How to Write a Graduation Speech

Memorable Commencement Speaking for High School & College Graduation

Jan 24, 2007 Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Here are some ideas to help you write a high school college graduation speech that is unique and unforgettable.

So, you've been assigned to give a graduation speech for your graduating college or high school class. Maybe you're the valedictorian or the class president, or an invited guest speaker, or maybe you're just lucky. Or perhaps you need to write a graduation speech for your public speaking class.

Most graduation speeches aren't very good. You know why? Because they're too generic. They talk about the future and "spreading your wings" and all kinds of cliche things that can apply to any graduating class. A good graduation speech should be tailored only for your graduating class. The speech should be unusable by other classes because it is filled with details and stories specific to these students' experiences.

Here are some tips to writing an unforgettable graduation speech:

• Tell lots of stories. The stories should be about the students in the graduating class, the teachers, and other important people in the school. The stories can be funny, or touching, or just descriptive. The audience is filled with parents and people who are not part of the graduating class, so what you want to do is make that graduating class come alive for the people who aren't a part of it.
• Talk about major events. What are some important things that happened in the world, your community, or at your school in the last four years? Include them in your speech, especially if these events evoke emotion. If a teacher or student died, mention them and say how much everyone misses them. If your football team won the state championship, mention this (and expect enthusiastic applause from the audience).
• Talk about meaningful activities your class did together. Here's where you talk about the prom, Spirit Week, a successful charity event, the awesome school play, etc. If your school has some traditional events, mention them. Some of the audience members will be alumni and will appreciate this.
• Talk about values that are important to the students and the audience.If this is a Christian school, talk about God. If this is a liberal arts college, talk about the value of a liberal arts education. Don't dwell on these kinds of topics or you risk sounding corny, but mentioning them will make your speech feel more inclusive to everyone.
• Be inclusive. Talk about everyone in the class: the jocks, the band geeks, the Honor Society kids, and everyone else. This speech is for everybody.
• Use popular culture references. This is a popular culture era, so including popular culture references is another thing you can do to make your speech more personal. Work in references to popular TV shows, movies, and songs. Just don't mention that Green Day song (see below).
• Don't talk about yourself. Well, you can talk about yourself a little bit, but only a little. This speech is for everyone, and it isn't very classy to steal the focus.
• Don't speak badly of anyone. This is not the time to make fun of that nasty English teacher, nor is it time to get even with that kid who bullied you from grades 3 through 10. Be nice. You can gently poke fun of quirky things, like that weird green stuff they serve every Thursday at the school cafeteria, or the fact that your dorms were voted worst in the country. But do this sparingly, and be careful not to offend anyone.
• Be appropriate. Use common sense. This is not the forum to discuss the drunken antics of your classmates or other indiscretions. Don't swear.
• Use inside jokes sparingly. Your classmates might appreciate inside jokes, but the audience won't know what you're talking about.
• Avoid cliches. The phrases "spread your wings and fly," "new chapter in our lives," and "be true to yourself" should not appear in your speech, and neither should other cliches.
• Give advice sparingly. Graduation speeches do not have to contain advice, and if you're part of the graduating class, you may not have much advice to give.
• Thank the parents. Ask everyone in the graduating class to give them a round of applause. This will mean the world to them. Make your mom cry.
• Thank the teachers. Lord knows teachers don't get enough praise. Thank the principal or the dean too.
• Do not reference that Green Day song. Thousands of graduation speeches have included lyrics from "Time of Your Life." Give it a rest. And actually, the real name of the song is "Good Riddance." It's an angry breakup song. Green Day intended the lyrics to be sarcastic, not sentimental. (Here's some better graduation songs to reference.)

Related articles:

• Public speaking class resources
• College graduation gift ideas
• Graduation gifts for college bound high school seniors
• How to write a wedding toast

What do you think makes a graduation speech great? Leave your comments in the discussion!

The copyright of the article How to Write a Graduation Speech in Campus Life is owned by Naomi Rockler-Gladen. Permission to republish How to Write a Graduation Speech in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

What do you think about this article?

---

NOTE: Because you are not a Suite101 member, your comment will be moderated before it is viewable.

post your comment

What is 1+0?

31 Comments

Comments

Dec 10, 2008 4:16 AM

Guest :

Wow, your advice helped alot! I actually got a bigger round of applause than last year's high school graduation.

Apr 29, 2009 10:33 AM

Guest :

The advice you applied was a great deal of help thanks alot.

May 4, 2009 5:21 PM

Guest :

this site is uh-mazing! i wrote a great speech and hope everyone likes it. i even motivated myself! haha thx a bunch!
?sc

May 5, 2009 8:38 AM

Guest :

Haha, I liked the part about that overused Green Day song.

I have to write a speech soon, thanks for the advice.

May 6, 2009 4:07 PM

Guest :

Thank you I am writing a middle school graduation speech, and this REALLY helped. Thanks so much!

May 9, 2009 6:53 PM

Guest :

this is seriously what i need for now! thanks A LOT >_<

May 10, 2009 4:12 AM

Guest :

thanks to this page of Graduation speeches... It worked alot! i hope everyone likes my speech... now i've got a lot to say!! well, gotta work now... bye

May 10, 2009 8:29 AM

Guest :

Hey I'm writing a middle school graduation speech too, good luck!

May 10, 2009 1:07 PM

Guest :

I'm writing a 8th grade graduation speech. It's my first time giving a graduation speech so this helped a lot! Thank you so much! and I never did like the saying they use in graduation like "spread your wings..." I thought they were so played out! And I'm glad you mentioned the fact that you shouldn't focus on yourself alone, and that the speech is suppose to be on the class's behalf. Well I'm going to start writing my speech now, I hope I do a good job...

May 12, 2009 11:42 AM

Guest :

Wow, your advice works soo much! thanks

May 13, 2009 8:16 AM

Guest :

This will come in handy. I'm writing a graduation speech right now. My graduation ceremony is next Wednesday.

May 14, 2009 8:38 PM

Guest :

it is not that difficult to write a middle school speech because the comuter helps you

May 15, 2009 10:48 PM

Guest :

this website is soooo cool mann
likee totally awesomee..
my speech was soo cool. they wanted an encore HAHHAHAHHAHA

May 17, 2009 7:08 PM

Guest :

I have never heard of the greenday song before!

May 17, 2009 8:16 PM

Guest :

Writing an 8th grade graduation speech, and this has helped a lot. Even gave me a topic! Thanks a bunch=)

May 18, 2009 2:56 PM

Guest :

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for these tips you have no freakin idea how these have helped me write my fare-well speech for my eighth grade graduation

May 21, 2009 5:36 AM

Guest :

Thanks! really did a help :)

May 25, 2009 9:17 AM

Guest :

Thank you for the advice. You guys really know how do put a speech together!!

May 26, 2009 8:03 PM

Guest :

wow!!! this website helped me a lot... thanks a lot.... i graduated with motivation and courage.... thank you website

May 28, 2009 8:33 PM

Guest :

THank you so much, I'm just about to write the speech actually to help out my girlfriend who is validictorian but an awful writer. This makes a ton of sense to me, and thank you so much for articulating the horrors of the cliche "spread your wings and fly" and "the new chapter". My personal worst one is "as we move on from here" ugh! I think I died a little just writing that.

May 31, 2009 5:12 PM

Guest :

Thanks I'm trying to be the one to do a graduation speech at the end of the year, so I have to write a really good one. I hope I get to do mine!

Jun 7, 2009 7:38 PM

Guest :

i am writing a speech and i have to say in infront of the whole graduating class and i was i little nervous but now i feel confident that i will do great!!! thanks so much!!!

Jun 8, 2009 3:32 PM

Guest :

wow. this was great advice. i was clueless bout what to write for my 8th gr. graduation speech, but this RLLLLY helped. thanks soo much! now to see, if people will actually like it lol =]

Jun 8, 2009 5:55 PM

Guest :

I am actually writing an elem. Speech. Where I am school goes from k-8 and then 9-12....

I am very honoured to do the speech, but I am just scared that I'll mess up! :P thanks!

Jun 9, 2009 11:08 AM

Guest :

wow. this was great advice. i was clueless bout what to write for my 8th gr. graduation speech, but this RLLLLY helped. thanks soo much! now to see, if people will actually like it lol =]

Jun 9, 2009 12:51 PM

Guest :

Thanks!!!! I SURE this will help, eveen though I'm actually writing a grade school grad speech.

Jun 9, 2009 6:03 PM

Guest :

omg! actually my graduation is comming and the principal just asked me to do a speech in one day! well thanks a LOT for the help.. (:

Jun 14, 2009 6:53 PM

Guest :

im writing an 8th grade grad speech and this hepled me ALOT!! tahnks so much(:

Jun 15, 2009 1:27 PM

Guest :

Wow. this is definately the most helpful tool i cam across in my writing of the speech. I, as many of teh above people were, am graduating eighth grade, and this is extremely helpful. I liked how u used a simple layout that gave EXPLANATIONS of why you should or shouldnt do something. Graduation is in 2 DAYS!!

Jun 15, 2009 2:15 PM

Guest :

Thx so much. I am in the running with another person who has been asked to write a graduation speech and with ur advice i'm sure i'll win.

Feb 8, 2010 10:25 AM

Guest :

I'm writing a speech for nursing school graduation. I wanted my speech to sound unique and be personal for our class. This article really helped guide my thoughts and ideas.

31 Comments