According to Arie Pencovici , Graduation is only a concept

[GREETING TO THE DIGNITARIES]

According to Arie Pencovici, Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you'll make a difference. I dont know what to feel at this very moment. Im confused between the feelings of happiness and sadness. I am supposed to be happy because at last, I am about to complete the four-year journey of high school life, but at the same time, I can also feel sadness due to the fact that after this ceremony, we are going on our separate ways. Maybe four or five years from now, some of us have our profession already, an engineer, a teacher, or an accountant. We dont know. It depends upon the path we choose after this. But one thing is for sure, WE ARE NOW READY! We are already harnessed and trained with the skills and strategies in surviving the struggles of life. We already have with us our weapon, we forged, the lessons, the values, and the friendship we earned for our four years of studying and living on our second home, Libertad National High School.

It is indeed a great privilege to stand here in front of you, representing batch 2014-2015 and showing them the output of our hard wok in studying and enduring the torture of assignments, oral recitations, quizzes, exams, and project datelines. The plot of our high school journey has already reached its climax and is about to end. And time does travel fast, without even noticing that, YES! We are now graduates. With that period of time, we shared laughter, tears, and certainly full of growth.

My beloved friends and fellow candidates, Saktong Buhay, sa Edukasyon Pinanday, is our theme for this years graduation. Absolutely, it emphasizes the value of hard work and perseverance. Its like, what you sow, is what you will reap. Our decisions and hard work would serve as our passport to our flight of success.

I can still remember my violent reaction during the exam for qualification in the Science High, What?! How am I be able to subtract y from x? For all I know only numbers have four operations, but how come letters also have such? Fortunately, I qualified and then I met unfamiliar faces in the classroom. From the start of our class, I felt at ease, without any pressure, attending class for a grade, played a lot and talked a lot. But that changed when I reached my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year. There were a lot of things to do. You cant just sit there, do nothing, waste your time for something insignificant. I have even spent hundreds of sleepless nights because of studying, answering assignments, and making projects not just because to get the title of a Class Valedictorian but more importantly, I wanted my parents to be proud of me. That all the things and efforts they have poured on me were not wasted. Hence, my four-year stay in the Science High served as an eye opener for me on things I was not used to. I discovered how technology works. I created my e-mail during my first year. I met MR.FACEBOOK also during my first year. I befriended MR. GOOGLE in my four years stay in the Science High for the sake of my paper works and research.

Most of all, I met my friends. Because of them I learned how to cry and laugh hard in front of others. Because as far as I remember, during my grade school, I talked a lot, played a lot, but I had my own world. I talked to people I cant see, I even greeted them every morning, but that habit changed the moment I met my friends. They helped me break those walls I created as a barrier to the real world.

Being part of Section Einstein had helped me grow mentally and emotionally. I realized I changed a lot of my perceptions after I entered this section, such as, AIMING FOR AN AVERAGE OF 85 INSTEAD OF 75. Before, If I got an average of 80 or below, I would be very happy already. SHOULDER RESPONSIBILITIES of being a leader and a model student. Before, I dont really care how other people think of me, I do things without even thinking of its consequences at the end but that attitude changed. I was taught to wear complete uniform always, be a good example to all the students around me. And most of all, I learned how to value time. I really hated to wake up and take a bath early in the morning, but in order for me to survive in the Science High; I had to love those things I really hated in the first place.

After all this time, every one of us had gained a treasure chest of memories and experiences. Confidence is also gained through the achievements and these shall give us the courage to face reality.

In behalf of batch 2014-2015, I would like to give thanks to our parents, especially to my Mama Jovelyn and Papa Cesar for their unconditional love and full support financially, morally, and spiritually that helped me reached the finish line of this high school journey.

To the Compassion PH-617, who reared me since I was 4 years old with the words of God and also supported me on my financial needs.

To our mentors for their patience, love, and understanding bestowed upon us. Thank you for handling these hard-headed, lazy, and naughty students. Thank you for the knowledge youve shared to us which would serve as our weapon in facing the upcoming battles of life. Even though there are times we annoy you so much and we even baptized you with brilliant new names yet you did not surrender instead you ignited and fueled more our fight to success and in reaching our dreams. To my friends, classmates, and schoolmates, thank you for the memories and experiences we created together. And most especially to Marbe, Joshua, Hannah, Gene, Angelie and to all section Einstein, who were with me in times of need and encouraged me a lot to do this and to win this.

Above all, we offer our highest gratitude to our Almighty God, the Father, for all the blessings He has given us. He is the source of wisdom, strength, the Holy Spirit that guide and protect us. For without Him, we can do nothing. To batch 2014-2015, This is not yet the end, this is just the beginning, so continue to persevere and work hard for the aim of success.

Just remember this, A success is not something to wait for, it is something to work hard for and in reaching our dreams, we need to believe in them and we must strive hard to make them happen, for no matter how small or big a dream is, all of them have places in this world.

Good luck to all of us and GODSPEED.