They mark importance, they repeat traditions and they hold memories; the very last words said to an entire class before it embarks on a new chapter.
Whether it was lines spoken by the notorious Rory Gilmore in the show “Gilmore Girls,” the Women in Pink of “Legally Blond,” or rewatching a childhood classic such as “High School Musical,” life has shown adolescents how important senior commencement speeches are.
However, what goes into creating and delivering such an important speech?
The speeches date back to nearly four centuries ago. The earliest American commencement speech was given by Governor John Winthrop at Harvard’s first commencement speech in 1642.
According to Time Magazine, “(senior speeches are) a very old custom and it goes with the idea that oratory was one of the central things that students were learning and one of the central skills of the university.”
Jamie Itule has been the chief advisor for senior speeches since she began working at Xavier. For the last 23 years, Itule has been editing and revising senior speeches. For the students to be considered participants in the senior speech they attend a mandatory meeting and from then follow the steps given to them.
Each year the traditional process begins with a mandatory meeting for all students who are interested in giving the speech, the speech must be typed and handed in to Sr. Lynn Winsor, faculty members review and critique copies of speeches, the final speech is rewritten and handed to Winsor, the speeches are then given by the students to the entire faculty and staff, the graduation speaker is announced, the speaker has witnesses to define and perfect the speech and delivery and finally the speech is given at graduation.
This year 20 girls attended the mandatory meeting but only four followed through the entire process. The four were Maryam Al Qaderi, Vivian Amoia, Margaux Cenac, and Sadie Spade.
“The four speeches and the four girls were delivered excellently. It was a very hard decision to make,” Itule said.
Itule explained that the Xavier faculty and staff all carefully reviewed and listened to each speech. “Each year the girls are required to follow a handbook with requirements that, although have changed as the decades have passed, hold tradition,” Itule added.
Key elements that the speech must require are an appreciation of God’s gift, major values that the student has gained during her four years, appreciation for involvement in volunteer and social activities, words of gratitude for the class of 2025, and a personal comment to the entirety of the class such as an emphasis on women’s roles in careers and/or family life. Finally, the speech must consider a thank you to God, to parents, to faculty and to friends for their help during these formative years.
Al Qaderi will be giving this year’s senior commencement speech.
“I felt incredibly honored, emotional, and thankful for the opportunity. I saw this announcement more as a responsibility and I was grateful that I was entrusted to carry the voice of the class of 2025 into graduation.”
Al Qaderi says that when she first walked into the room to deliver her speech she was overwhelmed. “I was very excited and nervous at the same time. Standing in front of all the faculty and staff was incredibly meaningful because these are the people who have supported us through our four-year journey.”
Despite her nerves, she spoke from the heart and is “beyond excited for the class of 2025, families and faculty to hear this speech.”
The Xavier College Prep’s 79th annual graduation will be held on May 10.
