Graduation Speech: Be Perfect in Christ Jesus :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

As I was pondering what to speak about tonight, I started thinking about what has been the main influence in my school experience. I realized that what has shaped me most has been my teachers. What is a teacher? After 13 years of school, believe me, I have an extremely good idea of what a teacher is. Two teachers began to teach me, my father and my mother. The poet Ann Taylor wrote, "Who taught my infant lips to pray, And love God’s holy book and day, And walk in wisdom’s pleasant way? My Mother." This year as we were challenged to give our hearts to God and our minds to our teachers, we learned more of their goals to see us grow as Jesus did in wisdom, stature and favor with both God and man. Col. 1:28 encourages teachers to warn and teach in all wisdom to present each man perfect in Christ Jesus. Mr. Murry’s attitude "For Jesus" led the way for other teachers. Who could forget Mr. Jones' daily quotes? "Whatever you say, Mr. Livesay" was a rhyming line. Mrs. Bears, a Spanish translator for the court system, was able to translate her students’ effort to learn a foreign language. Mrs. Gabby said Yearbook/Marketing Media was her favorite class this year. Of course it was her only class. The firefighting stories of Mr. Doof caught our attention. The musical Mrs. Buyers and artistic Mrs. Williams pulled off an outdoor Christmas program, and Mrs. Sholer , in the midst of planning her son’s wedding, found the time to take her PE class on a volleyball field trip. Looking back from this past year to my earlier school days, one of the teachers that boldly stands out in my memory is Mrs. Miner. No one else has named me as her daughter, Joanie Miller. While at Grace Academy, art class at the end of the day with Mrs. Frisk still makes my sides ache from giggling. During the days when there were no art classes, Mr. Peterson’s enthusiasm for hockey brightened the gymnasium, as he and my father practiced rapid-fire slapshots on some unsuspecting ninth grader. But, through all the memories, I was trying to think of one characteristic of teachers that has shown through the many years. I thought about their dedication, patience and guidance but decided that these wouldn’t do.