Roselle Ambubuyog Commencement Speech

Summary

The speaker reflects on their transformative experience at Ateneo, where they learned the value of striving for excellence from a mentor's encouragement to aim for an 'A' despite already having a high grade. They recount overcoming challenges as a blind student, participating in activities like fencing and ballroom dancing, and adapting to academic requirements with the support of faculty. The narrative also touches on the speaker's advocacy for the blind, their unexpected selection as class valedictorian, and the realization of their inspirational role within the community.

Takeaways

• 📚 The speaker learned the value of striving for excellence from Dr. Fleur de Lisa Francisco during their freshman year at Ateneo.
• 🏆 The speaker achieved a B+ in Math21 and was encouraged to take the final exam to potentially raise their grade to an A.
• 🎯 The speaker aimed for a score of 189 out of 200 on the final exam, which they achieved, despite the challenge of high-stakes questions.
• 🔍 The speaker's experience with a small mistake on the final exam (forgetting to indicate a hollow point on a graph) led to a valuable lesson in attention to detail.
• 👩‍🏫 Dr. Francisco's mentorship was tough but influential, instilling a commitment to excellence and not settling for 'good enough'.
• 🧪 Accommodations were made for the speaker's blindness in science labs, such as using braille labels and tactile models, rather than exemptions.
• 🤺 The speaker's determination to participate in physical activities like fencing and ballroom dancing, despite concerns, shows their spirit of inclusion.
• 👥 Students initially had difficulty adjusting to a blind classmate but eventually came to view the speaker as a source of motivation.
• 🎬 The speaker's humor and resilience were evident when joining friends for a movie, turning a potentially awkward situation into a bonding experience.
• 🌟 The speaker chose to engage in extracurricular activities that were meaningful given their blindness, such as advocating for the blind and training them in adaptive technologies.
• 🏅 Despite initial reluctance, the speaker was chosen as class valedictorian, reflecting the respect and admiration of their peers and the community.

Q & A

What lesson did the speaker learn early in their freshman year at Ateneo?

The speaker learned the importance of striving for excellence and not settling for good enough, as emphasized by Dr. Fleur de Lisa Francisco when she encouraged the speaker to take the final exam to potentially raise their grade from a B+ to an A.

What was the score required on the final exam for the speaker to achieve an A grade?

The speaker needed to score 189 out of 200 on the final exam to achieve an A grade.

Why did the speaker's teacher, Dr. Francisco, encourage them to take the final exam?

Dr. Francisco encouraged the speaker to take the final exam to challenge them to strive for excellence and not to settle for a B+ grade, even though it was already a high grade.

How did the speaker's experience with Dr. Francisco influence their academic performance?

The experience motivated the speaker to commit to excellence, leading to achieving straight A's in five terms and a total of 49 A's throughout their academic career.

What accommodations were made for the speaker in their chemistry and physics laboratory work?

The speaker was not exempted from laboratory work and was provided with modifications such as Braille labels on lab equipment and the use of modeling clay and bendable wires to create 3D representations instead of drawing them.

Why did the speaker decide to take up fencing and ballroom dancing?

The speaker wanted to make the most of their time at Ateneo and participate in activities despite their blindness, showing determination and a desire for inclusion.

How did the speaker's classmates initially react to having a blind classmate?

Initially, some classmates were resentful and distracted by the speaker's use of Braille during tests, but over time they became more accustomed to it and found the speaker's determination inspiring.

What was the speaker's approach to extracurricular activities and student organizations?

The speaker chose to engage in activities where their blindness was significant and worked with organizations to train blind students and advocate for the inclusion of the disabled in education and employment.

Why was the speaker initially reluctant to be class valedictorian?

The speaker was reluctant to be class valedictorian because they did not want people to think they were selected due to their blindness making them seem special, rather than for their achievements.

What changed the speaker's mind about accepting the role of class valedictorian?

The speaker was influenced by a fellow summa laude candidate who submitted an essay in support of the speaker, and by Dr. Quinn Alicia, who convinced the speaker of the inspiration their story provided to the community.

What was the main message the speaker hoped to convey in their speech?

The speaker hoped to encourage reflection on personal experiences and choices, and to inspire commitment to excellence and the pursuit of challenges ahead.