Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Marc Giauque ReportingA lot of advice will fly in the direction of graduating high school seniors tonight and in the coming days. But, even some seasoned commencement speakers aren't sure that what they say will actually stick.
James didn't graduate High School.
"I didn't even get past the seventh grade."
He describes what he's doing now as simply "living". No home, he spends a lot of his time at Pioneer Park. If given the chance, though, he'd give this advice.
"Have very good manners, they need to also learn how to deal with the real world, because we do know that the real world is a lot different from school."
After all, "Life isn't just tough, you know what I am saying? Life has all kinds of situations, but it's just how we handle them situations."
Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. certainly comes from a different perspective. He's either given or will give about a half-dozen commencement speeches this year. What's he saying?
"Find your passion in life."
Huntsman says having teenagers at the Governor's mansion gives him insight into what young graduates may be thinking.
"The point in life right after high school where people need to get serious about number one, learning and appreciating the work ethic, and number two, finding your real passion deep with in and then building you life around that passion."
At Brighton High School students will graduate next week. Their principal, Robert Sproul will retire after 29 years in education.
"That's my graduation commencement address right there."
The words take up less than a page, he's urging others to keep their comments short as well. Too long, he says will be torture for the students, many of whom won't remember what was said anyway.
"They are to excited, there an anticipating a bit of a celebration afterwards with friends and family, and I think that's what probably is what's central."
So do you or don't you remember what was said when you got that diploma?
"No."
"I mean I remember the valedictorian and the class president spoke and that's about it."
This group, who's been out of high school from 37-years to two days offers some advice.
"Don't screw up in school."
"Times goes fast, use it up."
"Work hard and be happy."
My advice? Maybe it's simply to take a few seconds to write down a thing or two about the experience, you may want to remember it one day.
