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VALEDICTORIAN VALERIA GONZALEZ RAMIREZ
CLASS OF 2026
again no matter how hard it gets. It is believing in yourself even when no one else does. But to get here today, no one did it alone. Every step and every achievement was possible because of the people who walked beside us and guided us. So before I finish, I want to take a moment to thank those who made this day possible. Thank you to all our families here today and those supporting us from far away. Thank you for the sacrifices you make every day, for the sleepless nights, the advice, the love, and the patience you give us. Thank you for believing in us even when we doubted ourselves. Thank you for every push you gave us, these diplomas are not only ours; they reflect all the love and support you gave us. You gave us wings to fly. Thank you to our teachers, for teaching us even when we made it difficult, for teaching us to think, to dream, and to believe we can achieve great things. Thank you for your guidance and for never giving up on us. Thank you to our friends and classmates, for making the good moments better, for making the hard moments easier, and for walking with us through this stage of our lives. Thank you to each one of us for having the resilience and courage to complete this chapter of our lives. A special thank you to the people in my life: thank you, Mom and Dad, for always being there for me, for giving everything so I could follow my dreams; I could never have done this without you. Thank you, sister, for always making me feel loved and supported. Thank you, little brother, even though we fight like cats and dogs, I know I will always have someone who is proud of me. Thank you, grandparents, for teaching me how to love. Thank you to my friends for always making me feel accepted. To my best friend Dani, even with the long distance, you are always with me. And thank you to all my teachers for your patience, love, and for giving me the tools for my future, for always giving me words of encouragement. Each of you has a place in my heart. The first day felt endless, and now this moment came too fast. Today is not an ending, it is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. Classmates, never forget where you come from, never forget what you have overcome, and never forget who you are. Never let fear decide for you. Never stop dreaming, and never stop believing that you are capable. Congratulations, Class of 2026. We did it. This is only the beginning.
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W e all started high school with fear, dreams, and many doubts, but despite everything, here we are. Here we are after long years of effort, years of dedication, stress, and mistakes, but also years of learning, new beginnings, friendships, and new experiences. Today we are not only celebrating that we finished high school; today we celebrate that we did not give up. We celebrate that we faced our fears, that we are here closing one chapter of our lives and opening a new one. Good afternoon, principal, teachers, families, and most of all, my fellow graduates. Today we are not only here to celebrate an academic achievement, we are here to recognize everything we overcame to get here. Each of us has a different story and a different journey, but all of them share something in common: the effort and dedication we gave along the way. Today, all our stories meet in one ending, an ending that will lead us to new beginnings. My grandmother once told me that life sometimes puts us in situations we don’t want, don’t look for, and don’t expect. It gives us challenges that seem unfair, too hard to face, and moments when we feel like we can’t go on, moments when we just want to stop and give up. But even then, we keep moving forward, proving to ourselves what we are capable of. We show resilience and bravery that we didn’t even know we had. It may sound cliché, but I remember my first day of high school like it was yesterday. I remember how scared I was; personally, it felt impossible. I had just moved to a completely new country one month before, with a new language, new customs, and a lot of emotions all around me. I remember getting to my aunt and uncle’s house and thinking this wasn’t for me, that maybe it was too big for me, something I wasn’t ready for. But then I called my parents, and they told me, “Just try. Nothing is too big for you if you give your best effort. We know you can do this and more.” So I decided not to give up. I decided to give my best, to trust that I could adapt to this new beginning, and three years later, here I am, the valedictorian of the Class of 2026. If someone had told me this three years ago, I would have laughed and never believed it. I proved to myself that no matter how big the challenge is, we can always overcome it with dedication and hard work. That no
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matter how many times we fall, we can learn from our mistakes and become stronger. I know all of us here have fallen before, we’ve failed a test, doubted ourselves, and wanted to give up. But by looking at all of us here today, I know that we are strong enough to reach our goals. Life keeps going and never stops. In the blink of an eye, we go from being kids to standing at the door of adulthood. Today, I want to encourage you to never give up, follow your hearts, chase your dreams, and do what makes you happy. Try new things, make mistakes, try again, take a breath, but get back up every time. Learn from every mistake, become your best version, and never give up. Not all of us will take the same path. Some will go to college, others will work, start businesses, or still be searching for what makes them happy, and that is okay, because there is not only one way to be successful. One of my greatest inspirations said it clearly: “If you are happy doing what you’re doing, then nobody can tell you you’re not successful.” Success is finding what makes you proud of who you are and at peace with yourself. Success is getting up every day and trying
during your time with us. We are so proud of all you’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next. Wishing you continued success in all that lies ahead!
MVA • Class of 2026
Class of 2026 • MVA
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