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| "War": photo, inks, watercolor. |
2GN2S ...
Nonspeaking student with autism gives moving commencement speech
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| Rollins College valedictorian Elizabeth Bonker ’22, |
A college valedictorian who has not spoken since the age of 15 months due to autism delivered a moving commencement speech, urging her fellow graduates to use their own voices.
"God gave you a voice. Use it," Elizabeth Bonker told the graduating class of Rollins College in her May 8 commencement speech. "And no, the irony of a non-speaking autistic encouraging you to use your voice is not lost on me. Because if you can see the worth in me, then you can see the worth in everyone you meet."
Bonker was unanimously chosen by her four fellow valedictorians to
deliver the speech to the college's 529 graduating students. She used a
text-to-speech computer program to deliver her speech, according to
Rollins College, a private college in Winter Park, Florida.
"Personally, I have struggled my whole life with not being heard or accepted," Bonker said in her speech. "A story on the front page of our local newspaper reported how the principal at my high school told a staff member, 'The retard can't be valedictorian.'" She continued, "Yet today, here I stand. Each day, I choose to celebrate small victories, and today, I am celebrating a big victory with all of you."
You can read more: here.
You can hear her moving speech: here.
Update ...
Throwback Thursday ...
WonderWoman's special day, 1995.
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| Cerulean Warbler |
Thanks for coming by today.
6 comments:
Adding the pops of red make this piece striking. :-)
Beautiful photo of you and Erin. And I love the story of the valedictorian. Thank you for always posting great stuff.
Thank you , John! I thought you might say that?
Thanks Carrol, somehow something usually turns up if I am lucky.
Your photos of this Kaiser Medical facility are fascinating. The palm trees and the blue sky are a symbol of summer, luck, holidays, ... for a good time. After a very fresh spring the last two days were very summerlike. Either it is cold or hot, but I prefer hot days.
Very interesting blog again, Jacki!
Thank you, Elenor! I do like to take photos of the building & palms.
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