Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Zilong Zhao’ Valedictorian Speech, 2012 @ Lakeland Zilong Zhao’s Valedictorian Speech 6/1/2012 Good evening, my fellow classmates, parents, friends, and faculty members. Today is the day that we are coming together, the Class of 2012 to celebrate our own success in the completion of high school. It just feels great to be surrounded by the young men and women with whom I’ve spent the most memorable years. Without your company, I could not have achieved the honor to be standing here and to become who I am today. When I was a little boy in China, I had a dream about living in America which was described as a paradise in the world. The goal of going to America motivated me to learn more about this country. I have tried to learn English in every possible way. I took night English classes, read English articles, listened to Voice of America and other English programs with a short-wave radio. It was not easy, but I have never lost my faith. When I went to Singapore to study abroad, I had difficulties in understanding the classes which were taught in English. I had to use a dictionary to help me to understand the textbooks. But whenever I felt the obstacles were too big to overcome, an inner voice coming from my childhood dream echoed “no pain, no gain. …..” What has kept me moving forward is this dream, a splendid dream called the American Dream. My dream came to me after one year I spent in Singapore, I moved to my dream land with my family and became a permanent resident of the great state of Pennsylvania. I felt so fortunate to be able to come to this spectacular country, and more fortunate to meet this group of lovely people at Lakeland. Experiencing schools in three different countries, I can tell you | that there is no high school, more accepting, more welcoming, and more compassionate than Lakeland. When I first came here, everything was new to Zilong Zhao’ Valedictorian Speech, 2012 @ Lakeland me: the language, the culture, the customs and traditions, but thank to my parents, classmates and the faculty members, I never felt overwhelmed. I shall never forget when Dr. Billings-Jones asked her son, Evan, to volunteer to tutor me in English during the summer before I enrolled at Lakeland. I shall never forget the intelligent girl, Alex Bernosky, who is always happy to help me with my English pronunciations. I shall never forget my cross-country teammates, especially Brandon Carlo and Paul Szustakowski, who had given me extra help during the season. The Class of 2012 has displayed too much kindness to be mentioned. Just look at this group ----- aren’t they lovely? After tonight, we will continue our journeys of life, but for the first time in many years, we will be heading to different directions. But “♪Hey now, you are an all star, get your game on, go play♪.” (these are lyrics from the song that the class 2012 chose as their class song. " All Star" by Smash Mouth) That’s right, you ARE all stars now, get your game on, go play and reach new heights in life. There will be obstacles, and there will be setbacks; however, never lose your faith and always remember the years you spent in Lakeland High. Remember the efforts you’ve made before you win your first home game, remember the hours you spent before you win your mock trial or defeat your reading team opponents. Remember the rehearsals you did before you present a marvelous drama and remember the joy and satisfaction of this moment. I want to share with you one last thing: dare to dream, set your mind on your goal, pursue your passion, and your dream will come to you! Farewell, my dearest classmates! Farewell, Lakeland High! I wish you the best of luck! Thank you very much!