Who Should Give a Graduation Speech?

Throughout Gilman’s history, since the first Graduation and Founders Day in 1903, the valedictorian has given the graduation-day speech. The Gilman archives confirm this trend, with programs from 1911, 1912, 1919–also featuring keynote speaker Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1964, 1975, 1984, and 2007 all including a valedictory. Over the past year, editors within the News have contentiously debated whether the privilege of speaking at graduation should fall to the valedictorian. In my opinion, I believe it should not. 

I would argue that the senior’s final farewell, a recollection of the memories they have made as a class over their high school tenure, should be given by the student who has immersed himself in the community the most, who has taken every opportunity available and has made the greatest impact . The valedictorian, although they certainly could have been involved in the community, is not inherently the best candidate for this description. It is likely that due to all of the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears the valedictorian put in over four years, they were unable to be fully involved with other events in the community. To balance the workload of maintaining the top average for four years while also getting out to sports games, dances, clubs, and interacting with classmates from other grades is a near impossible task. Of course, yearly the valedictorian gives a wise and valuable adieu to the graduating class, but I do not believe they have experienced the community in ways that other students have. Therefore, I propose two alternative options to the Founder’s Day student speaker. 

The first possibility would be the winner of the Fisher Medallion—Gilman’s highest honor awarded for leadership and scholarship. The Fisher Medallion is given to the student who has “rendered the highest service that can be rendered the School by leadership based on the influence of character.” This student, I would argue, is more qualified to speak to the highschool experience and to what Gilman has meant to him. Often, the Fisher winner is the student body president, who I would contend is much more in touch with the community, given all of the student-section and dance planning, daily assembly announcements, and speeches at convocations. Currently, the Fisher Medallion is awarded on graduation day. This dilemma could be easily solved by moving the reveal to Awards Day, which takes place in the last full week of school.

Alternatively, the senior class could vote for the speaker, electing the member of the class who they believe best exemplifies the values of the Gilman man and was involved the most in bettering the community. Having the outgoing class choose the member of their grade who has influenced their Gilman experience the most and effectively shaped the culture of their four years would result in the ideal goodbye on Founder’s day. 

Every June we are fortunate enough to hear a student who has worked tirelessly for eight semesters to earn the title of valedictorian. In many ways, the speech is a reward for their ceaseless plight. But the question still remains, is the valedictorian really the most qualified speaker to send the seniors out from 5407 Roland Ave?