Nine years ago I was asked to speak at a few Middle School DARE graduations....I always keep my notes in my phone..and this one came up today....as I read it, it occurred to me that a lot of adults could use these words and I needed to hear them today too. Hope it helps someone in social media land!
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DARE GRADUATION SPEECH
12/19/12
- Angie Asmann
Don't worry, I'm not going to make you do push-ups!
In all seriousness....Congratulations to all of you on such a significant accomplishment. I have a few words for you to consider and think about as you grow up and become community leaders
Be brave....be brave enough to create your own path and defend your beliefs. Sometimes you will lead and sometimes you will follow but you must stay true to yourself
Be strong...lead the way and stand up for what you believe...and know that a really strong person recognizes the strengths of others
Be thankful .....find something everyday to be thankful for...learn to be thankful no matter where you are in your life.
Be healthy...your future and your life depend on it. Love yourself and your friends and family enough to keep your body, mind and spirit healthy
Finally...Be happy...and shine from within in all of your actions and words. Give back to others and allow them to shine with you. Do all you can to make your world a healthy and happy place to BE
Congratulations again! You should all be very proud of yourselves and each other!
Thank you.