To all those graduating from high school this year, or in future years, I would like to share a speech that I wrote for graduation. I believe that the messages and lessons it conveys are not only universal, but important, too. Every one has their own messages and lessons to share that are all so valuable, mine are really just a drop in the bucket. My speech is for those too scared to speak about their challenges and those too nervous to share their vulnerabilities.

Here is the speech...

To be honest I was going to give a sugar-coated speech, but then I thought and thought, and realized that I couldn't. I have learned so much and to truly say what I have learned I realized that I need to open myself up, tell you all why I am who I am and be brave.

For those of you who don’t know me— a quirky 18-year-old girl who sees the world in a different light—I have learned that every person has their own unique challenges. Every challenge is different but, in the end, I do believe that the challenges we all endure let us all see light in the world.

Like everyone, I have had my own mountains to climb. At age 16, I was diagnosed with Asperger's, a mild form of autism that affects me in many more ways than I can tell you. Basically, my thoughts fly at 1,000 miles per hour and that makes it hard to get words out of my mouth. I am also quite an introvert. In addition to Asperger’s I was diagnosed with severe migraines in the 5th grade, which has at times sent me to the ER. Just like all of you, there is so much more to the story and I believe my story is more than my challenges. I believe my story involves fearlessness, joy, and laughter. Every one of us has had challenges, but what we take away from them is what defines us. What we learn from them builds us and not throwing in the darn towel when times get tough shows how strong you are.

We are the class of 2016. All individuals, all unique. The world is our canvas and we can make anything we choose. Our challenges, in my opinion, will give our canvas’ color, bright vibrant color. Hardships are not a thing that should be used to shame or be ashamed of. They are a thing to overcome, a thing to learn from, and a way to find the true you. Everyone’s canvas will turn out different, and that is ok. Not everyone will follow the same path, and that is ok, too. Do not get me wrong, when we hit the rock bottom in our life it will be the darn hardest thing that we will ever go through. It will be the time when we all need to tell ourselves we are awesome, we are deserving, and we are going to get through. And I can assure you that when we dig ourselves out, the world will seem brighter and people will seem kinder than they ever did before.

So I challenge all graduates to see the flip side of hardships to reveal the beauty in our lives. I am not talking about the new IPhone or the cute guy or girl in your class. I am talking about having our hearts broken during Every 15 Minutes. That was pain. The beauty was the relief and joy we felt when our classmates joined us back at school. I am talking about hearing the music on the quad and jamming along to the tune, then thinking this is an awesome moment, this is beauty. I am talking about 20s day junior year when we were all in costumes, thanking whomever that it was not raining like the year before. I am talking football games, rallies, and—near and dear to my heart—robotics and engineering competitions.

Now there are always going to be people who don't understand you. Take them with a grain of salt, and try to find your people: the ones who accept you for you. Don't be afraid to let the real you shine through. I opened up today about who I am to share the lessons that I learned, but also to show others that it can be done. The true you is not something you need to hide. Revealing who you really are to people sometimes comes with a cost, but true friends don’t care about silly labels. True friends care more about who you are inside.

High School is a stepping stone to the world, the world that we have in front of us. But stepping stones are what WE make of them. They only lift us up so high. Now we have to begin real world living. Scary, I know. But our high school has given each of us a unique

education. We have been given the tools to become innovators, leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, debaters, artists, musicians . . . pursuers of dreams. It is our time to go out and show the world our true selves, the awesome graduates in the class of 2016. I challenge all of us to meet our hardships head on, learn from them, then get back up and dust ourselves off. Go and find the true beauty in the world.