, welcome everyone, and thank you for coming today to share in what will be one of the greatest moments in our lives so far. As the vice president of our class, I am here today to carry on a tradition by handing this symbolic key down to the class of 2012. With this key we will pass on our legacy as well as all of the important lessons that we have learned together. However, in order to do that I must first stand up here and look out at all of my peers. When I look at all of you sitting in front of me, so ready to embark on the next part of your lives, I see more than just my fellow classmates in their caps and gowns.  I see the friends that have stood by me for four years alongside newer friendships I never imagined would have developed. I see the same faces that sat in this field house four years ago more nervous than excited for our freshman orientation. I see two years of players from an amazing powder puff team who worked so hard to learn the rules of football, seated next to the coaches who were forced to put up with us. And I see members of the boys’ hockey team who took this entire town on an amazing ride this winter, seated next to the fans who lost their voices game after game while cheering them on! Overall, when looking at the same faces I have stared at in the halls for the past four years, I see reminders of many, many amazing memories.

Unfortunately, our time to make memories in this school has come to an end. Therefore, it is time to pass on our key to Vanessa Nason, the president of the future senior class of Wakefield High School. To all of the juniors here today, we leave you this key with an important message. You have only one year left, and it is going to go by extremely fast! Make the most of every minute that you have left together, take every opportunity, and most of all, make memories that will last forever! Senior year is not as easy as you may expect it to be, so try your best to stay focused, and work hard. Most importantly, remember to have fun because these are the last times that you will spend together as the class of 2012. I know that I speak for my entire class when I say that I am confident that we are leaving this key in good hands.

 I have one last message to the class of 2011. Many people say that by passing this key we are closing a door behind us. Although that may be true in many ways, remember that we are not locking that door. Every time you look back at our yearbook or see an old picture pop up on the side of your Facebook screen or bump into a classmate while walking around the lake, you will open that door just a bit, just enough to see all of the memories that we have made! I have had an amazing four years making memories with all of you, and I hope that you will all remember our time together as I will. Good luck to all of you in your future; it is now time to make your own memories!