farewell letters by 2014 graduates
AUDENTES FORTUNA IUVAT (“fortune helps those who dare”) Virgil 1st Century b.C.
1
I proudly present my senior students’ graduation speeches in English. I would like to acknowledge their effort and work and they have certainly proved that they can get their meaning across in English. Remember: Excellence is not a skill but an attitude.
All the best Ana MĂŠndez
2
Hello everybody. When I was eight, in the playground, we used to play a game which consisted on spinning until you fell down. And then, when you are on the floor, you close your eyes and feel how the world turns and turns and then, when you open your eyes, everything is as it used to be. This year has been like this period of instability and today we are opening our eyes, and the world hasn’t changed, however we have changed. We have grown up. The road has not been easy at all, but I have to be extremely grateful to all those people who have supported me not only in the last few years, but in my whole life. Thanks to my family for all the sacrifices 3
and for supporting me unconditionally. I'd like to thank especially my father because without him I think I wouldn’t have survived the last two years. Thanks for having picked me from training when the next day I had an exam, for making my life
easier
and
above
everything
for
sharing with me our love for basketball. Thanks to my friends for being there despite all and for not getting angry with me for not meeting them as much as I would have liked. Thanks to my teammates for being like a second family. Thanks to the teachers who love what they do and have tried to share with us their wisdom, because sometimes it isn’t easy to deal with students. I will never forget my Spanish teacher in first, second and fourth of ESO. He really loves what 4
he does and he always tried to take us to theatres, to meetings‌ Unfortunately, I have been in this school just for two years, but I have met good friends and good teachers. When we were younger, we saw older people, and we bowed our head. Now, we are
the
eldest.
Time
passes
without noticing. This has been our last year together, our last year of high school. This is a turning point in our life we have to say goodbye to some things and welcome to others. Today, we can look back and say: yes, we did it. People say that our future is dark, but we have the chance to make it bright, to make
the
difference.
If
you
want
something you just have to fight for it, don’t let anyone discourage you. 5
I have always been very stubborn and when adults asked me what I wanted to be, was always certain. In the first place I wanted to be a vet, but when my parents gave me a telescope, I changed my mind. I have wanted be astronomer since then. But despite being determined and certain about what I want to be, right now I’m lost. Two months ago this day was far away, and now is time to make decisions. The best thing about life is that nothing is final, so we can try and try until we are sure that that’s what we want. Thank you for your attention. By Irene Garrido
6
Dear
parents,
teachers,
guests
and
especially classmates of Galileo Galilei high school; thanks for joining us on this special day for us. Who was going to tell me that after six long and hard years I would be here, giving my first speech in APLE 2 heading on to a new phase of my life? It is on memorable days like this one, when
it
is
not
my
mouth
but
our
experience and feelings that do all the talking more than ever. Six long years have passed since we were children
that
arrived
from
different
schools to Galileo Galilei, time during which we have made friends, found love, had disappointments, ... It seems like only yesterday that we were little men fighting with the locks on our lockers, trying to figure out where our 7
next class was. Now, we are moving forward in the world. Today was seen as unattainable and distant two hundred and twenty – seven days ago but it has already arrived and today it is finally time to graduate. The wait has not been easy I would say, it is been difficult and very stressful because during these eight months we have had to study a lot, we have been subjected to both emotional and mental intense stress and we have had to put a lot of effort and dedication to get here. At last, I can say, the
mythical
exams
sentence:
and
I
finished
``I
finished
Second
of
Bachillerato ``. But once all this is over, we will always have the memories and nostalgia of those friends
who
we
shared
with
laughs,
secrets, complicity with,‌ and, I wonder if 8
I will see them again. Will I hear of them after Second of Bachillerato? My friends have meant a lot of things for me, for example, self-improvement, in very hard moments and they have always been there when I have needed. Also, happiness, in those moments when my friends helped me in some situations. Of course, we must thank our parents for supporting us in more ways than it is possible to count. In addition, thanks for helping us with homework and listening to our complaints. Also I want to mention the teachers who gave us opportunities so we can defend ourselves in our society. Thanks to you, I am here today. Thanks for making me smile on the most difficult moments of my life. Thanks for being an example of dedication 9
and
strength,
thanks
for
teaching us motivation, patience, respect, kindness and helping us to build the confidence to express, questions, and opinions. For all this, THANKS. Right now it is the moment to look ahead and take a step forward, not as high school students but as future college students. Now, it is time to face the future with our heads high showing the values that we have been taught. It is our turn to face the future with strength, and courage, just like we have been taught. Thanks for listening. BY GUILLERMO PEREJIL 2ยบBTO B
10
Dear friends, teachers, classmates and family, we are graduating.
Who would have ever believed that this moment would come so fast in our lives? Look at all of us, a few years ago we were just unbearable kids that had just started high school, and now we are almost adults about to start a new life, a great new life.
During these last years I have had a lot of fun
and
a
lot
of
special
moments.
Nevertheless, these years have been the hardest of my life, studying everyday to achieve my goals and get good grades. I want to thank everybody, my family, my friends, who have always been there to help me when I was really stressed or 11
when I thought I couldn’t make it. Thanks to them, and also, thanks to my teachers, to all of them.
Even though my relation with some of my teachers
has
sometimes
been
a
bit
troublesome, they have been the ones who have always helped me, even staying extra hours after class. I know it is not easy to be a teacher, to have such great patience. This is something I will miss next year, because I know my life will change
completely
when
I
arrive
at
University. With all my heart, thank you.
I am glad that all these years have helped me to decide what to do in my future. Thanks to the education I have received I have been able to choose my future studies. But being in high school for six 12
years
doesn’t
scientific
or
mean
only
humanistic
learning
knowledge.
I
really think that the most important thing you learn in high school is to develop as a human
being.
And
this
is
the
most
difficult task that teachers have, teaching students how to act as humans. I think we all remember when we first saw the Periodic Table of Elements and thought, “This is a waste of time, it is something
I
will
never
use”.
How
mistaken we were. I don’t think that anything I have ever learned during high school has been a waste of time. Life is learning, and the more you learn, the better person you become. Many
of
my
classmates
have
been
complaining about how difficult it was to study every day, and especially this last year, which has been the most stressful of 13
my life. But, perhaps, many of us will miss studying when we start working. I am not saying that studying is one of the greatest pleasures in life, but I would say that it is necessary for us to know about life,
and
this
knowledge
is
got
by
would
like
to
studying.
When
I
grow
old,
I
remember all the good moments I have had during this stage of my life. Not only the good moments, but bad moments too.
I
would
like
to
remember
the
pressure before a physics exam, thinking that our physics’ teacher would give us an impossible one and later seeing that she had given us an easy one. There are no bad teachers. When we think that a teacher is bad because he or she has given us a difficult test, we don’t really 14
realize that he or she is the best teacher, because it is the best way to help us improve. I only wish that everything I have learned will help me in the following years, which will be without doubt the hardest in my life. Thanks everyone, and just a piece of advice for those who have just started high school. Take it easy and when you feel stressed or unable to do something, try to talk to your friends or teachers, it will help you a lot, because I think that the most important thing I have learned is that teachers are there to help you, not to
downgrade
your
marks
as
many
students think.
Dear friends, teachers, classmates and family, we are graduating. 15
BY JOSE MANUEL RUBIO 2ยบBTO A
16
First of all, I´m not good at speeches and it is difficult for me to speak aloud in front of people. But it is a very important occasion in which I am finishing an important stage of my life. So here I am. I can believe that I am here.
During all these years I´ve had a lot of different feelings, happy moments and difficult moments, I have lived a lot of experiences, all of which have built up my personality.
These
have
been
very
important years in my life and they have taught me a lot of important things.
I
have
been
at
this
high
school for only two years. When I came, it was a big change in my life and I was a little scared, because I had been with the 17
same classmates and teachers for years in my other school. However, they turned out to be two of the best years of my life despite
some
hard
situations
that
obviously sometimes they just have to happen. Here I have met people who have proved to be better, in only two years, than people I have known since I was little, people who have helped me and made me smile when I have needed it.
From the start teachers and classmates have made this big change easier. There are some classmates who started saying “I have to be with this girl in class�, classmates who didn´t even know my name and now they are really good friends.
18
I know that what I am going to say sounds typical but in my opinion it's true. I have to be grateful to my teachers because they have surely taught us the contents of their subjects, but they have also taught us important things for life. After a lot of frustrating and stressful situations, I have learnt that on life you have to work hard to get your goals and that you mustn't focus on the bad things but on the positive ones and the most important thing is trying to be calm and do things without getting nervous. From the two years I have been in this high school, one thing I will never forget is our trip to Poland. I´m very grateful to Ruben knowing
and me,
Paula they
because gave
without me
the
opportunity to go with them, and it was an unforgettable experience. 19
I
suppose
that
another
unforgettable
moment will be our graduation. It is a very important moment in which we have a lot of feelings, on one hand it is a happy moment because we finish a very hard year full of stress and exams but on the other hand we are saying goodbye to a lot of people we have spent a lot of time with. I always try to look on the bright side of life, which is that we are finishing this difficult year and I am sure this is not a goodbye it is like saying see you later, because I hope I will maintain friendship with my friends.
Now I am supposed to know what I am going to do in my future, but I am not really sure about it. I would like to go to university and try to reach my dreams or 20
goals, because the important thing on life is to be happy.
Finally
I
want
to
thank
my
parents
because they are the ones who really rely on me. I know that I won´t forget all these years in high school. Thanks for giving me this education and thanks for listening to my thoughts and feelings.
BY LAURA JIMENEZ 2ÂşBTO A
21
Teachers,
classmates,
parents.
Good
evening to everyone. I would like to start with a quote that, T.S Elliot said... “What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from�. This is not the end. This is the beginning of a
new
life.
One
door
closes,
but
another one opens for all of us. I’m not only grateful for who I am today, but for these people that have been by my side all
these
helping me
years. I grow
up,
thank and for
them for helping
me become the person I am today. Thank you so much.
22
I want to thank both of my parents who encouraged
me
to
keep
trying throughout all these years when I was tired of studying and I thought that I could not do it. They were the ones that haven’t
let
me
arguments with
fall,
although
I
had
them
because
of
my
mood during exam periods, or when my personal life got in the way of my school life. Without you, I would have been so lost. Thank you. Definitely we have changed, for better or for worse, it doesn't matter, this is who you are. And now you are sitting here, waiting for your Bachillerato certificates, six years after the day you started, when you were worried about who you were going to end up with in class.
23
We
don't
realize
we
have
spent an
important period of our life between the same four walls with the same people. People we call friends. Some of them from primary school and some of them from high
school.
Without
them Monday
mornings would have been so boring and the same goes for the last lessons in the day. When I talk about friends I'm not only talking about the ones who are from school, I'm also talking about the ones out of school. I'm not with them every day as I'm with my classmates, but they are also a big support to me. They have always been by my side telling me to carry on. Teachers have helped us through out school in so many ways. They have 24
shared their knowledge, and they have created persons out of children. Thanks to their efforts, these children of 1stof ESO have become adults. The have created little geniuses. I would like to mention some teachers such as Paula, who has helped me with my photography passion and other personal issues and Alberto, my maths teacher, from whom I've learnt that maths goes beyond numbers. This has been a stressful, complicated and tedious year. I’ve been down so many times, empty of courage to continue studying
some
days.
Sometimes
I
doubted about myself because of the grades,
thinking
I wouldn't be
good enough for my degree, thinking I wouldn't make it ... But this year I've leaned that every goal you want to get 25
needs a big effort and now we know what effort means and there is nothing easy in life. Teachers are also highly involved in this course, because they have to prepare us as well as they can to have the best results,
as
I
said
they are
our foundation and without them we are nothing. At this moment, I can’t help but feel inside my heart some kind of sadness and also happiness. I’m sad because we are closing a beautiful phase in our life, some of us will be going far away, others will stay here… things will be really different without our usual routine. At the same time I’m happy because we are opening another door, another chance is right in front of us.
26
I’m happy because now we are seeing all our effort in front of us. This effort has a form. It is the form of a dream that has come true. For those who said when they were kids: I want to be a doctor! I want to create cars! I want to be an astronaut! THIS is their opportunity. Everything what they have fought for through all these years. This is why I am happy. I am happy because we are going to be who we really want. We are going to be these kids
from
yesterday
that
wanted
to
change the world. And I am sure that one day some of these people sitting right here, in front of me, one day they will be remembered as heroes.
I am proud of every one of you. I am proud of who you are going to be and I 27
am proud of where you are today. I want you to remember that you may leave school, but it will never leave you. Keep fighting for your dreams and I wish you all the best.
Thanks for listening.
BY IVAN SANTIAGO 2ยบBTO A
28
Classmates, friends, teachers, parents, welcome. We are graduating. Can you believe it? Six years ago, most of us walked into these halls as nervous as we were the first day of primary school. Now, we are leaving high school and most of us are as nervous as we were when we arrived. I think that you can imagine how important this day is for us, we have just ended another chapter in our lives so we are deeply moved and extremely happy because we have lived here unforgettable moments, trips, experiences‌ Today is the day in which a lot of memories are coming to my mind. I remember when I came in and I met those who would be my best friends, also when I started to go to the theatre group in which I have shared many rewarding 29
experiences, for instance when we went to Tunisia. We performed at Carlos III University where we had an amazing time.
We have
also participated
in
Comenius Project and we travelled to Lithuania
and
Poland
where
I
met
incredible people and I practised English as well. When we went to Poland we learnt a bit of Polish and we were at their houses, they were warm, it’s also coming to my mind when we arrived at the beach there and the sand was frozen... I had never seen that here in Spain of course or in
any
other
beach.
We
went
on
religion trips too such as Portugal and our final trip to Paris that I am sure we will never forget because we have many anecdotes, for
instance
spending
the
night on the train, I remember that we couldn’t sleep because of the noises but it 30
was so funny, all these experiences have been really gratifying. Now I have to say that these years have had boring, happy, stressful, moments. Maybe second of bachillerato has been the most difficult one because we have the university entrance exam in some days and we have had less time to complete the syllabus so we have had exams every single week. Despite that, I am thankful to my teachers along these years and I am not going to forget everything that you have done for me. I remember
with
great
nostalgia
the
teacher who believed in me, the teacher who
showed
showed discipline
care,
the
but was
one a
who
fantastic
person too, the one who made me laugh with his jokes,‌ so I am very thankful
31
because all of you have done your part in my decision for the future, thanks. I have to thank also my friends, the ones who have been there during the breaks, in difficult moments and the ones who have
made
me
laugh
and
enjoy
myself on Friday’s afternoons, carnivals, nights,… you are the ones on whom I can always count as the song says, you are very important for me. Since the first moment I met you I knew that you would be there. I am also thankful to my classmates because we have a good relation. Thanks to you my dear friends and to my funny classmates. And last but not least, I am going to say thanks to you, my family, you have been there every day, when I have been angry and, when I have been sad and happy, when I didn’t know how to do something 32
and
if
it
was
necessary
you
would
learn how to do it to try to explain it to me, when I failed an exam and you scolded me to make me learn from my mistakes,
also
when
you
congratulated me for a good mark. You have done the best for me in every single moment. I am very grateful for all of this and for your advice; you have been an important piece in my life. To conclude, I have to say that university is near, and now we are mature, and young men and women with a youthful spirit, most of the decisions have been influenced by everything you have done for us and with us and I am proud of this and of getting to this wonderful moment in my life. If I have decided that I want to be a teacher is because of you, relatives, teachers, friends. You have taught me all 33
that I know and I will always remember it. All that I have lived here it is going to keep into my mind for ages, I am lucky to have spent these years here with you, the ones who have left a footprint in me. Thank you again for everything you have done, you will always be part of the story of
my
life.
These
years
have
been
fantastic, wonderful and unforgettable. Thank you so much. BY PAULA GARCÍA SACRISTÁN 2ºBTO A
34
Hello everybody! First of all I would like to tell you that I cannot summarize my six years in this high school just in a five minute speech. Therefore
I
am
sure
I
will
forget
something meaningful. The second thing I am sure of is that Galileo has become my second house due to everything I have learnt, lived and felt here. And the time I have spent here too. I remember when I arrived at school the first day of ESO. I was very nervous like all students, I guess. (I think I changed my clothes more than twice and that never happens to me) The fear I felt that day is similar to the one I am feeling while I'm reading this: fear to be judged, fear to fail. 35
But nothing was as difficult as I had imagined, people I met made everything easier for me. Six years ago, the high school was big, old, with no colours in its walls, without so
many
computers
and
with
fewer
people. At least it seemed that for me. The days went fast, as fast as some people I met and have not seen again, and also all fear disappeared. Each year, we are elder, we are smarter and we are better. And that's thanks to classes and tests, of course, but these are the least important factors. The really main ones, the things which have really made us grow are: classmates and teachers who have become friends, 24 hours, trips to Paris or Poland, Encarni who
smiles
morning, 36
to
me
attacks
everyday of
in
the
uncontrollable
laughter silenced, Santi when he said Squich Schratch, The Killing, the moment when the ring bell sounds on Fridays, Esteban talking about Harry Potter, the songs we sang in the choir, the photos we took, the freedom you feel when you finish
an
exam,
the
smell
of
the
"napolitanas", and all the details which can make us smile . I have grown up here and I don't know any better place to grow. Now, we are living a stressful moment. This year is decisive for our lives, but not everything in life is studying. We have now exactly the same feeling we had the first day of high school: About starting a new Era without the people who have been with us for six years.
37
I am also afraid to lose what I have now, in case I cannot to find a place as wonderful as Galileo. Because despite all the bad moments here, despite all the crying and suffering, despite all the failed exams, the good things that have happened to us make up for everything. One thing is certain, we are prepared to start new projects, to meet new people, to learn something new in a new place. Six years attending this wonderful high school have prepared us, teachers who are involved in their jobs and in our education have prepared us. Like it or not, this high school is part of us and we will never forget what we are or where we grew. To cut a long story short, as I said at the beginning, this place is my second house 38
but the real reason that makes Galileo my second house is that people here are, have been and I hope will be my second family. Thank you very much for your attention.
BY CARMEN MOLIZ 2ยบBTO A
39
When I came to Galileo Galilei high school as a new student, two years ago, I was excited because everything was new for me, but for my surprise some people of my old school came here too. Now we all are here finishing these two hard years, our first step into our future. When I changed schools the hardest thing was to leave my friends there but I have learned that you don't lose them you only know which ones are your real friends in life. I have to admit that when I leave this high school I feel the same. Although I have never been sure about what to study I took the science bachillerato, it has been very difficult and I have worked very hard and I got different results, but it was what I wanted to study. Although it has been hard, with the help of my parents and classmates it has been 40
easier, so I have to thank all of them and that I couldn't have done it without their support. This is just the first step on our path to go though our professional life, which is very near and for which we are ready and prepared. We all have a difficult and proffesional choice to make that would make our lifes better. To sum up this has been an oportunity to meet new people, which I don't regret, to learn what we will need in the future that we
are
chosing
now
and
to
be
independent and to be myself and to have willpower. Thank you for listening. BY PAOLA RUBIO 2BTO A
41
Hi everybody! This adventure started 6 years ago when most of us, the new students, were at the gym. We were expectant and while we were
listening to Marisol
telling us
the
rules, a mobile phone started to ring and it was funny because in that moment Marisol
was
explaining
that phones
weren’t allowed. I remember that day as it was yesterday and since that moment a lot of things have happened: failed exams, stress, waking up early, but many good moments too. One of the most important bases is your family.
Your
mum,
your
dad,
your
brothers or sisters, they always are going to be there for you, supporting you and 42
giving you the best they can. I’m so much proud of my family because every day I learn to keep on strong and deal with everything in my life. This place has given me the opportunity to me meet incredible people, who I have lived many special moments with, such as the funny workshops of Comenius in Vienna, the cold trip to Poland, the walks under the wonderful night of Paris or the amazing experience skiing in Andorra. All these wouldn't have been the same if my friends
hadn't
come
with
me.
In
conclusion, I made important friendships that I hope I won't lose. One of the most controversial issues would be about teachers but for me it is simple. I think that this school has an 43
incredible team of experts in education, at least, most I have met, and I have to thank all the knowledge and skill that they have
given to
us.
I have to be sincere and this school year has been the most difficult step in my academic background but as it is said: “impossible is nothing”. This is the key to our future. The future, the great unknown. But what is clear is that all my effort from all these years is going to be enough to get the most of this place. Nowadays we all
know
that
the
working situation is really bad. For this reason we have to fight and make a great effort to get our goals, to be someone in the future. I’ve always been a person 44
interested in jobs in which I can help people because I feel better when I can do
something in
order
to improve
someone’s life. So I would like to work in the
future
in
a
me excel as
job
which
a
makes person
This is not a “see you later”, it’s a “goodbye”. On the one hand you leave here a lot of things that have marked you and have made you grow as a person. In my case I have become more mature and independent. On the other hand this is the beginning of the end. That means that you are direction
45
moving forward to
live
your
in
the
right
own
life.
This is not only a paper with a lot of words. It’s the representation of all the moments that I’ve lived here, the place where I’ve spent all my teenage years. In conclusion, high school has taught us the
grades
that
we get aren’t
as
important as the values we receive. Thanks everybody for your attention. BY LUCIA BENITO 2ºBTO A
46
“The distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion” – Albert Einstein. Despite scientists
what and
one most
of
the
powerful
greatest minds
throughout history said, I think I could establish the distinction between what my past was and meant, what my present consists of and what my future will be. My past is full of memories of joy and pleasure. Since I have been aware of what was going on around me, most of the memories I think about are great, and those which really aren’t, those which could bring pain, or those which just were neither
good
nor
bad,
evoke
nostalgia and emotion. The first stage of my life, which includes pre-school and primary school, couldn’t 47
have been better than they were. Being a kid and having fun with the only concern and responsibility for doing homework every day, are the things I have always missed from that age. But, as we all know, the more you grow up, the more responsibilities you get, and if this doesn’t go in that way, something is not working. In spite of that, concerns bring along the possibility
of
doing
more
things, the
possibility of broadening your horizons, the possibility of having even more fun, the possibility of becoming the person you will be in the future. High-school has been more enjoyable than school was, although I have had to study more or to suffer from things I had never suffered from, such as stress or the worst one adolescence. I remember, for example: how scared of starting high 48
school I was, how afraid of Briz we all were when we first came, how we made up any excuse we could in order to go to the
playground
during
Maribel’s
Arts
classes in 3rd of ESO, how Physics and Chemistry and their two-questions exams frightened all of us, how we felt like coming
back
after
summer
to
have
another wonderful year with our last year’s mates and sometimes, with new ones, how we were supposed to prepare the stuff for the next class during the five-minute break between classes and how instead we used that time playing the
fool in the
corridors
(where
we
weren’t allowed to be)... At this moment of my speech I have to thank all the people I have always been by my side. I must thank my parents and family for teaching me manners, for 49
making
the
person
I
am
and
for
supporting me. I must thank all teachers I have had along these 6 years for teaching me, not only the ones who have taught me their interesting subjects but also those who have taught me how to be a better person and how to “survive” in this
wild
world.
And
finally,
but
as
important as the others, I must thank my friends (those who I have always known as well as those I have been adding to my “specials”) people, that
and
some
have
very
always
special
been
an
essential mainstay in my life, that have always meant so much to me and who I couldn’t live without. Present is brief and we are never aware of it because when we notice it, it’s gone and it belongs already to the past. The present 50
is
just
a
short
and
unreal
transition.
My
present is
basically studying, getting prepared for the future and getting stressed due the pressure we all are under. This year is being the most exhausting one I have lived although it is being one of the best. My future is uncertain. I don’t know where I will be in 4 months from now, when the first year outside high-school begins. I don’t know whether I will finally get to study what I would like to or not. This sort of things will be decided after some important events, such as finals and university entrance exams and everything could change drastically. Do not feel insecure, be confident that things will go well but be brave in
case
things
don’t
come out the way you are expecting. Now, after six years, it’s the time to do our best so that every single tear and 51
every effort or sacrifice we have done, have
been
worth
we will all achieve
it. our
we will all become the
That
way,
goals
and person
we really want to be. To conclude, remember your past, enjoy your present and fight for your future. Thank you. By Manuel JuĂĄrez GarcĂa 2BTO A
52
I will never forget the day when my friend Dani broke a fluorescent in the gym when we were “playing” volleyball. This is one of the best memory that I will always bring with me and I will tell my children about but I don’t have time to tell you about these other anecdotes because we are here to celebrate our graduation. I think that this ceremony is going to be one of the most special things that can happen to someone because you have to summarize and explain maybe the six best years of my life and obviously to thank all my teachers and friends. First of all I have to show gratitude to my family because they have always been supporting me. That's why I think that I had to give them a special recognition on this speech. I think that I’m very thankful 53
to everybody in family, I can’t choose one person because all of them have told me that I can be whatever I want. But I also think
that
my
brother
has
been
so
important in my life because we have always got along and I think that he has been for me like my guide dog. I also have to thank my friends because I have spent most of these six years along with them and despite having arguments they have always been here in spite of some of them not living even here like Ricardo. I’m not only grateful to my high school mates because my other friends have helped me too. I also think that teachers have helped ourselves in one way or another because some
of
them
have
spent
overtime
helping us. But this has been able to be possible because I think that one of the 54
high school’s statements is: try to make them happy and you will be happy. I have a lot of good memories from all of them and specially from some of them like Santi when he talked to us about politics or when we went to different countries with the Religion’s teacher and despite the rules, which we didn’t obey, we drank alcohol or stayed up till late in the morning, and when our Spanish classes turned into a lunch because we brought some desserts to class. A significant event that I will never forget is my first chemistry exam, which I failed, and I think that I’m not the only one here, today, that will remember our physics or chemistry teachers, but despite of all these things I will always thank them because
they
opened
my
eyes
and
showed me how tough school is. But I 55
don’t want to praise myself because I think that all of us here are winners of one of the most difficult races of our life. I have shown gratitude to all of these people but now I think that we, the students, have to be named in this ceremony and to recognize our effort so today we should have been proud of ourselves because we have taken a step further in life. I know that the end of this phase of our lives will involve leaving many friends, important people in our lives but it’s true that we are going to start a new era and this is going to mark our future because we will have to earn our living working in a job or studying to find a job when the economic crisis is finally over. if the crisis let us. But this situation won’t be able to make us give up because we are the next 56
generation and I think that we must change the situation and this is the statement that my classmates would have to remember from this day. If this situation doesn't stop me, I would like to be an architect but it will all depend
on
my
average
and
on
the
university entrance exams. I took this decision a few years ago so the school hasn’t influenced too much but despite this, one teacher motivated me when I was in 2 ESO and he was Javier Ugarte who talked with my parents and told them that I could be whatever I wanted to be and that I could study two different degrees at the same time and I think that it’s great that a teacher says that to you. And obviously I finally decided this degree because I will never forget the face that my grandfather made when I told him. 57
In conclusion I think that I have learnt from all of the people that I have named and that I won’t forget their efforts and I won’t be able to pay them back so THANK YOU VERY MUCH. And thanks of course to you, the audience, who have been putting up with me.
BY SERGIO CRUZ 2ºBTO A
58
First
of
all,
I'd
like
to
congratulate
everyone for being here this afternoon and having gone through these hard years at last, and thanks to the parents, grandparents,
grandmothers,
uncles,
cousins, teachers‌ everybody who has been involved in helping us to achieve our goals and those people who have made it possible
that
we
are
here
today.
I’d like to express the happiness I feel for finishing the high school period and for having met a lot of great people during that time.
We have been here for six years and the day we got into the high school seems to be like yesterday. I remember when we 59
were quite younger and we looked down with embarrassment when we bumped into some second of Bachillerato students. All of us thought about these days like something
in
the
distant
future.
These six years have provided us with both good and difficult situations, which have
proved
useful
to
widen
our
knowledge.Things have became harder along years but we have become smarter and more mature to face our problems. We have left a lot of afternoons studying and
busy
weekends
behind
us.
Futhermore, we have had days when we felt
overwhelmed
everything
packing
willing
to
Nevertheless,
send we
managed to find the way to get over it and not to break down. 60
On the other hand, we consider our friends a lot of people we have met during our school time and that’s one of the most important things of this period of our lives. We have shared lots of moments, experiences and feelings with these people, we have worked together and helped each other to bring out the best of ourselves. Moreover, we have met our teachers, those people we have to thank for all their
patience
and
support
and
for
teaching us all they know and helping us to find our way in life, in spite of having made
our
day
to
day
quite
hard.
Now things have changed. We are the people
61
the
youngest
look
up
to.
Finally, we are in the place we have been struggling
for,
so
now
it's
time
to
celebrate it all together and to enjoy the largest
summer
because
we
we
have
ever
deserve
had, it!!
It's time to have new experiences so we won't be afraid to face new challenges. Those people who want go to university, I'm sure we'll get the grades that are required to do what we want. And those who don't, those who prefer to take other ways, go for it. Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. If you've got a dream, if you'd like to get something,
go
get
it!!
Now, we have to give up all our worries and enjoy the best party ever!
62
Thanks people for your attention and LET'S PARTY GUYS!!!
BY MARIA Sร NCHEZ 2ยบBTO A
63
First I would like to start by saying thank you to my parents and teachers from my previous school and from Galileo high school.
Thanks to your support, we are all here today
celebrating
this special
day
together. I couldn't forget this awesome group of students sitting in front of me, either. I've been only two years in this high school but I recognize that I have met many people. Alkor was my previous school and high school, where I have spent eleven years, they treated us very well there and we were trained especially brightly.
64
Here
in
Galileo
Galilei
high
school, there are also very good teachers who have taught me lots of things
This was only the beginning of a new chapter in our lives and I must say, in some ways a lot of things have changed in these past fourteen years, because I changed schools, I have new friends and teachers and the most important thing: I have changed my point of view about public education, because I had never been at a state school or high school.
As we went through elementary school and into middle school, we began to see ourselves
mature.
We
saw
it
as
an
exciting new experience and we began to realize how much things had changed just over one summer. 65
Middle school gave us all the chance to know the people better, make new friends and
most
importantly,
become
more
independent. Then, those six years flew by
and
we
were
ready
for
a
new
adventure, high school. Many of us remember our first day of high school as if it were yesterday. I remember walking down seniors' hall feeling a bit nervous.
This year was the most difficult regarding the school, because it was a very short academic year with many nerves, a lot of sleepless nights studying, a lot of exams and many contents in our heads. Thank you very much to our teachers who have endured
our
panic
constant doubts. 66
attacks
and
our
Now a new phase in our lives begins, perhaps the one with most changes.
To my best friends, good luck with your exams and future endeavours. We are not just
simply
students
at
high
school
completing our final year, we are a group of friends that will always be connected through our many days spent here at Galileo, we have all been on the same journey and it is ok to shed a tear as we are about to begin life on our own in the outside world.
Best of luck, and farewell to Galileo, a high school that has provided us with exceptional education by some dedicated teachers and we thank everyone that has made some impact in our lives, for just 67
this moment, we can all say we made it and we made it together, farewell.
BY MIRIAM MARTINEZ 2ยบBTO B
68
Hello everyone, First of all I want to stress that I’m very nervous about this ceremony and also about my future. But I think that I’m not the only one who feels this way. I don’t even know how to start this speech so I’m going to tell you the first feeling that I had in this high school. I still remember the open day when I came to the high school and I was so impressed about the size of it and I thought that I would be lost a lot of times, but nowadays I think that it isn’t as huge as I thought this day. This day I was so scared because my parents knew the principal and my dad was a teacher in the high school so I had more pressure over me than the rest of students. I also remember 69
the
presentation
for
new
students in the gym when we were talking and as soon as the headmistress walked into the gym everybody stopped talking and our faces became frightened faces. I spent my primary education in the Carmen Conde school and there I met most of my current friends, but here in the high school I knew a new guy in third of E.S.O., my first impression was that he was stupid, but, SURPRISE he was as stupid as me and we have had a good relation from the beginning and now he is one of my best friends. Being honest I don’t remember my first two years in the high school, but if someone asked me about my best moment in the school I would say that it was the day of my 16th birthday,
because
it
was
during
a
Comenius trip and the people who went 70
on the trip threw me a birthday party and I
still
have
to
thank
them
for
this
awesome day. As I said at the beginning of the speech I’m very nervous about my future, but if I give it a second thought, I've had been very lucky because I had very good teachers, I have an awesome family and I have the best friends in the world so, maybe, I shouldn’t be nervous. My wish for the future is getting a degree, a software degree if I can, and going to live abroad. Don’t get me wrong, I love Spain, but I prefer another country to live, or at least to work. Finally, although it's a cliché I should thank
the
people
who
have
been
supporting me and helping me all this years and I think that these people know that I’m very proud of them. What I’m 71
going to do is thank to the people who hadn’t helped me because thanks to them I have become stronger person, a better student, a better friend and a better son. Thanks for your attention and good luck to my mates.
BY ISAAC TIMÓN 2ºBTO A
72
Uff… Hello everybody! I´m so nervous to be here speaking to you but it is also a pleasure. Can you believe it? How long have we been here? emm … for six years more or less .We have been here for a long time . We´ve lived experiences that we couldn´t even imagine. We´re leaving the school behind to new teenagers and most of them have the same feelings that we had. Do you remember the first day with Marisol at the gym? Do you remember we didn’t pay any attention to her? Well we were children … anyway I am glad to have met you guys because most of you are amazing people and yes I know we met around one or two years ago but I’m so pleased about that, anyway. Thanks! Now it’s our teachers’ turn, what should I say? But seriously, first of all thanks so much for all your lessons, now, I know how difficult it is standing up in front of teenagers trying to help them when they are not really interested in anything. That´s why I don’t have any words to tell you how much I 73
appreciate your job because it is very important, some people would ask me why , well because we are the future and teachers give us the power, the motivation and the confidence to create a great future. Thanks! After these emotional words I want to tell you about our last year in the school was so relaxing, wasn’t it? … Like when you are at the beach with a coconut in your hand... No, this year was one of the hardest years in our lives. We have had to study so hard and we didn’t have any time to go out our houses but according to “Paco” we don’t need that. When I was 11, I read a quote that said something like this: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.'It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 7 years,I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?"
74
Because almost everything - external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fade away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking about it Finally , here is my piece of advice, I´d like to give you as we get ready to cross this stage for the last time. Make sure you´re around when other people need someone to lean on. They´ll thank you for it. Jaime, one of them might even mention you in his valedictorian speech. THANKS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST! BY RICARDO CÁNOVAS 2ºBTO B
75
Welcome , everybody. Firstly, I must say that my parents met each other at Galileo Galilei,so this is one of the reasons why I have studied here.I have always heard them speak about Galileo Galilei with love and regard,they didn't doubt that it would be the place where I was going to be educated.They weren't wrong at all. In Galileo I have met great teachers that a part from teaching me their subjects they have taught me how to manage on any
circumstances.I
have
also
met
wonderful mates;some of them have been my
mates
others that
since
primary
school
and
I met when I started my
studies here and I want to keep for the rest of my life. 76
All the study and effort that we have to do is much easier to be carried out in a friendly atmosphere.It hasn't always been easy ,there have been some subjects that( because of our capacities) are more difficult to understand. We are almost finishing this course;a course which will decide our future .We are all very nervous and with a lot of doubts,first we have to pass all the subjects and then the exam to enter university. What will our lives be like in the future? Will our friends be with us longer?We have to make a difficult decision about what to do in the future,a future that seems to be quite hard for us because there are a lot of unemployed people and everyone says to us that we have to be well trained if we want to get a good job. 77
Galileo Galilei has shown us the path to follow .I will never be grateful enough. I trust that when I remember the high school it will be with love remembering my friends, teachers, mates and of course all the experiences lived there such as excursions, longer trips to some foreign countries and the activities done here such as "la noche en blanco",the carnivals etc. Thanks
to
everybody,
our
families,
teachers, mates, friends. Each one of you have done this experience unforgettable for all of us.We may not value it today as we should but I'm sure that it will be put in its place but I don't want to wait for that moment,today and here I want to express my gratitude for everything I
78
have received.And I hope to be worthy of it. Thanks to everybody for your attention. BY INÉS IGLESIAS 2BTO B
79
Well, I am not feeling comfortable reading this aloud, because I don’t like to speak in front of people and even less if it is in English. Nevertheless, I think that reading this speech is a good way to express all the experiences, good and bad moments and things that I have learned during those
school
years.
This
is
a
good
moment to thank all people that have helped me on this phase of my life. I remember when I came to school the first day of ESO and I was nervous and excited. I saw all the 2ndof BACHILLERATO students as if they were too old and cool... Now, that I am the oldest student of the school I feel excited about going to the university but, on the other hand I feel quite sad because of the people that I
80
am leaving here, people with whom I have shared a lot of good moments. Although this is a sad moment I can’t help but smile when I remember all the experiences that I have lived in this high school. My favourite course was 2nd of ESO because the teachers were good, the subjects were not too difficult and there I met people that are really important in my life now. One of the most important memories of those years is the trip to Portugal in 3rd of ESO. It was the first time that I went abroad on my own, it was a great experience with all my friends and a good opportunity to meet new people. Another awesome experience was the Comenius project, in that project I met fantastic people. It had like three parts, first when people from Poland, Austria, 81
Greece, Lithuania and Germany came to Madrid for a week, the first meeting was strange because we were nervous but with some funny games we got to know one another and became friends. I still remember all the crying the day when they had to leave because we thought it was going to be the last time we saw them, but fortunately it wasn’t so. Then took place another meeting took place in Lithuania and the last meeting was in Austria. Still related to this project I had the opportunity to go to Poland last year, another special trip for me with very kind people and funny moments. Now
when
I
think
about
all
these
experiences I feel pretty sad because I won't probably see them again. However the graduation shouldn’t be a nostalgic 82
moment it should be a happy moment to enjoy with people that have been with you for all these years, including friends, of course, but also teachers that have helped you to get where you are now, about to enter university. I am sure that I will cry during the graduation event but I don’t think it will be sad, I will have mixed feelings; on the one hand, I will be melancholic due to all the memories I have from this place and on the other hand I'll be really excited about starting a new stage in my life where I'll meet new people. Now it is my time to become mature, independent and start to think about my near
future.
important
I
picture
journalist
myself
as
an
working
at
a
prestigious company or something like
83
that, I hope that dream becomes true one day. Finally I want to thank teachers, friends and family for being there when I have needed them, for putting up with me during tests and for making my high school years easier. Thank you all for your time
and
for
listening
to
BY ZORAIDA PALACIOS 2ยบBTO A
84
me.
Dear
parents,
teachers
and
beloved
classmates, We are here to talk and celebrate the end of our childhood and the very beginning of another stage, the life we have chosen. We are here to talk about us, about what we were like, and about what we have become. Some of you have been between these four walls since you were eleven years old, and some others have known each other since they were in diapers. They also knew teachers, where classes were, and how everything worked here. So, how do you think people like me who came here to start bachillerato felt at the very beginning? It sounds scary, no? It really was! But what seemed to be a 85
nightmare turned little by little into a fantastic experience. And here, today, what are we feeling? Today is the day for mixed feelings. On one hand I feel (and I know you too) happiness, this horrible and stressful year has come to its end! But on the other hand I feel sadness. High school is over, we are about to start university or other studies, and we are going to do it separately. We are about to leave in our way
teachers,
classmates
and
even
friends, and we are going to make big decisions. We, we are going to take the reins
of
our
life,
and
that
means
responsibility, scaring responsibility. We are almost adults (I don’t know how time has gone so quickly!). I am feeling like four days ago I was a novice here.
86
Two years have passed in the blink of an eye. Here, I have learnt more than Economy, more than Maths, English or Spanish language. I have learnt comradeship, I have learnt friendship, I have learnt about life. This couldn’t have been possible without my classmates and teachers, who have always been there for me in these two years. I am thankful for my teachers; I couldn’t have wished for better ones. They have not only taught us their subjects, but they have also been kindhearted and severe when it was necessary. We have laughed with them and we have got angry too. They have helped us in everything we needed, they have taught us we can do the best if we try, they have given us wings. 87
I am also thankful for my classmates. Although we have had our arguments because we have very different points of view in very different issues, I will never forget
good
times
we
have
spent
together. I will never forget how funny those “five minutes” before an exam were (hurry, nerves on edge, preparing our seats, crying out like crazy..) It was really amusing! I will never forget how we tried to help each other when someone didn’t understand a subject, or even
when
someone had a personal problem. I will never forget the excursions we have done together and our long conversations in our whatsapp group talking about trifles, television programs, or everything you could imagine. Here, today, I want to thank all of you for making my two years in IES Galileo Galilei 88
High School amazing, and although they are not here today, I want to thank my teachers, classmates and friends from my other school (Alkor) who had been very important in my academic and personal life too. Thank you all. I wish the best for you in life, good luck, and have fun tonight!
BY NORA SĂ NCHEZ 2BTO B
89