Valedictorian And Salutatorian Speak For Class of 2022 At NBHS Graduation Ceremonies

Noora Nassir Sahoobah and Javeria Jalil, the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the New Britain High School Class of 2022, addressed their classmates at graduation ceremonies held under sunny skies Thursday morning (June 23) at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

In their remarks to fellow classmates Sahoobah and Jalil reflected on the tragedy of gun violence, the challenges of school in the days of COVID and the coming transition into the next stage of life.

Editor’s note: The following are the scheduled speeches by Noora Nassir Sahoobah and Javeria Jalil, the Valedictorian and Salutatorian of the New Britain High School Class of 2022, courtesy of the Consolidated School District of New Britain.

Graduation Speech by Noora Nassir Sahoobah, Valedictorian of the New Britain High School Class of 2022

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, my name is Noora Nassir Sahoobah and it is a tremendous privilege and honor to stand here on behalf of the class of 2022. I’m most thankful that all of you here are able to share these precious moments with us as we conclude our journey at New Britain High School.

I would like to first thank my mother, Ebtasam Ali Sahoobah for always staying by my side and being my biggest supporter. She was and will always be around during my happiest moments. All throughout my life, she turned my sad moments into happy ones. I will always be by her side and she will always be by mine. I also would like to thank my father, Amen Saad Sahoobah for making the decision to enroll me in NBHS as it is one of the main reasons I was able to meet such great friends and teachers. Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today and I appreciate the support he has provided me with throughout my whole life. I obviously have to thank my little brother Youseph Sahoobah for always being somebody I could talk to about anything, even though I do sometimes feel like knocking him out. I also most definitely have to thank the most amazing counselor out there, Mrs. McGloin. I seriously consider her as my best friend, all because of the good vibes she brings everytime I stop by her room. Her energy is seriously unmatched.

I would like to mention that I am extremely happy I moved to New Britain my freshman year of high school. The diversity in this city is astounding. For elementary and middle school, I lived in a non-diverse town and it was hard to fit in. When I first walked into New Britain High, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many Muslim individuals as myself. For those of you who don’t know I am from Yemen and I take great pride in being from there. I am honored to say that I am the first Yemeni-American Valedictorian at NBHS and I am absolutely thrilled to be representing my community here today. The Yemeni community in New Britain is growing exponentially and that is unfortunately in part due to war and the biggest Humanitarian Crisis occurring in Yemen.

Next, I feel obligated to mention some regretful news. Approximately 3,044 students of the high school class of 2021 in the U.S were supposed to graduate. These students are known as the Lost Class and their lives were sadly taken from them due to gun violence. As for the class of 2022 in the U.S as a whole, who knows how many students should have graduated with us. Let us please take a moment of silence, for everyone who has lost their lives from gun violence and for the students who should have walked down the aisle and graduated. (take a 5-10second moment of silence).

It is strange how quickly 4 years have passed and this, perhaps, is the last time the class of 2022 will be sitting together. This may be the last time, but our memories will forever stay with us. Like Mrs. Mathur, my chemistry teacher said, she may forget our names, but will always remember our faces. Cherish these memories as some of you may never experience this again. Most of you will move on and make new friends elsewhere. If not, then treasure the friendships that you have as much as you can. The friends I have made the past four years are the best of the best and no one will compare. I hope all of you feel the same way about your friends. I sincerely wish we all could maintain a connection with all of our friends after high school.

After being in quarantine for nearly 2 years due to COVID, it has been very difficult for many students to adjust for this school year, me being one of them. If you were able to live through your senior year after the difficulties faced the past few years, be absolutely proud of yourself and don’t let anyone doubt the success you have achieved. CLASS OF 2022, all of your efforts have paid off. Simply attending school is an achievement. We don’t need an award or a medal to show that we’re great. We are all outstanding individuals who deserve to be recognized. Thank you everyone and I wish you all the best. CLASS OF 2022 WE MADE IT!

Graduation Speech by Javeria Jalil, Salutatorian of the New Britain High School Class of 2022

Welcome parents, families, staff members, administrators, dignitaries, and most importantly the graduating class of 2022.

Hello. Hola. Dzień dobry. Bonjour. Assalamualaikum. These are the typical phrases that surround me in New Britain, CT and I am grateful that New Britain has exposed me to many cultures, lifestyles, and people, giving me the greatest taste of diversity.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Javeria Jalil, yup we went to high school together, or as I am known by my substitute teacher, Javier. All jokes aside, I, Javeria Jalil am a proud Pakistani American Muslim woman and it’s truly an honor to be this year’s salutatorian. I’m excited to share in the intensity of emotions filling this stadium, as this is a chapter of new beginnings, new opportunities, and a starting point for a positive change.

Certainly, our parents and families have a lot to be proud of. Families, just imagine that in a few months many of us will be going off to college, getting a job, or joining the military, and you’ll get what you’ve been waiting for a long time… dreaming of all the ways to turn that now empty bedroom into office space.

In all, this year has been difficult with the pandemic, transitioning from remote learning to in-person learning has been quite the change for us all: forgetting how to interact with people, sleeping through our classes, fighting with siblings, and getting to really know our siblings. I don’t think I knew my siblings before the pandemic to be quite frank. As a community, we have been through so much in our past 4 years, life didn’t get easier or more forgiving, instead as a community we got stronger and more resilient, adapting to the changes and the unforeseen difficulties.

First off, I would like to thank the girl sitting next to me in class who had parents who weren’t native to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave; she made me realize that we shared the same struggles I have with my parents. I would like to thank my parents for the sacrifices they have made for my well-being and happiness. My mother for raising and nurturing me into the confident adult I am today and my father for influencing me to have a good work ethic in school and going against the odds, and my siblings Usman and Laiba for always supporting me.

I would also like to thank Ms.Mazadoorian for helping me through my college process, Ms. Habib for inspiring me in my educational goals, and I can’t forget to mention, Mr.Pigeon, for the endless snacks and for giving us a final exam even though we are graduating seniors. I also want to mention my best
friends: Martha, Testenero, the twins Kamila & Klaudia, and Marijah. Whether it was struggling through AP Bio or laughing hysterically during class it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun without you guys. I will miss spending time with you all, but know the connections that we have built over the past 4 years will continue in new ways as we head to college.

High school has made me realize a few things that I’d like to share. The first is about independence, we each need to rely mainly on ourselves. Independence helps you to develop the best version of to our happiness, challenge us in the best way, and bring out the best in us. You shouldn’t stoop down to the level of others, as others may not want the best for you. And it’s ok to walk away from those who don’t have your best interest at heart. We have waited years to graduate from high school but we’re now realizing that this point of transition is going to be harder than we thought. We have spent years yearning for independence, and now that we have independence in our own hands, it is scary. During this transition, you are done being who you were, a high school kid who wakes up at 6 am, gets dressed, gets on the bus, and roams the same high school hallways. You’re done with that. And so that’s an achievement but it’s also the end of something, it’s the end of an identity. And now it’s time for you to choose who you are? Have a vision because for once, you get to choose.

Class ranks do not matter, your destination matters. This voyage is in your hands, you are the one who can design the map to this destination, not the GPS or the GPA. To our graduates relish the moment on this special day as you march on this stage to become adults, dream about the life you are about to venture upon, and cherish this moment with friends and family.

In closing, I would like to say Felicidades, Gratulacje, Félicitations, Mabrook, and finally Congratulations to the class of 2022.