Building a tradition where high school seniors share a personal narrative has helped this school community honor each and every student experience.

In many high schools, only the top few highest-performing students get the chance to give a speech sharing a reflection on their school journey. But at Casco Bay High School, in Portland, Maine, every graduating senior experiences this opportunity. Through a series of introspective writing exercises, students craft a speech to deliver to an audience of classmates, family, and the greater school community that helps them make meaning of their four years of high school and look to the future with confidence. The result is a powerful, joyful event—and an established rite of passage that the school’s younger students look forward to.