18th or 21st birthday speech
Cue cards for a parent, sibling or friend giving an 18th or 21st birthday speech: growing-up stories, who they are now, hopes for the future and a toast.
Speech9 cardsAbout 5 min to speakBeginnerSchool
Graduation speech
Graduation speech cue cards for a student, teacher or guest speaker: thanks, shared memories, what the class learnt, a look ahead and a send-off.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards
- 1
Open
“Good [morning / evening], [principal / guests], families, and the class of [year].”
Pause and look across the graduates before you begin.
- 2
Thank the people behind us
Thank the groups in turn:
- Families and carers: [one line]
- Teachers and staff: [one line]
- The people nobody sees: [cleaners, canteen, office, bus drivers]
- 3
Where we started
“[Number] years ago we walked in [nervous / lost / far too confident]. I remember [a first-day detail everyone shares].”
- 4
Shared memories
Pick two or three moments the whole class knows:
- [A trip, camp or event]
- [A funny school moment]
- [A hard moment you got through together]
- 5
What we learnt
Go beyond the subjects: “We learnt [formulas and essay plans], but we also learnt [how to ask for help / how to fail and try again / how to work with people we didn’t choose].”
- 6
One idea to carry
Give the speech one central message: [curiosity, kindness, courage, staying in touch].
A short story that shows it: [story from your class or your own life].
- 7
Looking ahead
“Some of us are going to [university / work / travel / an apprenticeship / not sure yet], and every one of those paths is valid.”
Name the uncertainty honestly and kindly.
- 8
Those not here
Optional: remember classmates, teachers or family who could not be here today, in one gentle line: “We’re thinking of [name / those who couldn’t join us].”
Check with the school before you include this.
- 9
Send-off
“Class of [year], [your closing wish].”
Invite applause for the graduates, or for their families.
“Congratulations, everyone.”
How to use this template
Use this template for a graduation, commencement or school leavers’ ceremony, whether you are a student chosen to speak, a teacher, a principal or a guest speaker. Graduation speeches work best when they feel like they belong to this class: real memories, honest thanks and one clear idea rather than a list of life lessons. The cards move from a greeting and thanks to where the class started, shared memories, what you learnt beyond the subjects, one message to carry, a look at the different paths ahead and a send-off. Each card holds one idea with sample wording to change. Fill in every [bracket] with details from your own school or university, read it aloud with a timer and aim for four to six minutes unless the organisers give you a different time.
Tips
- Ask the organisers how long you have, whether your speech needs approval, and where you sit in the programme.
- Collect memories from classmates in a quick group chat so the speech reflects the whole class, not just your friends.
- Avoid naming individual students in jokes; if you mention names, make it praise that they have agreed to.
- Adjust the microphone on the lectern before you start, and stand close enough that you do not have to lean in.
- Look up at the end of each card and pause for applause or laughter before you move on.
- Print your cards in a large font; stage lights and nerves both make small print hard to read.
- Practise in the shoes and gown you will wear; sleeves and caps change how you hold the cards.
Make it fit
- For a primary or elementary school graduation, keep it to two or three minutes and use simple, warm memories.
- For a university commencement, add a card about the people who could not afford or access this path, and what graduates owe the community.
- If many families speak another language, add a thank-you line in that language and keep sentences short for interpreters.
- For an online or hybrid ceremony, look at the camera on the key lines and greet people watching from home.
- If you are a teacher or principal, swap the memories card for what you have seen the class achieve and grow through.
Updated October 28, 2026