Sample Speech: Homeschool to High School: My Journey of Growth and Change, Teresa Gorrell

SPEECH OF INTRODUCTION

Homeschooled to High School: My Journey of Growth and Change

TERESA GORRELL

QUINCY UNIVERSITY

Growing up, my typical school day was very different, compared to what most kids experienced. I’d roll out of bed, slide my feet into some slippers, and run downstairs. I ate breakfast in my pajamas, and then watched television with my sisters until my mom said that we needed “to hurry up and get ready for school!” At the sound of the school bus wheezing to a stop at the street corner, I’d press my nose against the window pane and watch the neighborhood kids board, one by one, weighed down by overstuffed backpacks and cartoon-themed lunchboxes. I lingered at the window until I could no longer see anything but a blur of yellow trailing off in the distance. image

image Teresa uses a personal story to gain her audience’s attention and draw them into her speech. This introductory anecdote sets the tone for the entire speech.

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Teresa uses animated gestures to emphasize her story.

Finally, it was time to start my own school day. I grabbed my notebook and gathered around the dining room table with my siblings. My mother brought out our textbooks and whatever else was needed for that day’s assignments.

Our homeschooling day had begun.

For me, being homeschooled was truly a joy. My family used a rigorous curriculum, but I truly relished the challenge. I worked at my own pace, progressing more quickly in the subjects that were easier for me and spending more time on the tougher ones. It was also fun to be able to spend so much time with my sisters.

This routine lasted from my preschool years until seventh grade. But then, things started to get tough. The coursework became increasingly difficult and the workload sometimes seemed crushing. By the end of my eighth-grade school year, I fell behind and had to work through the summer months to catch up. image

image Teresa speaks of both the joys and the challenges she experienced as a homeschooler, evoking the tension she felt in response to a major change in her life.

As a result of these events, at the start of my ninth-grade year, my parents decided to enroll me in the local public high school. This decision was quite upsetting: I’d enjoyed being homeschooled, despite the demanding work. The idea of change intimidated me, and I was anxious about leaving the comfortable familiarity of my home. I fought my parents’ decision fiercely, but their minds were made up. image

image Teresa gets to the crux of her speech—her transition from homeschooling to public school.

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Her smile and friendly demeanor connect with the audience.

One of my major fears as I walked through the doors on my first day of public school was entering the social scene. It’s not as if I had been completely isolated from the world the first fourteen years of my life. I belonged to a 4-H club, went to Sunday school, and played community softball. However, these activities didn’t adequately prepare me for the culture shock I experienced upon starting public school. I’d rarely been exposed to the kind of language that I began hearing in everyday conversation among my peers and sometimes even from my teachers.

image By stating some specific feelings that she experienced, Teresa gives authenticity to her story, promoting her credibility with the audience.

For the most part, I had to make friends from scratch. I was self-conscious; and I felt like I was always being inspected like a specimen under a microscope. image

As time went on, I slowly acclimated to my new environment. I joined school-sponsored clubs, which gave me the opportunity to bond with my peers. image I learned to appreciate the differences of those around me and I became more comfortable around my classmates and teachers.

image Teresa uses the phrase “As time went on,” to give a sense of movement and continuity to her story while also providing a transition to new main point.

As I continued to participate in school clubs and activities, I wanted to become more deeply involved. I began to take on leadership roles within these groups. I worked extensively with group members in planning and organizing, which forced me to polish my communication and cooperation skills. I proved to others and to myself that I was a capable leader.

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Teresa makes eye contact with audience members in all parts of the room.

Confidence was certainly not a trait I held prior to my freshman year of high school. However, in the process of branching out and exercising leadership, I began to trust my capabilities. image

image In two brief sentences, Teresa sums up her earlier challenges and how she overcame them and previews her next point—her growing confidence as a person and a leader.

image Here Teresa offers concrete examples of how she has overcome the challenges and uncertainties she faced earlier, reinforcing her central idea of growth and change.

Today, that feeling of self-assurance infuses all aspects of my life. I can now face unfamiliar situations with composure. I can deliver an impromptu speech, perform on stage, or introduce myself to someone new without a qualm. Becoming self-confident has strengthened me as a communicator, as a leader, and as an individual. image Looking back, I’m certain that the transition from a lifetime of homeschooling to the public school system was the most difficult challenge I’ve ever faced. Yet I don’t regret assuming the challenge. My high school experiences formed me, helping me to grow as a communicator, as a leader, and as an individual.

This past fall, I ventured out on another new expedition into another unknown realm—that of college. There’s so much to adapt to in the college setting. Dorm life certainly holds its fair share of potential for culture shock and personality conflicts. A first-year freshman college student must learn to balance extracurricular activities with studies and other responsibilities. The college years are an era of independence, a time of new freedoms and choices.

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Taking her speech seriously, Teresa dresses in a polished and pulled together way.

While no experience can fully prepare a person for change, I believe that my formative time in high school prepared me well for college. In high school, I built upon the foundation laid by my homeschool education. By becoming involved in groups, taking on leadership roles, and deliberately developing my character, I fashioned myself into a better version of me.

Now that I’m in college, my morning routine has reverted back to my homeschool days. Every morning I roll out of bed, push my feet into some slippers, and eat breakfast in my pajamas. Then I rush to dress and get ready for the day.

image Teresa returns to the same imagery, first offered in the introduction, of her morning routine as a homeschooled child. But Teresa adds a dramatic twist: She’s no longer a child on the outside but a confident college student who’s “broken through glass.” Concluding a speech by using elements of the introduction brings the speech full circle, while offering a strong final image that leaves a lasting impression on the audience.

Walking at the edge of campus on my way to class, I watch children across the street trudging up the giant steps to a big yellow bus. My eyes stay fixed on the school bus as it shuts its doors and rolls away. The sight always brings me back to those memories of having my nose pressed against a glass pane, peering out into the “real world” and wondering what it was like. Through my struggles and lessons in high school, it’s as though the glass has been broken. I’ve entered the real world, and I’m still in the process of defining who I am and where I fit in it. My past experiences will continue to guide me as I become the person I dream to be. image