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2008 Bainbridge High School Graduation Speeches

Graduation 2008, Kyle Todd

In the early 20th century, the American Dream was established as a dream that held high hopes and aspirations for a better tomorrow.  As the economy, along with industry, became more a part of society, Americans began to seek new opportunities to improve their status both financially and socially.  The workingman set out in his daily attempt to prosper for the sake of his family and his name.  Expectations rose to a standard that encouraged individuals to seek higher education, become more independent, and achieve one's position in society through hard work and dedication.

Not much has changed a century later as each of us sets out to claim our own part in the American Dream.  A dream that has long been associated with the amount of happiness obtained by the goals we have accomplished.  Some may measure happiness by the number of digits in a paycheck, others by the health or quality of relationships; however, one can say that everyone has his or her unique definition of happiness.  Likewise success can be measured by the happiness we receive when we reach the goals we set out to achieve.  We must remember that the American Dream is not a dream solely based on wealth, but it is also a pursuit of freedom, happiness, and a peace of mind that transcends materialistic desires.  These are the principles that are the foundation for a united nation, a nation that provides us with equal and endless opportunities to achieve greatness not only for oneself but also for the good of mankind.

Even though there are many opportunities, there are also many challenges that we are certain to face.  It is during these times, when hardships present themselves that our true character will be revealed and the strength of our resolve is put to the test.  More recently, some of us have faced the challenges of AP courses and caught a brief glimpse at the rigor of what's in store for us in college.  For the thirteen of us who remained at the end of the year, AP Calculus students can vouch for such challenges.  And yet we have only touched the surface of what is to come and therefore we must prepare ourselves to overcome the obstacles that lie ahead.  We must remain steadfast on our pathway to success, despite the difficulties we may encounter along the way.  In a song entitled "The Fires of Life" it describes a moment in which adversity is prevalent in an individuals life.  At one point it reads, "I know you feel you won't last another day, but when the fires of life arise, you will walk on through unscathed."  This song is in part inspired by scripture from Isaiah 43:2 which reads, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."  For those of us who believe in our savior Jesus Christ we can have faith in the knowledge that He is with us every step we take and that He will help guide us through the fires of life.

We have an amazing opportunity to bring light and hope into a society without purpose.  Our dreams cannot be denied us as long as we are moral, persistent, and knowledgeable in our pursuits.  Famous innovator Walt Disney once said, "All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them."  Today we must find the courage to pursue the desires of our heart and enter a world where the unknown is abound as our young minds seek to understand life outside the confines of a sheltered home.  Every choice we make now directly affects our lives and the future we are headed towards each day.  Now we must put our futures in perspective and each ask ourselves, what does my future look like today? And am I pleased with what I see?  I tell you today that if we have no direction in our lives, then what purpose are we living for.  Purpose, or goals that push our abilities to the limits yet are real and attainable, must be present in each of our lives if we desire a life of happiness and success.

On a more personal note, I would like to thank all of the individuals who have made an impact on my life somewhere along the way.  First and foremost my parents and other family members for providing their constant love, support, and guidance in all my endeavors; you have truly been a blessing in my life and none of this would have been possible without your efforts. Next I would like to thank my friends who have helped make all the memories I will cherish for a lifetime and have held me accountable for the decisions I have made.  And finally my teachers for the many opportunities they have given me to achieve everything I have.  Now I ask the graduating class to please give a round of applause for those who have helped you make this moment possible.

In conclusion, I would like to wish each of my classmate's good luck and hopes of a successful future of happiness, health, and prosperity.

Salutatorian Allyson Lumpkin

Good Evening!
I Am Merrie Allyson Lumpkin, Saluatorian Of The Distinguished Bainbridge High School Graduating Class Of 2008.

First, I Would Like You To Join Me In A Moment Of Silence As We Reflect Upon Those Who Could Not Be Here With Us Tonight.  You See, We Started This Journey With Many Influential Figures Such As My Grandmother Mrs. Mary Alice Lumpkin Williams, Mrs. Amanda Regan, Mr. John Hinson, Mothers, Fathers, And Other Family Members, Who Wished To See This Day.  

Let Us Pause For A Moment Of Silence To Remember The Encouragement They Gave And Let Them Know That Even Though They Are Not Here With Us Physically, We Can Feel Them Watching Over Us And We Hope That They Have Joy In Knowing That We Made It!
Thank You.  

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart, nerve, and muscles
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

To The Outstanding Members Of The Bainbridge High School Graduating Class Of 2008, Superintendent Of Schools Mr. Ralph Jones And The Decatur County Board Of Education,

Assistant Superintendents, Dr. Suzi Bonifay, Mrs. Susan Johnson, Dr. Linda Lumpkin, Bainbridge High School Principal Mr. Tommie Howell, Bhs Faculty & Staff, Family, Friends,
And All Present Here Tonight, I Say To You…..
What If?
What If We Can Talk With Crowds And Keep Our Virtue,
Or Walk With Kings--Nor Lose The Common Touch,

What If Neither Foes Nor Loving Friends Can Hurt You;
What If You Can Fill The Unforgiving Minute
With Sixty Seconds' Worth Of Distance Run,
Yours Is The Earth And Everything That's In It,
And--Which Is More-We-The Class Of 2008-Will Have The Victory Won.  
As We Sit Here Tonight, Basking In The Glow Of Thirteen Years Of Achievement, Surrounded By Those Who Matter Most To Us,
Gleaming Under The Friday Night Lights That Gave Us Joy For Four Years And Reminds Us Of The Things We Are Leaving Behind When We Realize …
That There Is No First Block Anymore On Monday Morning
No One Will Advise Us To Make It A Great Day Or Not Because The Choice Is Ours
 And As Evident By This Past Week, We No Longer Have Our Signature Spots On Senior Row.
Because These Are No Longer The Things Of Our Time, Many Us Are Wondering What If?
What If The Real World Is More Than I Anticipated?
What If Things Do Not Go As Planned?
What If There Is No Cell Phone Tower At Our Next Destination From Which We Can Text Our Friends?
What If There Is No Cable To Enjoy Mtv To Keep Us In Tune With The Real World?
What If There Is No Computer For Our Ipod To Give To Give Us The True Environment Conducive For Studying To Pass Our Midterms And Finals?
What If?   What If?    What If?
What If Our Community In Their Own Way  Had Not Cheered Us On And Instructed Us To Rember That "We Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Stengthens Us."
To Give To The World Our Best And The Best Will Return To Us . . .
What If Our Teachers, Administrators, And Support Staff Had Not Taught Us Most Of The Things We Needed To Be Successful In Life… Most Importantly To Hold Hands And Always Stick Together!
We Have Been Given So Much And To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required, And Much Thanks Is To Be Granted.  On Behalf Of The Bainbridge High School Graduating Class Of 2008, I Would Like To Take This Opportunity To Thank All Who Made This Moment Possible.  I  Would Like To Thank Every Administrator, Teacher, Substitue, Family Member, Community Member, Underclassmen, And Past Graduate, For Every Encouraging Remark And Act Of Kindness To Help Us Along The Way.  

Class Of 2008 … It's Our Turn To Hold Hands And Stick Together For We Are About To Cross The Street Of Graduation In To The Real World With The Dreams Of Our Choice.  
Yes, The Dream Of Our Choice Which For Some Us That May Be The Work Force, The Armed Forcers, A Two Year College, A Technical School, A Four Year College, Or A Four Year University.  Yes, Some Of Us  Are About To Cross The Street From Decatur County Whether It Be From Bainbridge, Attapulgus, Fowlstown,  Mccrayville, Faceville,  Eldorendo, Climax, Or  Brinson …
But We Are About To Cross A Street None The Less Or A Country Road From Decatur County To Athens, Savannah, Statesboro, Albany, Tuskegee, Tifton, Valdosta, Tallahassee, And Many Other Exciting Places.
Mr. Howell, Board Of Education, Family And Friends ….. Please Know That We Are Ready!!

For You See Today Is A Day That We Have Long Awaited.  Today We Have Realized That We Have Agraciously Volunteered 17,550 Hours Of Our Lives For A Piece Of Paper And A Hand Shake.  But Before Our Time As Bainbridge High School Bearcats Comes To An End, Let Us Take A Brief Re-Cap Of The Time We Have Graciously Volunteered That Got Us To This Point And The Milestones That Make The Class Of 2008 The Best.  

We Have Conquered Most Of Our What If's Which Began For Some Of Us When We Entered The Public School System Of Decatur County And Became Elcan King Cougars Where We Climbed To New Heights With Excellence….
Some Of Us Conquered Our What If's When We Became A  
John Johnson Buldawg…. Where We Remembered That "Everybody Is Somebody"
Some Of Us Became Jones-Wheat Gators Where We Proudly Wore The Orange And Blue And Were Driven To Learn As The "School Of Knowledge!"

Some Of Us Became Lillian E. Williams Wise Owls Where We Were Taught …. Strive Not To Equal, But To Excel!
Some Of Us Conquered Our What If's When We Became Potter Street Patriots …. Where We Led The Rest!
Some Of Us Conquered Our What If's When We Became A  
West Bainbridge Elementary Wildcats ….. Where We Made Tracks To Greater Learning With Knowledge And Wisdom!
I Had The Fortunate Blessing Of Being A Gator, A Buldawg And A Wildcat!
We Continued To Conquer Our What If's When We Entered Middle School Where
Some Of Us Became Hutto Tigers Where We Were Taught To Leave Postive Tracks With Pride On The Education Trail!
Or
We Became A West Bainbridge Middle School Eagle Where We Were Taught The Be
…..Extra-Ordinary And Exemplary….
 Always Flying With The Wind Beneath Our Wings
And
Finally, Yes Finally! We Conquered Our What If's
And   Became What We Had Long Anticipated, Waited, And Dreamed,
A Bainbridge High School "Bearcat" ...  Ready To Bleed The Purple And The Gold For We Knew Our What If's Were Almost Complete And Beginning To Un-Fold!
As A Bearcat We Learned To Focus On Learning For Life As We Achieved!
As The Faculty And Staff Believed And Prayed For Us To Succeed!
Especially This Evening!

As Proud Bearcats We Have Mastered The Art Of Typing Five-Page Papers Due 5th Block During 3rd Lunch And We Have Mastered The Skill Of Communicating Telepathically Ofcourse With Classmates In Other Rooms By Focusing On Certain Spots On Our Jackets And Purses.

In May Of Last Year, We Embarked Upon Our Journey As Senior With The Mission Of Taking Over And We Did.  We Have Made Enough Memories At Bainbridge High To Have Our Own Season Of Mtv's High School Stories, Pranks, Scandals, And Controversies.   

We Are The First Senior Class To Compete In The Now Annual Reagan Powder Puff Bowl, First Class To Have An American Legion Oratorical State Of Georgia Winner To Compete On  The National Level, The First Senior Class To Participate In Challenge Day In The State Of Georgia, And The First Senior Class To Have A National (Sadd) Students Against Destructive Decisions Officer.  

Class Of 2008- We Know How To Master Our What If's And Not Let Mastering Be Our Final Destination Because We Recognize That ….

To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required, And Tonight, Ladies And Gentlemen …. The Class Of 2008 Embraces The Opportunity To Make The World Better Than We Entered It.

We Embrace The Challenge To Re-Distribute All Acts Of Kindness Taught Us Here In The Decatur County School System.
Therefore, Fellow Class Mates I Proudly Stand Here Tonight And Reply For All The World To Know That  If We Made It Through Bainbridge High School, The Premier Training Ground For America's Best And Brightest, There Is No Question That We Can Make It, We Will Adapt, And We Will Succeed.
Class Of 2008 - If We Let It Be World Reknown As
We Embark On Our Greatest Milestone Yet….  The Best Is Yet To Come…
Because…
WE can keep our head when all about US
Are losing theirs and blaming it on US,

WE can trust ourselves when all men doubt US
But make allowance for their doubting too,

WE can dream--and not make dreams our master,
WE can think--and not make thoughts our aim;

WE can meet with Triumph and Disaster
and treat those two impostors just the same;

WE can make one heap of all our winnings
and NOT risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss;
WE can start again at our beginnings
and never breath a word about our loss;

WE can force our heart and nerve and muscles
To serve our turn long after they are gone,

WE can hold on when there is nothing in US
Except the Will which says to US: "Hold on!"
Because:  
If We Seek ….. We Will Find…
If We Ask … We Will Receive
If We Knock…..Doors Will Open
Because….God Knows The Plans He Has For Us!
I Strongly Believe That The Family That Prays Together Stays Together So Let Us Pray…

Dear Lord, we come to you today humbly.  We thank you for allowing us to have this moment in time and letting us make it this far together.  It is my prayer that you will always lead and guide us along life's rough journey because we know that through you all things are possible.  In your holy name we pray, Amen.

Class Of 2008 The World Is Ours And We Are Taking Over.

Congratulations And God Bless.

Valedictorian Alyson Pittman

I remember that my heart was pounding, my palms were sweating, and my hands were shaking. I remember that I was bursting with emotions: a little bit anxious, a little more terrified, but so incredibly excited, excited because it was my first day of kindergarten. I remember the sounds, the laughter, the tears, the nervous tension that was almost palpable in that room full of five-year-olds, most of whom were leaving the safe and comfortable world of home for the very first time to venture out into the world of strangers, into the world of uncertainty. But I remember most vividly the things I carried. I carried my pink and purple book bag with my name carefully printed on the front pocket, clutched tightly like it was my only source of security. I carried multi-colored folders and Elmer's all-purpose glue, blunt scissors and white paper. I carried Crayola crayons and glitter crayons and markers and colored pencils, sharpeners and erasers - each one carefully chosen, by me, for my first year of school. But even as my world was turned upside down as I took that first step into my kindergarten classroom wearing my Pocahontas tennis shoes and carrying my lunchbox that had been lovingly packed by my mom, the world in which we lived was changing as well.

The year we started kindergarten, 1994, taught us all some valuable lessons. While my classmates and I were learning to play well with others and memorizing the basic colors, Forrest Gump reminded the world that "life is like a box of chocolates" as Johnny Cochran made sure we knew that "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit." The world finally acknowledged the horror of genocide in Rwanda, and South Africa held its first fully multiracial election, inaugurating Nelson Mandela as its first black president. We learned to say goodbye to some of our nation's most beloved - and most controversial - figures, including Kurt Cobain, Richard Nixon, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, comedian John Candy, and writer Ralph Ellison. Georgia-native Newt Gingrich led the Republican Revolution in the 1994 midterm congressional elections, ending forty years of Democratic control in the House. 14.5% of the population, approximately 38.1 million people, lived at or below the poverty level, and gasoline cost an average of $1.10 per gallon. Those were the days. While Schindler's List was sweeping the Oscars and reminding everyone of the harrowing importance of a history lesson, President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the Kremlin Accords, putting a halt to the preprogrammed aiming of nuclear missiles and proving to the world that diplomacy really can make a difference. Seinfeld ruled the sitcom and taught us all to laugh just a little bit more, and no one will ever forget the painful lesson Tanya Harding imparted to Generation X when she hired a hit man to sabotage her 1994 Winter Olympics figure skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan: "Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win."

And yet, even as we are preparing to become influential citizens and members of our own generation, the world doesn't seem to have changed so dramatically from that first day of kindergarten to our graduation. Although Democrats regained control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2006 midterm elections, and gas prices have skyrocketed to an astonishing national average of $3.81 per gallon, Africa is still being ravaged by genocide and ethnic cleansing, and many countries around the world deny their citizens the right to elect leaders democratically. The Summer Olympics have once again sparked controversy as many prominent nations, including the United States, are threatening to boycott the games in Beijing unless China renounces its military rule over Tibet. Even as our economy has expanded to encompass new markets and foreign consumers, 34.5 million Americans and nearly 1 billion worldwide are still living below the international poverty line, earning less than $1 a day, a number that reflects the profound incongruity between wealth distribution and production in our country and the world. In the words of former Senator Mark Hatfield, "We stand by as children starve by the millions because we lack the will to eliminate hunger. Yet we have found the will to develop missiles capable of flying over the polar cap and landing within a few hundred feet of their target. This is not innovation. It is a profound distortion of humanity's purpose on earth."

We live in a world driven by numbers. As students, our lives are categorized by our SAT score, our GPA, our class rank, the number of extracurricular activities we can stuff into four years of high school, the number of friends we have, the price of our clothing, and the year our car was made. What is worse, the numbers will never stop. As adults, we are shoved into statistics and data that reflect our income level, our employment record, the number of kids we have, how much we paid for our house, the amount of money in our savings account, our credit score, and our age bracket. But to someone who has nothing, a number means nothing. To a refugee of the violence in Darfur, a number may simply indicate the length of time he or she has gone without food, the number of people forced to live in the overcrowded and squalid conditions of a refugee camp, or the number of children that have been killed or misplaced due to the violence. What good, then, is a number? To a parent working to support his or her young children on a minimum wage income, a number may simply indicate the rising unemployment rate, the rising price of food, utilities, and other necessities, or the tax cuts that neither solve nor alleviate a family's economic difficulty. What good, then, is a number? To a child living in Southeast Asia, a number may simply indicate the 16,000 children who die of hunger-related diseases each day, his or her level of vitamin deficiency, or the length of time his or her weakened body becomes consumed by malaria, measles or other preventable diseases. What good is a number when enough food is produced each year to make the entire world's population morbidly obese, and yet millions upon millions of men, women, and children die of starvation, polluted water, and related causes each year? What good is a number when the basic needs of 12% of our country's population are not sufficiently met? What good is a number that merely identifies a problem, but that can do nothing eliminate it? What good is a number when that is all our lives become? The death rate, poverty level, the percentage of a population that is composed of a specific race or religious affiliation, these are just numbers, numbers that are crudely designed to reflect the intricacies of the human spirit and the personal struggles of humanity. But they are just numbers, and numbers reflect nothing.

Now, more than ever, we, as the next generation of Americans, are obligated to look beyond the boundaries of a number, beyond the limitations of categorization. A human life is broader than a statistic, and our thoughts and words are powerful enough to change the numbers. No matter what you do, where you are, or where you go, live so that you stand for what you believe is important, live so that no one ever becomes just a number, and live so that you make a difference. Luke 12:48 states, "From those to whom much is given, much shall be required," and we have been given the ability and the challenge to make our world a better place. Not just for those who share our race, our religion, or our political views, but for everyone. Almost forty years ago, the Beatles taught the world another unforgettable lesson: "all you need is love" to change the world - any time, any place, anywhere. And so, class of 2008, as we prepare to embark on our individual journeys of life, let us remember that no life is more important than another, that one person's loss is a loss to the world, and that each of our individual journeys intertwines and intersects to create the world's future path. But above all else, let us be conscientious of the things we carry. Let us carry acceptance and not intolerance; let us carry compassion and not indifference; let us carry concern and not acquiescence; let us carry diplomacy and not imperialism; and, most importantly, let us carry love, love for each other, love for ourselves, and love for the world, and let us leave a little bit of our hearts with every person we carry with us.