How to Write a Salutatorian Speech

Delivering a salutatorian speech is a great honor. But before you can deliver it, you have to write it. Before you begin, think about your topic and find out how long you have to speak. Thoughtfully structure your speech, and solicit comments on it from trusted teachers, families, and friends. Use clear transitions between the various ideas and parts of your speech to make it clear and memorable.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Knowing Your Limits and Choosing a Topic

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Find out what your limits are. Ask the person in charge of the graduation ceremony to tell you about how much time you have. Additionally, inquire about limitations on topics. For instance, you might be discouraged from giving a speech that has the same theme or content as that of the valedictorian’s speech.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Finding out what your limits are ahead of time will prevent you from extensively rewriting your speech later after you’ve discovered your speech is too long or does not address the right topic.
- It usually takes about two minutes to read a double-spaced page.
^{[2]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} You’ll be speaking to graduates and their families. Therefore, your speech should be relatable and comprehensible across generations. Avoid inappropriate jokes and language, and keep cultural references that only someone of your generation is likely to understand to a minimum.^{[3]XResearch source}
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Choose your topic. Write about a topic that you can courteously and truthfully speak about. The topic should also allow you to explore themes or issues that everyone in your graduating class can relate to.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Common topics include why graduation is special or why you’re proud of your graduating class.
- Choose a topic you have a genuine interest in, not one that you feel you are supposed to show interest in.
- To help you brainstorm, talk to your friends, parents, and/or classmates about what they’d most like to hear in a speech.
Reading famous speeches can often inspire you to find the language or focus that your speech needs for success. Reading other salutatorian speeches is the best option, but reading any great speech will help.^{[5]XResearch source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Structuring Your Speech

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Write, for instance, “Thank you, Chancellor Ramirez, for your kind introduction.” Find out who will be introducing you in advance so you can incorporate their name into your speech.^{[6]XResearch source}
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Introduce yourself. After writing a brief passage thanking the person who introduced you, introduce yourself simply by name. Include your personal feelings about being selected to deliver the salutatorian speech.^{[7]XResearch source}
- You might write, for instance, “As the Chancellor said, I am Noah Wimbly, and I am so honored to stand here before you today.”
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Tell the audience what you’ll be speaking about. The audience will be more engaged and get more from the speech if you tell them explicitly what your speech is about. Pointing out the main idea(s) of the speech in this way will also help you stay on topic as you write.^{[8]XResearch source}
- For instance, you might write, “I want to speak to you about three things: justice, knowledge, and peace.”
- If you cannot boil the subject and major points of your speech down into a sentence or two, you should rethink your structure.
^{[9]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} A good story or anecdote can provide the framework for a captivating and memorable salutatorian speech. You could write a story about yourself and your experience, or about a classmate or teacher.^{[10]XResearch source}
Talk about why your academic career and those of the other graduates has prepared you for a bright future. You might also talk about the proud and storied history of your school and how the values of the school have translated down to you and your graduating class.^{[11]XResearch source}
Structure your speech so that each section flows logically into the next. For instance, if you’re transitioning between a section on justice and into a section on knowledge you might say, “And without justice, there can be no knowledge.” Writing in this way will give the speech clear turning points and help the audience better understand your message.^{[12]XResearch source}

Part 3

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Closing the Speech

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Ending with a call to action is a rousing and inspiring way to end your salutatorian speech. For instance, you might write, “Let’s use our gifts and our time to make this world a better place.”^{[13]XResearch source}
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Give thanks. Thank your teachers, parents, friends, and family. Explain why you’re thankful for each, in turn. For instance, you might write: “I want to thank Mr. Ivanov for always challenging me to improve my reading and writing abilities.”^{[14]XResearch source}
- Additionally, thank the audience for their time and for attending.
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Don’t feel obligated to use all the time. If you can craft a punchy speech that only takes 10 minutes to read but you’ve been allotted 15 minutes, don’t develop a bunch of filler material just to use up all the time. Doing so will only hurt the final speech and bore your audience.^{[15]XResearch source}
- It’s also a good idea to keep your speech short because the schedules of large events like graduations often fall apart. A shorter speech could prove helpful toward getting the schedule back on track, if necessary.^{[16]XResearch source}

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Editing the Speech

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1
Read your speech aloud before delivering it.^{[17]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} Part of the editing process requires reading your speech aloud. This will help you practice your rhythm, timing, and intonation. Use the time you spend reading aloud to identify passages that might look good when written down, but fall flat when delivered orally.^{[18]XResearch source}
- Revise passages that sound clunky or awkward when read aloud.
- Read your speech out loud both to yourself and to a small audience of friends or family. Incorporate your test audience’s feedback into the speech.
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Add and cut parts of the speech where necessary. If your speech is too long, find less important material that you can remove. If your speech feels thin in some places, add more material to make your story or points more robust.^{[19]XResearch source}
- Time your speech using your smartphone to check on the flow and length of the speech.
Get a parent, teacher, or other trusted writer to review your speech for tone, content, and word choice. Use their feedback to refine your speech and make it even better.
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Practice the speech for several weeks before graduation.^{[20]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} Practicing the speech repeatedly will help you become comfortable giving the speech in front of a large audience. By the time of the graduation ceremony, you might even have it mostly memorized.
- It's a good idea to practice in front of audiences. Ask your family and friends if they'd be willing to listen to you practice the speech a few times before graduation.

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Can you practice your speech?
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others.
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Expert Answer
Yes! Always practice a speech before you give it. Stand in front of a mirror and recite your speech, or film yourself giving the speech. Practice it several times.
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How can I welcome guests in my speech?
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To welcome guests in your speech, write, "Welcome guests, graduates, and teachers to [school name]'s class of [graduation year] graduation ceremony."
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Do I welcome the guest before thanking the person introducing us?
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Always thank the person introducing you first.
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If there's a word you've written but never spoken, make sure you're pronouncing it right before you actually deliver the speech.
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