Commencement Speech

May - the month of graduation. When valedictorians and salutatorians prepare their speeches to present in front of crowds. Graduation caps and gowns are treated with such care, being readied for the big day. Gifts are purchased to wish the graduate best wishes for a bright future and congratulations on a job well done. Parties are organized down to the smallest detail, just to celebrate this milestone.

The room is an auditorium crowded full. The graduating class marches forward to the front and sits in the first few rows of seats. On the stage, the faculty sits surrounded by roses. The dean (or superintendent, if it's a high school) rises and walks to the podium, makes a few opening remarks or a prayer, then introduces the guest speaker who will present the commencement speech...

What's that you say? What does all this have to do with ViM's May Prompt? Well, I hear all of you, and don't worry, I am getting to that. I want to set the mood, the scene if you will. Pull you all into a graduation ceremony. The memories of the ones from your past.

🎓

Are you there, in your memories? Sitting in your cap and gown, listening to the dean/superintendent introduce the guest speaker? Are you there? Good.

Now, here is what ViM wants you to do! We want you to write a Commencement Speech as if you were invited to speak to this year's graduating class. We want you to make the speech you wished you would have gotten.

🎓

So, get your thinking caps on, decide what you think is the most important, and get to writing.

1. Write a Commencement Speech
2. Use 500 words or less
3. Post in the Writer or Critique Communities, due to word length.
4. Comment with the link to your speech below to enter
5. UnOfficial Challenge begins May 10, 2025, and ends May 26, 2025
6. Voting begins May 27, 2025, to June 2, 2025

That's it. That's all we want you to do this month. We're looking forward to all of your entries.

Prizes

• First place: $5
• Second place: $2
• Third place $1

🎓

Thank you always for taking the time to check out ViM's May Prompt. We hope it inspires you this month.