Abbie Fang was introduced by their fellow valedictorian, Diya Vijit Nair:
Good afternoon, everyone. I’m honored to introduce our first valedictorian, someone who over the years, has proven to be nothing short of exceptional. They’re the co-founder of the Knit and Crochet Club, vice president of Mock Trial and treasurer of Science Olympiad. In high school, they excelled in all classes across the board, and in the fall, they’ll be studying applied mathematics at Emory University. In addition to all this, this person is unbelievably hard-working, kind and humble, and they’re also one of my closest friends. So it’s with great pleasure that I present Abbie Fang.
Good afternoon to the administration, teachers, staff, friends and families, and anybody else who might be out there listening to this, and of course, our Wilton High School graduating Class of 2026! Congratulations guys! We did it!
Okay cool, so hi guys! And hi, mom! To be honest (because we should always be honest, of course) I had nothing planned for this speech until about two days ago. I’m not a procrastinator, I’m just not much of a talker, let alone somebody qualified to be giving a speech, because really, I have nothing meaningful to say. My head is empty. I have no life lessons to share — please go ask your parents for those, or if you are the parents, I trust you.
But it is a once in a lifetime experience to be standing here and able to speak to this many people. And not just any people, but the people that I grew up with, that we all grew up with. Whether you’ve been here since you were too young to remember, or even if you just moved a couple years ago, even from afar or without ever speaking to one another, we’ve all seen each other become someone different. And there really is something intimate about knowing each other’s past versions — a version of you who can never be re-lived or experienced. It’s a privilege to hold that piece of history for one another.
Even though theoretically we were all just forced to be together by the bells and by the years we were born, there are some connections here that can last a lifetime; can [being the] keyword. It’s very easy to act as if we’re all strangers. I mean, I ignore people and the things I want to say to them all the time. But really, you are all people I can never forget.
Genuinely, our class is so capable and admirable — I feel like I get surprised everyday learning something new about someone I’ve known of since they were eight years old, somehow.
It’s weird, but even for some of you that I can’t really call my friends because I don’t really talk to you — I already know that I’ll miss you, and hearing about the things you’ve done and just being around you and to sorta kinda know you.
And for all of you, there is somebody like that. Somebody that will miss you, and it won’t just be the people you expect, and it will be for things that you never even thought were worth missing, but it only really sets in once you don’t get to see them anymore. Even if it was someone you never really knew at all.
So please remember to keep in touch, to reach out, to make plans, because people are missing you and thinking about you and wondering what you’re doing — not just when the calendar says it’s your birthday, but on the random quiet mornings, while folding laundry, or when we’re all eventually filing our taxes.
Thank you.
