Melih Yilmaz, RHS Class of 2024 Valedictorian Speech

Good evening, esteemed faculty, family, friends, and, most importantly, my fellow graduates of the Class of 2024. We are all gathered here tonight to acknowledge the proud accomplishments of our honorable graduates these past four years. This moment is not only a testament to all of our persistent efforts and dedication, but the unwavering support and encouragement from all that have supported us. For this reason, I am honored to be recognized as the Valedictorian of the Class of 2024.

As I stand here today, I am reminded of my own journey that began when I immigrated to the United States from Turkey at the age of ten. Arriving in a new country, I was filled with feelings of uncertainty and anticipation. Having limited English, it was difficult for me to feel a sense of belonging within the community. Not being able to communicate with my classmates and teachers felt isolating.

Moving to a whole new country had changed everything I’d taken for granted about my life. What was before predictable, ordinary details– buildings I’d walk past, the faces I saw on the street, the voices I’d hear– had now become unknowns. This unfamiliarity left me anxious. Faced with all of these challenges, I had no choice but to adapt. I continued to improve my English and did my best to understand the foreign culture. Gradually, I started feeling confident in myself and my abilities. I formed my new normal by adjusting to the unfamiliar. By the end of the year, for the first time since moving to America, I felt excited about what my future held.

To many of you, my story is a familiar one. A majority of Revere High School is made up of first- or second-generation immigrants, many of you can relate firsthand to the struggles I’ve faced. We’ve all faced adversity head on and adapted to unfamiliar circumstances to become more resilient. However difficult to overcome, these challenges have given us the necessary skills to successfully navigate our futures.

It’s at this moment, I would like to thank those who have helped me. Thank you, to annem and babam, for helping provide my siblings and I with the best opportunities possible. You’ve made so many sacrifices so that I could get to where I am today, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. Thank you to my amazing siblings Ebrar and Tarik, you’ve always been there to give me help and support me in any situation. Thank you to all of my teachers for pushing supporting your students. Thank you to Coach O’hara, for always making sure our team can compete with the best, and for teaching me valuable lessons not just about volleyball, but about life as a whole and my teammates for making me feel like I’m truly part of a family. And finally, thank you to all of my friends for your unwavering support throughout high school, and for the endless memories we’ve made together.

I’m so proud of the courage and resilience that we’ve all demonstrated that has brought us here tonight, and it is with that same courage and resilience that we will face the future. As our paths finally start to diverge, I hope that one day our paths will cross again. Congratulations, and thank you again, Class of 2024.