Sandra Bretton’s Salutatorian Speech at Grossmont High School

See photos from the 2013 Grossmont High School Graduation

Sandra Bretton gave this salutatorian speech June 19, 2013, at Grossmont High School commencement.

Afternoon, it feels great to be up here in second place. Well, how often have you heard someone say that it is great to be in second place? I didn’t realize there was a race. But I don’t want to give a typical acceptance speech where I flaunt about how awesome I am. I’d rather focus on how we are the same. 

Well, we are all Foothillers. Some of us are second- or third-generation Foothillers. I’m a second-generation Foothiller; my dad graduated from this school in the late ’80s and he remembers a young Mr. Eklund, if you can believe it.  

Also, we all are graduating today, so we are all moving on to somewhere where we get to start over. We are all starting over today. Unlike when we first came here, we are now considered adults. 

How else are we the same? Well, we all hope this speech is not that long. We all think it is funny that the boys are wearing gowns today; make sure to take lots of pictures. You’ll never get another chance. We all have the same chance to succeed in life and an opportunity to give it our best. 

All of us are happy that we don’t have to be locked up six hours a day doing schoolwork anymore, although my dad is stuck in a cubicle nine hours a day for his job. And we all—through the efforts of our teachers, mentors, parents and some level of self-discipline—have made it to this point where we can honestly say we have earned the honor to graduate from Grossmont High School. 

Most of us think we know everything, but actually we don’t. True knowledge comes from experience. Why do you think that doctors and lawyers practice? Hopefully you are not the first try for either one. 

But enough about all of you. I would like to thank some people. It’s an obligation for anyone giving a speech to thank the people that got them there. So please bear with me; I’ll be brief. 

First, I thank God since He’s always been there. Thank you, Dad, for always supporting me and advising me on how to grow up. Thank you, Mom, for all your patience and your love, and most importantly for your outstanding Middle Eastern cuisine. 

And thanks to my little brother, who—despite being the pain that little brothers always are—helped me become more responsible. I would like to thank my teachers. I guess they taught me something. But I would genuinely like to thank my teachers, for being good guides and bearing with me when I would occupy their break time to ask questions. 

And thanks to all of you who did not fall asleep as I was talking. This is our day, and I pray that, as we move out into the real world, that all of us will be able to change this world for the better. Go Foothillers!