Fresno High graduation speaker: “Expand your definition of success beyond what is just flashy”
Fresno High School valedictorian Yamilex Cruz Ramírez turned reporter to prepare for her speech at her school’s graduation ceremony on June 8.
“In the last few days, I’ve asked some of my friends and classmates what they’ve learned. And what they’re most proud of during their time at Fresno High,” said Cruz Ramírez, who is headed to UC Berkeley to major in aerospace engineering.
“Partly because I think it’s good to reflect on our past experiences and partly because everyone’s unique journey would be difficult to sum up over the span of just a few short minutes,” said Cruz Ramírez, one of three valedictorians with the top GPA of 4.32.
The responses she received were varied.
A friend mentioned learning “the importance of staying true to herself by learning who her true friends are.”
Another learned how “it’s more important to focus on doing your best rather than being perfect, because growth happens over time.”
Another student mentioned learning “the importance of stepping out of his comfort zone and to not let fear stop him from participating.”
Cruz Ramírez, in her 4-minute speech, said graduation day “is a day to celebrate victories just like these, no matter how small they may seem.”
“Of course, they’re not as obvious as external markers of success like grades and awards, but with things like having the courage to ask a question in a full classroom and to learn to take on that which scares us is proof that we have succeeded in thousands of ways,” said Cruz Ramírez.
She encouraged her classmates to “walk away with confidence, and not just our victories, but in our failures as well, the things we’d rather not put on display, the tests that we didn’t do so well on, the many scholarships we applied for but didn’t get.”
“Because today is a beautiful milestone that represents four years of resilience and hard work,” said Cruz Ramírez.
Success, she said, isn’t always defined “in the form of cords and medals.”
“I challenge you to expand your definition of success beyond what is just flashy to the things that you believe should be celebrated no matter how small, even if it is a failure,” she said. “That’s not to say you have to list your mistakes on plaques or posters or even in your Instagram bios.
“But the failures deserve to be honored too, because they represent real, tangible growth and movement towards the future, a future that is full of life, excitement and more than anything, opportunities. Our failures and successes, whatever they may be, have brought us to the version of ourselves that exists here and now in our caps and gowns. And as we celebrate us, I hope you are nothing but proud of the person you have become.”
Fresno High Principal Linda Laettner also saluted the eight graduates who are candidate for the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a rigorous academic program that prepares students for the rigors of college.
The graduation ceremony for Fresno High’s 370 graduates was the last for the Fresno Unified School District’s comprehensive high schools.
Fresno High School
June 8, 2022
Save Mart Center / Fresno
Latino enrollment: 74.5%
Latino valedictorians: Yamilex Cruz Ramírez, Brayan Soto Díaz, Jaden Lynn Valencia, Inés Amarilis Fabián-Hicks, Aliyah Del Carmen Polanco, Justice Antonio Aguilera, Jennifer Abigail Ibarra Uriate, Joel Pérez Roldán, Eric López, Grace Magali Ángeles Torres, Kaelyn Brianna Barrios, Maricela Bernabe Tapia, Luis Kenai Preciado-Torres, Jazmín Alvarado Villegas, Catherine Monserrat López Romero, Jimena Santiago López, Lesly Melina Escobar Herrera, Jacqueline Ramírez Bello, Natalie Paris Castro, Maritssa Bebiana Vázquez
Highlight of ceremony: Justine Levine, the newest member of the school board, was greeted by awkward silence – and a couple of boos – when he mentioned he graduated 20 years ago … from Edison High School.
Quote: “As you continue on your journey to change the world, do so by celebrating your differences with respect, justice and equity. Take the opportunity to find out about what you have in common with someone. Instead of focusing on what separates you, find your voice and learn to use it,” said Fresno High Principal Linda Laettner.