"A Training Ground for Life" - Jocelyn Richling Shares as GISH Graduation Student Speaker

May 12, 2025

On Sunday, May 11th, 2025, Grand Island Senior High honored nearly 600 graduating Seniors at the annual Commencement Ceremony.  Part of the program included a message shared by a student speaker, per school tradition.  Jocelyn Richling, a member of GISH National Honor Society and a positive, vocal student leader, shared a message with her graduating class and the packed arena of the Heartland Events Center.  Below is a transcript of her impactful speech.

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Good afternoon, everyone-teachers, family, friends, and fellow graduates! 

My name is Jocelyn Richling, and I am honored to stand before you today as a member of the Grand Island Senior High Class of 2025. 
 

I still remember coming home after my first day of high school, completely overwhelmed and convinced I didn’t belong. I told my mom I wanted to transfer schools. I was certain that this place just wasn’t right for me. Everything felt unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. But instead of giving up, she encouraged me to focus on what I could control. I took it one day at a time, one challenge at a time, and just kept moving forward. 
 

At the same time, the pandemic had left the whole world feeling uncertain...

Would we ever walk through the halls without masks on?

Would we ever get to sit together in the lunchroom again?

It often felt like we were stuck in time, yet, we still kept going. 
 

That next year, I remember getting back the grade from my first Chemistry test-my heart sank in the realization that this was going to be much harder than I thought. So there I sat in Mrs. Fisk’s class, slouched in my chair and wondered to myself…what am I going to have for lunch? But, also questioning how will I ever make it through this class? In those moments, we had to learn to just keep going. 
 

There have been so many times over the last four years when it felt like high school was never going to end. From the late nights doing homework, to the early morning practices, and the afternoon hours spent working part-time jobs. What we’ve learned is that it isn’t about always having confidence, it’s about continuing to move forward even when you’re filled with doubt. It’s about growing stronger in the face of adversity. I know each of us carries our own unique story filled with challenges, setbacks, and moments when we felt like giving up. Yet here we are, just minutes away from receiving our diplomas. That alone speaks volumes. 
 

High school has been more than a place of learning: it has been a training ground for life.

We have faced adversity time and time again, and each time we rose-maybe not immediately-but we rose. The future will bring its own set of mountains to climb. There will be challenges that make us question our paths and our potential. At first the hallways of Senior High felt unfamiliar, but overtime, they began to be filled with people and memories that made us feel like we belong here, as Islanders. And unlike the uncertain freshman we once were, we now stand equipped with the strength these past four years have built within us.  We’ve learned how to “do hard things” and do them well. So as we look ahead to what is next, we carry the confidence that we can face whatever comes. The last four years taught us how to persevere, believe in ourselves, and to just keep going. 
 

It is now time to turn the page, to close this chapter and begin writing the next.

Before we do this, I want to take some time to thank everyone who has helped us get here: our teachers, administrators, coaches, support staff, school boards, and families. We couldn’t have done it without your support and unwavering belief in us. You have shaped us into who we are becoming.

And to the Class of 2025, we have faced many challenges, grown stronger, and what I think is most important, created memories that will last a lifetime. 

Congratulations, Class of 2025!

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