Hello, as you may know, my name is Anna. I stand before you to read a speech about River School and how it has changed me as a person. I don’t have enough time to explain every thing that has changed me here, but I would like to share some of it. Every one can say “it was the best three years of my life.” Or “it was the best school I’ve ever been to” and “I love River School” but I am going to tell you why. That is one of the things I’ve learned here, always ask why.
So, why do people love River School? If you were to ask every person in the school, you would get about 200 different answers. Probably the most important thing is that the staff treats you like a human being with a brain. They speak and listen to you not as though you are a child, but an adult going through life. It’s nice to know that when you wake up and go to school or work you will be treated with respect and not ignored because you have a “lower position”, we all want to be treated like human beings, don’t we? Well, at River School you are human, one who goes through life’s every day trials and tribulations.
Something that coincides is that they stop making excuses for you, and start to really rely on you personally. When you have a big project due, and you forget it at home, you can’t call your parents to come drop it off. It wasn’t their fault that you forgot it. You forgot it, that was your responsibility. I know that a few times I’ve done that. I have learned to make a routine, so that I don’t forget things, but being human I do forget some stuff. To go along with being human, they realize that people aren’t clones, and people are different. It is really nice to know that you can be accepted in a middle school. I know that every one wants to be the cutest, or the most popular, or the best looking, but at Rivers Schools it not like that. Actually, it does happen, but not to the degree it does at “normal” middle schools. I know that I can wear the weirdest outfit, like the one time I wore a bubble wrap skirt and people said their morning hellos and asked me where I got it.
River School has really made me aware of how lucky we all are to be going to such a wonderful school. I could go on and on, but to wrap it up let me say thanks to all the teachers at River School over all its existence, mainly the last three years. They have made my time here the greatest it could be. Also don’t forget the one and only Mrs. Inlay! She has worked so hard to make this place the way it is. Her hard work is paying off right here and now. Getting to see all these young adults graduate and getting to hear our speeches. This is where teaching pays off. Where they can see the 8th grade class of 2004. Thank you.