Charleston County School District, SC 2020 Virtual Graduations, 8 Jun 2020

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From YouTube: West Ashley High School Virtual Graduation 2020

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West Ashley High School Virtual Graduation 2020

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Good evening I'm gerrita postlewait, superintendent of charleston county.

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Schools and it's a pleasure to welcome you to this graduation celebration for.

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The class of 2020, as you know, this virtual ceremony is just the first way.

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Graduates will be recognized. Your school has planned face-to-face diploma.

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Awarding ceremonies for you in the coming days today, I want to acknowledge.

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Up front that we'd all rather be together, just as we would have preferred.

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To spend the last two months going to class.

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Participating in or attending school activities going to the prom just.

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Enjoying the normal school during the final weeks of your journey that began.

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Many years ago, in elementary school and brought you to this point,.

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However, the pandemic has forced all of us to rethink everything that we.

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Previously knew as normal one thing that has not changed is your remarkable.

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Accomplishments, we gather today to recognize the relationships that you.

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Have formed to honor your achievements, your memories and your hard work, so I.

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Offer to each of you my personal congratulations. You've achieved this.

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Milestone event of graduation, we will celebrate you virtually today and look.

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Forward to seeing you in person to offer you our best wishes as you enter the.

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World as the remarkable class of 2020.

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Oh say: can you see by the dawn's early light? What so proudly we hailed at the.

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Twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the.

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Perilous fight or the ramparts we watched were so again.

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Monthly streaming and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave.

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Proof through the night that our flag was still there oh say, does that.

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Star-Spangled banner yet wave.

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A whore, the land of the free and the home of the brain.

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At one point we were the infants and world responded to terrorism after 9/11.

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At one point we were the grade: schoolers learning to read and write omits the.

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Financial crisis and now we're the young adults seeking to spread our wings.

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Amidst a global pandemic, so while your spirits are low, I ask that you consult a.

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Higher spirit, one, that's gotten man through hardship in the past. It's a.

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Spirit of fortitude, a spirit bred by loved ones in each other, a spirit that's.

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Led other generations chief, the issues of their time, as we will a spirit of.

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Youth and passion, a spirit that makes me proud to serve as your senior class.

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President, so our generation is no stranger to hardship. After all, the names.

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Are called and all the accomplishments celebrated and all the speeches are.

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Given I want you to remember that we will get through this. The way that we've.

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Gotten through things in the past, by staying true to ourselves and always.

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Chasing the light at the end of the tunnel, congratulations class of 2020.

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Please join us for the pledge of allegiance.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the.

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Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and.

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Justice for all hello and welcome to west ashley high.

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Schools virtual graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 to start I'd like to.

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Thank the javi johnson, our senior class president and science teacher miss susan.

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Boyle for her singing in the national anthem, on behalf of the faculty and.

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Staff I would like to welcome our 350 graduates, families, friends and.

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Distinguished guests, who have joined us virtually this evening before I.

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Acknowledge our dignitaries in district and school leaders, I would first like to.

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Immediately focus all of our attention on those who deserve it most, the west.

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Ashley high school senior class of 2020, while it's nice, that we are able to do.

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This virtual, through this virtual platform, believe me when I say that we.

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Cannot wait for the day when we were able to recognize all of you in person.

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To start, I want to thank each and every one of you for the incredible leadership.

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That you've displayed throughout the school year.

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Your senior class has set the bar high when it comes to leading by example,.

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Change is never easy, but I think I would be correct in saying that the amount of.

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Change your class has not only endured, but embrace this year has been.

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Tremendous and impressive, in fact, despite all of this change and.

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Discomfort, including the loss of your beloved ear buds, something incredible.

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Was revealed your leadership, grace, professionalism and understanding the.

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Maturity, you have displayed while learning the art of communication.

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Compromise and camaraderie will, in my mind, forever define the class of 2020. I.

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Feel confident that the example you set for the underclassmen will alter west.

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Ashley high schools trajectory forever and now in the midst of a global.

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Pandemic, which has brought the world to a head-spinning halt you who were born.

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At a time when our country had been rocked to its core and needed its hope.

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Restored continue to show your incredible strength and incomparable.

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Resilience, as you not only adapt but thrive.

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There has been much sadness and disappointment our school and community.

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Mourns, for and with you, we wish that you could have experienced all the lasts. The.

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Last inning, the last lap, the last goal, the last high fives, the last performance.

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The last dance it was not fair, it was not ideal and I do not know how.

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To make up for this loss, but what I do know is how important it is to find the.

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Good and even the darkest of times, I have always appreciated the words of.

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Leonard cohen, in a song, anthem ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your.

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Perfect, offering there is a crack in everything: that's how the light gets in.

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There is light you have all shown us that my biggest fear was that some of.

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You would allow the last two months of your senior year to define your entire.

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High school experience, however, after reading every single one of your.

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Responses from the senior survey, I feel confident that you all have no desire to.

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Let that happen when asked what favorite memories were from your time at les.

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Ashley high, we were moved by your thoughtful responses. Chelsea baron said.

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I remember our last pep rally. I was surrounded by all the people. I care.

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About the most, we were cheering and laughing screaming our hearts out for.

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Our class and at the end we lost our voices, but it was totally worth it.

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Andrea shafer emphasized, I feel like every day at west ashley high was a.

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Positive memory there were some bad days believe me, but each day made me a better.

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Person and shaped me into who I am today, these four years, all pass by so fast and.

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It was the little things that made me happy, chandler dupree explained getting.

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Involved in student government and doing local service projects around the community was fun brooke pickhardt explained. I will always remember the.

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Last home basketball game this season, the energy in that gymnasium represented.

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What true wildcat spirit is matt krejci noted there isn't one particular memory.

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Just a combination of all good people, I've met interesting classes, I've taken.

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And fun groups that I've been a part of alexander simpson, wrote spirit week for.

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Homecoming was by far my favorite memory at west ashley high at the pep rally. We.

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Were all sporting our wildcat gear and set a good example for the underclassmen.

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Making pep rallies something to look forward to with the future. We were also.

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Inspired by the words of wisdom that you shared during this time of unprecedented.

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Isolation and forced reflection has your goodell expressed. We all understand.

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Ourselves in the world around us a little more, this time has taught us to.

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Talk listen, help and care for one another. Megan erie sold wrote this.

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Experience has taught me to live life to the fullest and to appreciate every.

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Opportunity, I've loved my experience at west ashley high and I wouldn't change.

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It for anything, jd mccoy stated learning how much our.

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Teachers truly care about us and having complete strangers adopt us was really.

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Meaningful and made a big impact. I've also appreciated spending time with.

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My family and getting some fresh air nathan gildner said my teachers have.

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Gone above and beyond during this time, they've taught me how important.

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Flexibility and compassion is london, peter wrote and I'll end with this one. I.

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Have learned to appreciate the little things we often take for granted. I.

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Couldn't have said it better myself, it is all about perspective priorities.

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And gratitude as you move into this next stage of your life, I encourage you to.

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Continue, the font continue to find the good and everyone and everything.

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Continue to lead by example continue to be the light you made your mark at west.

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Ashley high now go make it upon the world now I'd.

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Like to take a few moments to recognize the individuals responsible for leading.

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Our great school district, charleston county superintendent of schools, dr.

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Drita post await in charleston county school district's board of trustees.

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Board chair dr. reverend eric mack vice chair, miss kate, darby, miss cindy bond.

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Coats reverend chris collins, mr. chris frazier, miss joyce greene mr. todd.

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Garrett mr. kevin howling shed and miss priscilla jeff.

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Your job and the responsibilities that come with it are enormous. We are.

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Extremely grateful for your dedication and commitment to the students, families.

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And staff of charleston county schools and the miss sharon randall, the interim.

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Executive director of the secondary learning community, thank you for your.

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Leadership and support this year. I would also like to recognize our district 10.

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Constituent board members who have consistently supported west ashley high.

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School and it worked tirelessly to reshape the west ashley community. Thank.

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You to our chair, mr. rodney lewis, vice chair, miss cynthia anderson, mr. david.

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Bell miss elizabeth niemeyer and miss jennifer osteen. Next, I'd like to.

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Recognize west ashley high's administrative team associate principal.

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Nick reese and assistant principals, dr. jason, aldrich mr. andrew brandt, mr.

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Reese meriwether ms tristan robinson, miss nikki, wilson and director of school.

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Counseling missy ambo williams, without this incredible group of leaders.

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Wes ashley high school would not be the amazing school that it is today.

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Lastly, I would like to recognize and thank the backbone of west ashley high.

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School to the teachers, counselors and support staff, thank you for your tyler's.

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Commitment to provide our students with an unbelievable high school experience.

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While serving as mentors sponsors and role models, the faculty and staff at.

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West ashley high school inspires me every day to be the very best version of.

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Myself, I'm extremely proud of our staff and feel blessed to have the opportunity.

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To work alongside each and every one of you this year, three individuals were.

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Formally recognized for their accomplishments in and out of the classroom, mr. donnell newton's commitment to all things wesley earned.

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Him all earned him the title of classified employee of the year, clemson.

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Graduate and all-around amazing math teacher isabella bell was recognized as.

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Our rookie teacher the year and representing west ashley high school as.

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Our teacher of the year was coach michael jenkins, a teacher who invest as.

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Much time building positive relationships with his students, as he.

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Does delivering high quality education in the classroom? These three individuals.

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Represent the core values, our entire faculty and staff, and I.

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Appreciate the work they do on behalf of our students. Thank you. My name is.

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Isabella bell and I'm here as the rookie teacher of the year to introduce this.

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Year's salutatorian the caustic cup is given on behalf of eva lou in mario.

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Costa, both alumni of st. andrews parish high school each year, it is presented to.

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The student who has earned the second highest grade point average over their.

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Four-Year career, this year's recipient has represented.

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West ashley high school on many levels he's a member of the academic bowl.

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Science olympiad and the varsity boys soccer team. He is also a member of the.

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National honor society and is a palmetto fellows scholarship recipient. He will be.

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Attending clemson university in the fall to study mechanical engineering with a.

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Grade point average of five point: one zero one. I am pleased to award the 2020.

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Kostik up to jovani some welly orlandi fellow graduates, faculty friends and.

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Family I would like to congratulate this year's class of 2020. I think it is safe.

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To say, we've had one of the hardest roads to graduation. In a long time.

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These last three last three months have been incredibly challenging, even though.

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Our graduation is not exactly what we expected it to be. We have persevered and.

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Here we are, nothing can take away the significance of our accomplishment.

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I came to us ashley at the end of my freshman year from north carolina. It was.

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Not the first time I had to move to a new school, but west ashley high school.

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Was very welcoming, it really is a great community of friendly and accepting.

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People becoming the salutatorian was never a goal of mine. I simply wanted to.

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Do my best, even if I did not enjoy a particular class, doing an inadequate job.

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Always felt wrong, but now that I am here I am honored to speak to you. I want to.

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Begin by thanking my parents, my mom and stepdad have done a lot to give me.

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Everything I need throughout my life, and their support has been crucial in my.

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Successes gratia mama and thank you bill. I want to extend a.

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Sincere thank you to mighty and soccer coaches, but put in a lot of.

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Effort to help me become the best I can be. I want to thank those of you, my.

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Fellow graduates who have given me memories that I'll cherish forever this.

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Is such a fun and energetic class? I will never forget these four years. There's a.

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Lot, we can all look back on the friday night football games, the pep rallies.

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Spirit week the silentó concert those interesting morning, announcements about.

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87 or higher, and even just a little things like daily friendly greetings. Mr.

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Metz's how's everybody doing y'all doing all right.

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Mr. ludwig's, what's up dude, miss fonseca's, dueño steais and mrs. morrises.

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Bonjour we're all gonna take something with us as we leave high school as we go.

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Into the world, I want to offer some advice, even though I know some of you.

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Would rather be making tech talks than listen to my speech and that's okay.

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We're almost done in writing. My speech, I was thinking of all of you, we're all.

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Different, we have different pursuits, different opinions and different.

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Interests, some of us cannot wait to be done with school others for some.

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Inconceivable reason cannot wait to tackle another eight years of college.

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And graduate school, but no matter where we are going or what our differences are.

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We are all we are all and forever will be wildcats.

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Once a wildcat always a wildcat, I truly want the best for all of you. I hope that.

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You accomplish whatever goals you set for yourselves, the brazilian soccer star.

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Play the greatest of all time, the goat once said: the ambition should always be.

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To play a beautiful game, this does not just apply to sports. This applies to.

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Life, everyone is always telling us to strive phrixus success, but I think maybe.

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What we should be striving for is a beautiful life, an enjoyable life, a happy.

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Life, if a beautiful life to you means money, fame power or being the greatest.

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Then, by all means strive for that, if a beautiful life to you means making good.

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Relationships doing good for others taking care of your family, or maybe that.

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Finding that special, someone and taking on the world with that person, then.

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Strive for that, after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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And there's so much beauty in the world, however, having a beautiful life is not.

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Always easy, there will be challenges and sometimes life can be pretty cruel.

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It picks favorites, it will pull some people up and push others down. However,.

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If you think you're being pushed down, you have options, you can complain about.

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It you can accept it or you can push back. So I encourage you. The graduating.

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Class of 2020 live a beautiful life and push back. Thank you, and I wish you all.

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The best hello again as superintendent of schools.

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It's indeed an honor to recognize our outstanding class of 2020.

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Among those bright scholars are some individuals, who've made a tremendous.

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Commitment to serve our country through the armed forces after graduation, I.

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Would like to take this time to acknowledge their willingness to serve.

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By presenting each of them with a challenge coin challenge coins are a.

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Small medallion, that's typically given out by a military leader in recognition.

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Of a special achievement, the use of such coins dates back to the first world war.

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In recognition of your pledge to protect and serve our country, we are awarding.

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You with your first official challenge coin, which we will mail to all of you.

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Who have enlisted on behalf of a proud and grateful community? Thank you for.

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Your dedication and devotion to our country, godspeed, hi, I'm michael jenkins, 2019 2020 teacher of the year here to present.

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The cu william scope, the ceo, william scope, is given annually to the graduate.

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Who has earned the highest grade point average over his or her high school.

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Career this award honors mr. c williams, former superintendent of charleston.

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County district 10 schools, this year's recipient is well respected by his.

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Teachers and his peers and has made a lasting impression at west ashley high.

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School he has been a member of academic bowl and science olympiad this year as a.

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Member of the national honor society, he was also responsible for.

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Helping coordinate the most successful blood drive at west ashley high. He also.

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Works as a math tutor, this recipient was recently awarded the palmetto fellows.

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Scholarship and will attend clemson university in the fall and major in.

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Physics, this year's valedictorian has maintained at weight at grade point.

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Average at five point two: nine four: it is my pleasure to announce that the.

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Recipient of the 2020 c williams cup is mr. matthew, william krejci.

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Class of 2020 remember when we thought not wearing gear boats would be our.

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Biggest struggle this year, how times have changed, but I would actually like.

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To start this, by going a bit further back than that, it's strange to think how.

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Little we knew back in freshman year back when the halls of west ashley.

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Weren't yet edged into our minds back when we expected the bathroom soap.

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Dispensers to actually work back when we thought nail tech was a class about.

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Woodworking or maybe that last one was just me anyway, the point is: we've come a.

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Long way along the road we've experienced a lot of firsts here at west.

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Ashley, the first serious final exam, the first home football game, the first.

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English paper written at 2:00 a.m. the second english paper written at 2:00 a.m. this speech written at 2:00 a.m. during much at that time. Graduation.

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Seemed like a bright star in a distant sky, but three summers and four bad.

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Yearbook photos later here we are now that bright star is finally upon us.

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At the end of its time, but alas, not every star supernovas and not every.

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School year ends with the bang, for as long as I can remember, I've waited for.

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This moment, where I'll be able to give a speech on stage to all my peers and all the families, educators and staff, none of us.

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Would be here without, as everyone is aware, plans have changed and not even.

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The strongest ambition could have done anything to stop it years of stress and work with. Only one goal in mind have now added up to me.

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Talking in front of a camera, far away from the stage, we all hope to walk, I'm.

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Sure that I'm not alone in feeling this way, I know this is a pretty somber way.

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To stare speech, they may have expected to be much more celebratory and exciting.

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But I do not mean for this to be a sob story, rather a learning experience of all the many things I've learned at west ashley.

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I find this to be the most valuable ambition can easily evolve into.

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Obsession ambition can take you far, but sacrifices must eventually be made. The.

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Danger comes when you lose sight of what you're giving up when you place too much.

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Value on a single over the past four years, my involved in.

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School activities has been very limited. I never played a sport, I did not attend.

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Many games or after-school events, a few things I did participate in were just.

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More the same academic setting I was already in during the school day, but.

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That was no big deal. That was my choice. I was going to be fouled, victorian and.

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That was all that mattered. Looking back over our time at west ashley, I realize.

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Now, just how wrong I was to let my ambition consume me to let it cloud my.

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Judgment and focus my attention on to only one part of the high school experience, but hindsight is 20/20 so what's to be gained from a story like.

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This I would urge everyone to not pursue success at the expense of happiness of.

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Course any road leading to success. It has sharp turns and obstacles, but it is.

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Up to us to decide whether the destination is worth the sacrifice, we.

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Should find something to pursue, but we should not let it consume us. We should.

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Be familiar with sleepless nights spent working towards a better future, but we.

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Shouldn't neglect tonight spent with friends. We should be efficient with our time. We should not be afraid to sit back every once in a while to reflect on what.

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We have accomplished experienced and what we may become if you listen to.

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Nothing else I have to say remember this. Success comes at a cost.

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Consider how much you're willing to spend we spend so much time thinking.

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About what could have been done yesterday, or should be done tomorrow, that we often forget to think about how we are doing today and of all the.

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Today's we will have this. My friends is one to remember well, this may not be the.

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Ceremony, we imagined our accomplishment is not any less grand. If anything. It's.

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That much more stirring, despite every hurdle and roadblock we survived, we have.

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Made our way up grade by grade to the summit of a towering peak now with a.

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Clear view of the many roads ahead and the even greater peaks yet to be conquered. I know that if we keep our feet on the ground and eyes to the sky,.

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Each and every one of us has the ability to achieve greatness. The rest is up to.

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You thank you at this time is my sincere.

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Honor and privilege to present to you, the west ashley high school's class of.

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2020 candidates for graduation.

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With the authority vested in me by the state board of education in charleston,.

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County school district, it is my pleasure to certify your high school diplomas. You.

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Are now high school graduates, congratulations, west, ashley, high school.

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