Class speaker Sadie Schimming's speech

Hello, and good afternoon class of 2026. I am honored to have the opportunity to speak in front of you today, one of the more important days of our lives.

 

Whether you’re feeling sentimental, or are ready to race off the stage with your diploma, I encourage you to take a moment to think about the person, or people who have helped you to get to this turning point in your life. Your parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, teachers. When was the last time you thanked them for their support, their helpfulness, their commitment to you? I urge you to thank them for everything they’ve done for you before you leave high school, no matter what your future plans are. 

 

They are the people who make our community in Waseca something to miss. Our commitment to each other, whether it’s cheering on our sports teams, watching our bands and choirs perform, or congratulating our seniors as they graduate from high school, the community shows up and makes a difference. One of my favorite memories about our community comes from the Waseca Marching Classic- seeing what seemed like our entire town show up for the parade and cheer on the band is something I won’t forget soon. Sometimes I think we don’t realize how lucky we are to have a community like this. We don’t realize that other places don’t have such a close community who cares for one another. And when we do, we realize it far too late, once we no longer have a chance to really reflect on how special what we have is.

 

 So I encourage you to do that now. Think about a time where you felt like the community had your back. Now  think about a time when you did that for someone else. How difficult was it- really- to be a part of a community? To give just  a smidgeon of  your time for someone else? Not too terrible, right? How did it make you feel to be a part of something like that? 

 

We are so lucky that it’s so easy to be a part of a community here in Waseca, but on the next step of your journey, seniors, it might not be so easy. So I urge you to make a difference. Make it easy to be a part of a community everywhere you go. Be a person who spends their time for others, not just for themselves. Use your skills, your talents, and the things you’ve learned here at Waseca High School to make that difference.

 

Creating community doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. You can build community by simply talking to your neighbors, volunteering at a food shelf every once in a while, or watching your favorite team play with your friends. I’ve learned so much about our community through my volunteering at the Neighborhood Service Center- even for just a few hours a week. In a world that is constantly becoming more digitalized and self-centered, you can make a difference, especially once we realize how truly easy it can be.

 

So, class of 2026: what will you do to make a difference?