Senior Speechers: Now Restricted and Censored
Senior speeches are one of the most beloved traditions at Western Reserve Academy. Sitting on the balcony seats and daydreaming about what to say in a senior speech has been a shared experience for many students. During their speech, seniors can talk about their experiences at WRA and the ups and downs in their lives. From their wise words, underclassmen can always receive helpful tips and insights into life at WRA.
“I like to hear seniors talk about their lives during senior speeches,” sophomore Addie Lewis said, “they have a lot of funny stories to tell.”
This year, the school administration decided to conduct many changes to the senior speech applications process. The main change includes establishing a committee to review drafts of senior speeches. Seniors were asked to submit their speeches by the 22nd of January to be considered for one of the speaking spots offered.
Many students from the school are unhappy with the new system. Senior Maddie Aliff told the Reserve Record, “the senior speech ‘selection committee’ not only breaks a long-standing tradition but hinders the voices of the student body.”
She adds, “by making the beloved tradition exclusive, you force students and their stories into a box that restricts their creative and emotional freedom.”
Maddie is not alone. Senior Ella Brooks said, “I feel like a lot of people in our class aren’t doing senior speeches this year.”
Even though members of the Student Life Office (SLO) have sent emails encouraging seniors to express interest while providing long extensions, many seniors still decided not to give speeches.
When asked why, Ella explained that “the school wants to make the seniors talk about WRA in a positive light.”
Many students believe that a desire to positively depict the school prompted WRA to establish senior speech policies, which they feel are inadequate in a tradition that was meant to be liberating and personal.
In speeches during early 2022, many seniors cried, showed vulnerability, and talked about their lives. Juniors and underclassmen related to those feelings and recognized that people are multi-faceted, wholesome, and genuine.
Students think that instead of establishing a committee that will “notify selected students with recommended or required revisions,” the school should encourage students to talk about their genuine experiences at Reserve.
According to Ella, “senior speeches should be telling lessons for the underclassman and juniors, about the positives AND negatives about Reserve.”
However, Mr. Raheem Jackson from the Student Life Office believes that the intention for changes in the senior speech system lies elsewhere.
When asked about committee revisions for the senior speeches, Mr. Jackson said “it is not necessarily about what you communicate, but [about] giving you a better perspective on how to communicate [the ideas] more effectively.”
In other words, Mr. Jackson and the SLO believe the committee is not about censorship but promoting effective communication methods.
Even so, a document regarding senior speech regulations provided by the Student Life Office states to “promote positivity” and “align with WRA values.” In another email that the SLO sent out, they suggested again to “not overshare” and “not share something that will negatively impact your peers.”
Like the seniors at Reserve, Mr. Jackson hopes senior speeches could “honor student voices and give the seniors an opportunity to speak to the juniors, the 10th graders, and the ninth graders.”
However, there lies an apparent miscommunication between the desires of the Student Life Office and the desires of the student body.
In response to student discontent about the changes done to the senior speech system, Mr. Jackson said, “I’m not aware. I wish that students had come to me to say how they felt or to express any concerns or questions about the intention of the process and about perceived limitations.”
He added “I wish that they had come to me. My doors are always open.”
– Jenny Su ’24
The Reserve Record 