Class of 2020: Clovis East High School

Clovis East High School 2020 Graduation Speeches

Speakers: Tyler Pacheco and William Wiggins

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, we would like to extend a welcome to families, friends, loved ones, and most importantly, the Clovis East graduating class of 2020. My name is Tyler Pacheco, and I am William Wiggins, and we are excited to congratulate all students for finally making it here. As the renowned philosopher -- (HEY HEY, wait up.. ***pulls out tape measurer*** Are we six feet apart? OH OH we’re good, right? Perfect).

We would like to start off today’s occasion by quoting author Jon Gordon who says, “This virus may have stolen our senior year and graduation, but it cannot and will not steal our future. While we will always remember this painful time, we’ll also be the generation that doesn’t take anything for granted. We know what it’s like to have something taken away from us in a moment, and as a result, we will appreciate what we have when we have it. We’ll value our relationships, make the most of our opportunities, and create a great future.”

If you would have told me three months ago that I wouldn’t have to sit through another two-hour lesson with Mr. Khus discussing monetary and fiscal policy, I would have rejoiced. But now, there is nothing I’d rather do than take my seat in the back of Room 725 one last time. To quote a famous line from The Office, “I took a desk at the back because it was empty. But no matter how you get there or where you end up, human beings have this miraculous gift to make that place home.” The same goes for us students here at Clovis East, the place we have come to call home. We have embarked on this journey as eager freshmen, not knowing what to expect with open minds ready to learn and open arms ready to embrace and support one another. Yet, over the course of our journey here at Clovis East, our teachers have taught us to be passionate, diligent, understanding, free thinkers, and above all, we have learned that it is okay to be different. And the Clovis East graduating Class of 2020 has exemplified exactly what it means to be different.

So, what exactly has the Class of 2020 over the past four years done to be different? Back-to-back-to-back Homecoming champs. We won that. A D1 Basketball Valley Championship. We secured that. Five combined competition song and cheer National Championships. We did that. Over 215,000 canned food items donated. We raised that. An FFA Reserve National Champion Meats Team. We achieved that. And on the football field, Clovis East had their most combined wins in back-to-back seasons in over a decade, while being supported by the Wolfpack student section, an award-winning band and color guard, and the JROTC push up squad.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, there were a few things that the Clovis East Graduating Class of 2020 did not get a chance to do, including: strutting down the red carpet at the “Oscar” themed Danny Awards, inspiring the future of Clovis East Area students at the Parade of Graduates, screaming at the top of our lungs at Universal Studios Grad Nite, tearing it up on the dance floor one last time at prom, and witnessing Mrs. Hamilton and Monsieur Henry “getting’ jiggy with it” at our senior farewell rally. And on the athletic side, never getting the chance to defend our Volleyball NorCal State Championship, contend for ANOTHER badminton Valley Championship, or compete on the diamond or track, one last time. Despite these unforeseen circumstances, over the past four years, the Class of 2020 has persevered and accomplished so much. But this celebration is not only meant to reflect on what we have accomplished, but also to envision what has yet to come.

Ladies and gentlemen, these accolades are no coincidence, they did not just happen. In order to get to where we are today, we had to face one of the most overbearing things anyone can face, not only as a student, but as a human being. Each person here today has come eye to eye with adversity. My friends, if you are going to take one thing away from this speech, I urge you to remember this. Adversity is not the opposite of success, rather it is a part of the journey on our way to success. When I look around, I see the faces of ambition…the faces of determination. I see the doctors who will find the solution to our next global pandemic, the lawyers who will fight tirelessly for what is just, CEOs who will transform the landscape of our society, and finally, I see the faces of the next leaders of this proud nation.

In this pack, we must crawl before we walk. In this pack, we must lose before we love. In this pack, we must fall before we fly. Most importantly, in this pack, we must fail before we succeed. We would like to conclude by reciting a poem from the Jungle Book that should bring all of this into focus. “Now this is the Law of the Jungle – as old and true as the sky; And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die. As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk, the Law runneth forward and back – For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.’‘

Principal’s note

This group of Clovis East seniors was special for their dedication, commitment, kindness, and their pride in everything Wolfpack. I have had the distinct honor of being with this class all four years of high school and I have taken great pride in watching them grow together as a group. These seniors have left their mark on our campus, including being one of the highest academic performing groups ever to come through these halls. While their academic success was remarkable, I am most proud of the culture they have help to create on campus. This group of seniors was responsible for starting Unity Week, which was designed to spread cultural awareness, improve the overall atmosphere on campus, and to teach empathy. This may be their greatest legacy to our future Wolfpack students because it has made such a positive impact.

While the pandemic made it difficult for this senior class to finish together, we know they will continue to take the skills they’ve learned on campus into the next phase of their journey. The best advice I can share with these seniors about dealing with the pandemic comes from author Jon Gordon. He says, “This virus may have stolen your senior year and graduation, but it cannot and will not steal your future. While you will always remember this painful time, you’ll also be the generation that doesn’t take anything for granted.” I am proud of this senior class for excelling in the classroom, in cocurricular areas, and in helping others. I am proud of the legacy they have left on the Clovis East campus and the community. You have made a difference on the Wolfpack.

Kevin Kerney

This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 12:00 AM.