Sample Farewell Speech for University & College Students
Sample farewell speech for university, school, and colleges, special schools, special educational institutes, and special training centers.
Farewell Speech Sample
Aslam-o–Alekum. My name is Minahil Meher, and I would like to say a few words about my experience here at AH Foundation.
“Special needs” are commonly defined by what a child can’t do: milestones unmet, activities avoided, and experiences denied. These minuses hit families hard and may make “special needs” seem like a tragic designation. But here at AH Foundation, I have learned that the aim is to find the underlying strengths of these children that will help them excel in certain fields and help them grow into a more respected part of society.
Many people spend their whole lives wondering what their purpose in life is, whether they have a greater calling, something bigger than themselves, or not. We may still not be 100% sure what our mission is, but what we do know for sure is that the time we’ve spent here was part of our ultimate mission or goal of life. We have helped the children reach their fullest potential, found a way to comfort, calm them, battled on behalf of their rights, making every day of our working lives a form of a personal crusade.
We not only accepted the children for who they are, but we embraced them whole-heartedly as if they were our very own. It is true that “with great power comes great responsibility,” and though we may not be superheroes, we have tried to protect these children from every harm and catered for their every need.
I have realized that working with a special child brings with it abundant opportunities for grace. It slows you down and allows you to enjoy the little things; a hard-won skill, a tight hug, a pleasant conversation, and spontaneous displays of love. I have learned how to do research, find information, and understand what specialists are talking about. And I have learned through hard experience that you cannot wait for the answers to come to you and that if you don’t go out and find them, things will never get done.
It is often said by people who mean well that working with children with special needs “requires the patience of a saint.” It is not true. It requires human compassion, something more of us have than we seem ready to acknowledge. A growth chart for us internees would represent our doubt in our abilities to handle such an overwhelming challenge. Yet, with time, we have managed to reach greater percentiles by controlling the situations we have faced every day.
Maybe at one time, we were probably at the bottom of the chart, but with time we passed the first percentile, then the 5th, growing a little steadier, then the 10th, growing a little stronger. Finally, somewhere around the 50th, 60th percentile, we found acceptance of the children’s debilities and were able to enjoy their unique gifts. As we grew in knowledge of and advocacy for their special needs, we also grew in patience, tolerance, and spirituality.
These three weeks at AH Foundation have been challenging, but successfully working with the special children and creating within their little hearts love for us has made our triumph even sweeter. With the help of teaching staff, administration, and fellow volunteers, our journey here was made an absolute delight. I want to thank Dr. Rosey and Mrs. Firdous for allowing all of us to gain experience by working with these blessed children and the opportunity to grow. We can now walk out of this building with our heads held high, but only to return and give back a lot more than what we have received.
