Thomas: Hello and Welcome to the teachers and faculty here today and to all the families and friends with us on the live stream. But most importantly welcome SIS class of 2021, today is our day. 

Saga: Before we begin we would like to say a few thank yous. On behalf of the grade thank you to all the teachers and staff who have helped us succeed through the IB and all the years leading up to it. 

Thomas: Being such a small school we were fortunate enough to have a strong community and teachers were always available and able to help us when we needed it.

Saga: And thank you to our peers, who have helped make this high school experience an unforgettable one. 

Thomas: We have all been through a lot together but we all stuck through it and helped each other succeed.

Saga: As many of you know we are two of the newest members of the SIS community. But nonetheless, here we are sufficiently integrated into this wonderful grade to present this speech. As two “newbies,” this is a testament to the small and welcoming environment at SIS.

Thomas: Within this little multicultural bubble, we have an equally diverse range of personalities, but through a lot of love and kindness, these differences amount to nothing but closer friendships. 

Saga: But enough about our friendships, let’s get into these past 2 years. At the beginning of the IB, we knew we were in for a challenge, but not this challenge.

Thomas: To say the least, the coronavirus has made these past two years an unprecedented journey. At first, we were excited about an extended spring break, but we would all soon realize, a new challenge was upon us.

Saga: With distance learning, we had wifi issues, struggled to find class links, and even dreaded turning our cameras on, but the real challenge lay in the uncertainty. Our grade – our generation, even – has had to adapt to a new way of living in the midst of our most important academic years. 

Thomas: Surviving these past two years was difficult. It was new, for us, our teachers, and even for our parents, who really just wanted us to leave the house. We felt alone, uncertain, even uprooted. 

Saga: There is a Japanese proverb, “fall down seven times, stand up eight.” We might have fallen down, once, twice, maybe even seven or 70 times, but what counts is that we got back up that one more time. And that resilience is why we’re here today. Done with the IB. Graduating. 

Thomas: Not only did we finish, but we are also graduating with a degree of tenacity and resilience that we have been forced to learn. This is an asset to our future endeavors. For example, we may not know what jobs there will be in 10 years’ time, but we certainly know how to be flexible and adapt to whatever they may be. 

Saga: This is not a skill that we can write on a university or job application, but it will shine through in our effort. Now is the time to apply this, and all of the lessons that we have learnt thus far. And while this pandemic has been a bump in the road, we can use our skill sets to make sure that the best is yet to come.

Thomas: Now that we are graduating, we are not only looking forward to starting our lives and making them the best as possible, but also, how to make a positive impact on the world around us.

Saga: Many of us spent our spare time helping others through the Nepal project, Girl Up, and the feed the homeless club, along with a range of cool CAS projects, and while the feed the homeless club complained about waking up at 5 am, or others about missing lunchtimes for their clubs, the feeling of fulfillment should encourage us to continue such acts of benevolence in whatever we may end up doing. 

Thomas: Similarly, accomplishments such as student council planning for an exquisite school dance, and the art class putting up an amazing exhibition, it is abundantly clear that our grade is filled with talent. 

Saga: So let’s tap into that talent, as there are no limits to our potential.

Thomas: Now SIS class of 2021, this is our time,

Saga: Our moment to celebrate. So, 

Both: let’s give it up for the class of 2021!!! 

**everyone hollers and applauds**