CLASS OF 2025
Salutatorian | Brady McMullen
Congratulations Class of
Saquon was drafted by the Giants with high expectations and lived up to them early on, having an exciting first two seasons. However, he would go on to have a season-ending injury in his third year and be injury-riddled again in his fourth. In his fifth season, Saquon would have a great year, leading his team to the second round of the playoffs. But despite that fifth-year success, he did not receive the contract offer he desired and was forced to play one more brutal season with the Giants, which included a 40-0 loss that I unfortunately had to witness in person. Now you’re all probably wondering why I’m standing up here reading off a summary of the career of an NFL running back in a speech where I am supposed to give advice, but I promise there is meaning behind this comparison. Those first two seasons were our freshman year, where we entered with high expectations of what high school would be like and got to find what worked and what didn’t work for us. However, those second two injury-riddled seasons were our sophomore year, when the reality of the work that needed to be done to reach our goals had set in. The fifth season with the triumphant playoff run represents our junior year, when, despite the large workload, we used skills gained from our previous years to navigate challenges. And now we are coming to the conclusion of our last season with the Giants, where the ending is bittersweet. Many are excited to be done, and many are sad to be leaving behind friends, faculty and the many memories they have made at Maricopa High School. But after several seasons of our lives, our journey here has come to an end. But what happens after the sixth season with the Giants? Well, Saquon Barkley moves on and signs a huge contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, and in his first season, he has a career year, leading them to a Super Bowl victory. As a Giants fan, I’ll admit that I, among many other Giants fans, felt that Saquon’s best years were behind him, and that the same struggles he underwent during several seasons with the franchise would be evident with the Eagles. To me, it seemed unlikely that he could perform well given these uncertain circumstances. But despite the uncertainty, Saquon Barkley left one great venture to have greater success in another. Our next season begins now. The results of our future endeavors are uncertain, but we all have a plan, and we all have goals: four-year universities, community colleges, military service, trade schools and workforce aspirations. The commitment by the class of 2025 to map out our futures is admirable, and I could not be prouder to be part of a class that has had such great success in that area. But like Saquon Barkley, this success is not possible without those first several seasons. The experiences that we gained, the opportunities that we utilized and the people we met have enabled us to sign our next contract. We must not forget all that we have to appreciate here at Maricopa High School. Wherever it is that you go, I hope that you all have cherished your time here. I hope that the experiences that have shaped you fill you with the same sense of pride that I feel for the city of Maricopa. I hope that down the line, when somebody asks you where you’re from, you don’t tell them Arizona, and you don’t tell them south of Phoenix. You’re from Maricopa, and that is something you should be immensely proud of. Good luck and go Rams!
G
ood evening, members of the board, Mrs. McNamee, faculty, families and my fellow graduates of the class of 2025. I am honored to be able to speak tonight and represent such an amazing group of students. I wanted to first say that none of us — myself especially — would be here tonight without the support of the incredible staff here
at Maricopa High School. I want to thank the teachers, coaches and advisors who have aided me along this journey, and my friends for challenging me to succeed every step of the way. I understand that the purpose of this speech is to advise my fellow classmates on their future endeavors, and I do promise that. I gave this task a lot of thought. However, during the writing process, I struggled to develop a direct and profound message to share here tonight. Instead, at the time of me writing this speech, my mind wandered toward the looming 2025 NFL Draft. I have always loved sports, and I have always loved football, and anyone who knows me knows I love the New York Giants. I’ve seen them at their best and at their worst and will always remain loyal. During my time as a fan, I have watched many all-time greats of the franchise, but the one player who I will always remember the most is Saquon Barkley. Now for the non-football fans, I should start by mentioning that Saquon Barkley no longer plays for the New York Giants, as he signed with the rival Philadelphia Eagles after six seasons. But looking past the frustration that his signing brought me, I realized that Saquon Barkley’s stint with the Giants was a lot like high school.
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26 MHS • Class of 2025
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