Read Chris Billingsley's Commencement Speech

On Friday night, Chris Billingsley said goodbye to the Decatur High Class of 2012 as well as his 35-year teaching career.

The social studies teacher is retiring at the end of this school year. The senior class asked him to deliver the commencment address.

Billingsley gave a copy of his speech to Maureen Downey for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for her Get Schooled blog. Billingsley talked about his own graduation from St. Pius High, his love of history and students who went on to serve in the armed services.

He thanked the seniors, saying

You have made me a better teacher but more importantly, a better person. As I prepare for the next chapter in my life, I want to tell you some of the things we have learned together. I now understand that there is a time and place for partisanship, and we should not let it dominate our lives. We can accomplish so much more when we are willing to really listen to each other’s views and ideas, and work together to solve the many problems facing us.

While working with you, I have learned how very important it is to be friendly. It is really such an easy thing to do; a friendly “Hello,”  “How you doin?”, “Good to see you” or, when leaving, “Adios.” This takes so little effort, and the rewards are great. By greeting those around you with a friendly gesture and a smile you can make a huge difference in someone’s day.

Finally, one of the most important lessons I have learned from you is to never sell yourself short. So many times I have seen a student struggle, whether it was in the classroom, or on the athletic fields. Sometimes it was an exam, sometimes it was just trying to fit in. Whenever I worried that student couldn’t make it, I discovered I was wrong. It might require a little extra help from a caring coach, it might mean someone had to work harder after school, but, time and time again, I have seen students succeed here when few others thought they could. We should never underestimate our abilities.

To read the entire speech, check out the Get Schooled blog. 

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