Allen Hou, RHS Class President Speech

Good evening fellow graduates, proud families, honored friends and school faculty. Tonight, we join together to celebrate the accomplishments of our class of 2024. I would like to personally thank my grandparents, mom, family, friends, and coaches. Words cannot express my gratitude and I couldn’t have asked for a better support group. I thank you all for being such a great part of my journey. Today we are filled with a mix of emotions – bittersweet sentiment, excitement, and even fear about what the future holds.  But let us remember the experiences that shaped us, and the lessons we will carry forward.       

I have had the honor of being your class president for our freshman, junior and senior years. Thank you all for trusting me. I am grateful for the opportunity and couldn’t have wished for a more supportive and committed class. 

High school has been a journey for us all. My journey began with my passion for running. I always tried to make my life like the 100-meter dash. Being the first to the finish line was at the forefront of my mind. It was my number 1 goal. Yet, our race hasn’t reached the end; though we rush to get to the finish line of life, not taking time to enjoy the journey. As I stand here now, I ask the question “Why?” Why do we want our lives to pass by so fast? Why move on in a matter of seconds instead of indulging in every precious moment in life? Why do we not value moments that will only happen once?

Looking back, we all had experiences that we never realized were temporary. 

Think back to…

the last time we played freeze tag at recess, 

the last time we would be staying up with our neighborhood friends, 

the last time we got excited about shimmery stickers on our tests.

All these little moments we might not distinctly remember, blurred by passing up life’s greatest joys to find ourselves here now. These were some of the many experiences that bring us to the finish line. 

Just four short years ago, our high school race began. we ran into the world so carelessly and free only to face hurdles, one after another, changing the trajectory of our youth. With the world in a global crisis and middle schools shut down, we were tossed into the unknown world of high school through Zoom calls and broken Chromebooks. More unknowns followed: adapting to changing schedules and seeing hundreds of unfamiliar faces. Now we will enter a world full of unknown hurdles again. Uncertainty will always be before us. I know with certainty that WE are capable of handling those challenges. 

You should be proud of yourselves as you stand here today after all the struggle, sweat, and tears. This moment is yours. No one can take this moment away from you. 

So leaving here today, I want you all to remember life is not about finishing the race, but enjoying the moments. In the end, we all make it to our finish lines. Thank you, everyone, and congratulations to my fellow graduates!