Don’t let failure get in your way
Published 4:27 pm Tuesday, May 29, 2018
T.R. Miller’s co-valedictorians Garrett Cave and Myra Reiss encouraged their classmates to keep pressing forward.
“Sitting here on this stage tonight is the beginning of a new and exciting chapter of our lives,” Cave said. “But it is also the end for what we have known for the majority of our lives. Until very recently, 2018 seemed into the distant future. And while this is exciting for some and scary for others, it is undeniable that the last 13 years of our lives have shaped us into who we are today.”
Cave said that TRM is a unique place.
“It is very hard to find a community that supports its local students the way Brewton has supported all of us, from packing the stands at a football game to providing opportunities for us to grow academically and as people. We also have our teachers and administrators to thank for preparing us for this next chapter of our lives,” he said.
Cave said that throughout their lives they have faced ups and downs, successes and failures.
WSN val, sal plan medical careers
WSN Valedictorian Paige Joyner and Salutatorian Allison Nall are excited about the future.
Joyner has been an outgoing student with her time at WS Neal, being in the band for six years and being a majorette for four years along with being majorette captain her senior year, was president
TRM co-vals headed to Auburn
T.R. Miller’s Garrett Cave and Myra Reiss were tied in GPA.
School officials took the GPA out nine decimal points and still couldn’t break the tie, so it was agreed the pair would share the title of valedictorian.
Cave and Reiss plan to attend Auburn in the fall.
“There are many more of these trials ahead of us as we begin the rest of our lives,” he said. “But there is much more glory and satisfaction in trying hard than in taking the easy route or not trying at all. And most importantly, when you inevitably encounter the first failure, do not let that keep you from trying again.”
Reiss began her speech with a quote from Mother Teresa.
“Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.”
“Classmates, thank you for all the laughs and memories. I am excited to see what the future holds for all of us. With that being said, I challenge each of you to find what you love and do it. Discovering what you want to do with your life is not an easy thing to do.
First, you must believe that you can do anything you set your mind to. If you believe in yourself, everything will fall into place. Get up every morning and say to yourself, ‘I can do it,’ and do not be afraid to fail. Failure is a part of life, and without it there is no achievement. Every successful person in this world has one thing in common: none of them gave up. So be persistent. It does not matter how slow you go as long as you keep going.”