英语口语演讲稿2分钟

英语口语演讲稿2分钟（共10篇）

篇1：英语口语演讲稿2分钟

In china,people believe that,at the beginning,the tiger and the cat were friends,and the cat was much smarter than the tiger .The cat learned the physical skills quickly,and the tiger was always behind.Gradually,the tiger had to learn from the cat,and the cat was patient to teach the tiger.Day after day,month after month,finally,the tiger could also run,jump,roll,grasp,tear,and strike as well as the cat.

[2分钟英语故事演讲稿_英语演讲稿2分钟]

篇2：英语口语演讲稿2分钟

good morning, ladies and gentlemen. i’d like to share my teaching dream with you. but before that, i want to say something about the beginning of this dream. in march this year, three teachers from australia came to our school. during the meeting, we exchanged a lot about education. i found that though we have almost the same teaching philosophy, we have different routines. what impressed me most was that their schools end at 3:00 in the afternoon and have no night classes. i can’t tell which kind of routine is better, but the sharp contrast made me think about a better education. the following is a dreamy school in my mind, in which there is no pressure but pleasure.

in this school, the buildings are well designed, close to nature. in the morning, children can read while enjoying the beautiful sunrise. in the evening, they can exercise by the lake reflecting the amazing sunset. in the spring, they can go to the wild, lie on the lawn, and watch the kite flying in the blue sky. in the summer, they can go to the forest, live in a cabin, and listen to the rhythm of the rain. …

students are free but polite and they respect each other. they can leave at 4:00 every afternoon, or perhaps earlier. they have the freedom to organize time. t

篇3：英语口语演讲稿2分钟

我们应创设良好的语境, 在教学中加强对学生进行听说能力的培养。从三年级起始阶段起, 每堂课给学生一分钟时间走到台前来进行语言的表达, 对于学生来说, 是锻炼听说能力的一个好方法。在此背景下, 江苏省南京市樱花小学英语组三名教师自2011年9月起, 组成了“课前一分钟英语演讲提高学生语用能力的实践研究”课题组。分别对三、五、六年级的四个班级实施了课题相关研究。

一、关键词的界定

(1) 课前一分钟英语演讲:特指在小学英语课堂教学活动的初始阶段, 由一学生面向全体学生进行的英文口语表达的行为。学生有准备的或者即兴的在一分钟内, 用所学的语言阐述对一件事情或者一个事物的观点或意见。

(2) 语用能力:即学生综合语言语用能力。语用能力是学生语言综合素养的体现。它包括语言知识, 即组词成句、组句成篇的能力, 和语言技能, 即听、说、读、写的能力;认识能力;文化知识;感情因素等。

课前一分钟英语演讲提高学生语用能力的研究, 就是在每节英语课的Free talk环节给予学生一分钟时间, 轮流上台进行一分钟演讲, 并通过此演讲, 培养全班学生进行有意识的听力训练。充分利用学生说和听的素材, 锻炼学生综合运用积累的言语信息, 进行言语表达和运用。

二、调查结果与初步分析

在研究过程中, 笔者对学生进行了课前一分钟英语演讲情况的问卷调查, 得到了学生的相关看法和有关数据。

在四个班级的课堂教学实践中, 老师对于一分钟课堂演讲活动开展的时间不一, 造成了学生对于其认识方面的不统一。除了三 (1) 班的88.4%、五 (2) 班的90%的学生认为每节课老师都让学生进行一分钟课前演讲以外, 其他班级都无课前演讲这一活动。其中两个班是由同一位老师所教, 从调查数据上看, 老师没有在两个班级开展时间相对等的一分钟演讲活动, 如此的“厚此薄彼”是否会造成两个班级学生日后的语用能力差异呢?也值得课题组老师探讨。

教师在引导学生进行一分钟演讲时, 应该更加关注学生“用所学的语言阐述对一件事情或者一个事物的观点或意见”。课前一分钟英语演讲侧重于学生对事物的主观性的语言表达, 是提高、锻炼学生语言表达的有效途径。从课前的准备到演讲时的语言输出, 有严密的思维过程。作为听众的学生, 所听的每一个演讲内容就是一个完整的听力素材。因此, 在安排学生独自的演讲和两两对话式的互动表演时, 教师应该把握好度, 不能把Free Talk完全作为课前一分钟演讲。让学生养成用英语表达自己的思维习惯, 不能只操练“你问, 我答”式的对话。

三、深度思考

Rome wasn’t built in a day.语言的有效习得非一日之功。小学阶段的学生正处于英语学习的起始阶段, 教师为学生提供一分钟英语演讲的平台是一片学生自主体验英语学习的乐土, 真正地让学生自己发现、播种, 并且从中收获。通过四个月的实践与反思, 笔者收获颇多。特别是在高年级的课堂中, 教师和学生共同努力, 思考如何用更好的方法对演讲者进行即兴评述。

激发学生对演讲者评价, 能够培养听者认真聆听的习惯, 有助于提高英语听的能力。教师还可以利用学生演讲的素材, 拓展一些听力的训练, 让学生现场根据他人的演讲来进行答题、判断等听力的训练, 听说结合, 启发学生思维。甚至在高年级的课堂中, 培养学生即兴提问的能力, 养成在学习过程中“质疑”的习惯, 调动学生的学习积极性。学生在客观地评价他人演讲的同时, 自己的语用能力也会有所提高。

四、结束语

正如韩礼德从功能语法的角度分析语言, “语言是一种‘doing’的形式, 而不是‘knowing’的形式”, 也就是说, 对语言来说, 口语永远是第一性的, 口语交际的信息含量和重要程度是书面表达方式所不能取代的。

提高小学生的语言运用能力是一个长期的过程。听说领先是语言学习的基本规律。课前一分钟英语演讲既调动了学生的学习积极性, 又促进了语用能力的提高。教师应在此课题研究过程中更多地关注多数学生的语言能力发展, 真正让所有的学生懂得“Love English, use English and make the language ourselves”。

篇4：普通高中英语课前5分钟演讲初探

关键词：课前演讲;口语交际;能力提升

中图分类号：G633.41文献标识码：A     文章编号：1992-7711（2016）03-079-2

一、初想

对于英语作为第二语言的中国孩子而言，能够说上一口流利的英语、能够顺畅地和老外交流、能够远渡重洋到外面的世界看看、听懂英语会说英语都是梦寐以求的事情，因为时代在发展，社会在进步，人们有越来越多的机会接触外面的世界，在英语的世界与人打交道。但是对于一个几乎足不出户的高中生来说，那些又似乎是奢求，那么如何锻炼我们学生的英语口才呢？光靠课上回答老师的几个问题是不现实的，因为45分钟也只有少数的学生登台亮相;光靠提倡阅读也不够，一周两三个早读也远远解决不了问题，还要有时间和平台让学生动嘴去讲，于是我们的英语教师在行动，他们用课前5分钟的英语演讲来实现动嘴，从而提高学生英语口语。

二、初探

口语表达能力作为学生综合能力的重要组成部分并未在高中英语课堂中得以重视，师生往往注重词汇基础知识、阅读理解能力和书面表达能力的训练与提升。而作为听、说、读、写这些学生必备的基本能力的口语表达能力往往对于其他能力的提升具有促进和推动作用，它们是相辅相成、相互促进的，口语表达流利了也能提升学生语言学习的信心和兴趣。因此，我尝试启动推行课前5分钟的演讲活动，旨在培养学生的口语表达能力和学习语言的兴趣。

万事开头难。对于这一新的表现形式，学生有较强的表现欲望和互相交流的热情，但由于缺乏相关的实战演练而让学生望而却步，有的学生胆小怯场、有的学生口齿不行、有的学生功底浅薄，这些都给学生带来挑战。我就着手鼓励学生，不断给予信心和力量，让他们自主选择演讲话题，采取小组合作互动，发挥集体智慧把活动开展起来。从台下准备到登台演讲学生都是情绪高涨，人人参与，小组表演后才发现学生都很有才，选择的话题具有时代气息和教育意义，很有创造力，也很有表演天赋。尽管在表达过程中还存在词汇、语法等错误，但学生从合作中收获了很多，最重要的是在准备的过程感受到了学习英语的乐趣，学会了合作、分享、竞争和公平。

尝试到成功的喜悦后，可以说学生参与的积极性空前高涨，我就引导学生把这种热情转化到语言学习中来，通过演讲这种形式更好地服务于教学。我结合牛津高中英语课本剧《Home alone》，要求各个小组成员各司其职，每人都要扮演一定的角色，取得了很大的收获和成功。

兴趣是最好的老师，成功是最大的激励，学生在合作中得到了成功和成长，也学会了独立自主，学生独立演讲的能力基本具备，我们自然过渡到了个人单独演讲的环节。学生演讲时明显从容，信心大涨，演讲的效果也随之变好，大家都很珍惜这样的一次机会，从选取演讲题材、制作辅助表演的PPT或者超链接、演前的试讲等环节都投入了一定的热情和时间，也真正体会到了“台上一分钟，台下十年功”的内涵。通过不断的演练，学生处处洋溢着自信和阳光，对语言学习产生了不可估量的推动作用。

学生是最具有创造力的。随着演讲活动的推进，涉及的话题得到了极大的丰富，从运动到美食、从电影到电视剧、从动物到植物、从动漫到电玩，上至天文下至地理，这些话题拓宽了学生的视野，丰富了主题阅读的内容，对阅读也产生了良好的作用。我稍加整理了演讲的话题，便于学生积累和提高。

1.当季明星：有韩国的当红明星朴信惠（Park Shin Hye）、李钟硕（Lee Jong Suk）或者人气组合（A Pink），有加拿大的歌星贾斯汀·比伯（Justin Bieber），有美国创作型男歌手布鲁诺·马尔斯（Bruno Mars）。也有中国香港著名歌星演员的陈奕迅（Eason Chan）、邓紫棋（G.E.M），和内地的吴亦凡（Kris）、还有美国的职业篮球明星勒布朗·詹姆斯（LeBron James）等，此话题看出每个人心中都有偶像，也都有一颗想成为明星的心！

2.电影电视：有介绍好莱坞大片《蚁人》（ANTMAN），主人公为保护蚁人战服采用惊天骗局拯救世界的正邪之战;有《变形金刚4绝迹重生》（Transformers： Age of Extinction），欣赏汽车人以及霸天虎、擎天柱、威震天、大黄蜂等自由与奴役的邪战;有真人动画电影《帕丁顿熊》（Paddington），一起感受那只秘鲁小熊迷失后的伦敦奇幻之旅，此话题看出学生对好莱坞大片情有独钟，喜欢高大上的电影制作，当然，也有学习“压力山大”下极其渴望轻松与愉悦的表露！

3.动漫书籍：《海绵宝宝》（SpongeBob），无论是派大星还是蟹老板，都能够博得一笑;《海贼王》（ONE PIECE）跟随主人公路飞立志成为海盗王为了寻找传说中的秘宝ONE PIECE而展开的凶险无比同时也波澜壮阔的冒险故事;《哆来A梦》（Doraemon）认识一只来自未来世界的猫型机器人，用自己神奇的百宝袋和各种奇妙的道具帮助主人公大雄解决各种困难的故事;有介绍阅读书目的，如《一个人的朝圣》（The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry），一起感受爱的回归和人生信念;又如《追风筝的人》（The Kite Runner）一起回味每人心中的那只代表着正直、善良、忠诚的风筝，还有那人生中必须面对的一次次心灵的救赎。此类话题看出学生都还有一颗童心，天真纯洁，扬善惩恶，看动漫或读书也是现代社会压力大的境况下寻求一种释放和解脱。

4.心灵鸡汤：有谈成功（success）的要素，有说微笑（smile）的功效，有聊自信（confidence）的表现，有对未来的展望（We are the world， we are the future）。总的来说，学生还是很阳光、很乐观、很上进的，都想为梦想而战，有都希望通过自己的努力开创属于自己的那片天空，当然在成长过程中会遇到困难、阻碍，也会茫然、不知所措，那么学生非常渴望心灵的定期滋养，能够经常被表扬、被鼓励、被启迪，那么我们教师就有责任和义务共同做好学生心灵的调养师，答疑解惑，指引前行。

5.自我介绍：有介绍自己的（self-introduction），从喜好到习惯、从学习到生活、从家庭到社会，让我们从精心准备的自我介绍中加深了彼此的了解。也有介绍家乡的，如三星叠石桥家纺城（Samsung stacked stone bridge）也在学生的介绍之列，从不太流利的介绍中看出的是对家乡的款款深情，对自己的家乡充满着自豪感。一个人只有爱自己、爱家，才能爱国，怀有崇高的国家和民族情感，在物欲横流的社会拥有这样的品质是多么可贵，我们当仁不让要大加提倡，极力推荐！

三、初感

要把阅读素材转化为演讲的材料并实现口语的输出对不同层次的学生带来异样的挑战。语言功底好的同学转化就比较顺利，基础薄弱的同学就感觉有点吃力。对于学生而言，从演讲前的准备、到演讲中的表现、到演讲后的感悟收获都是在不断学习之中。对于教师而言，要与时俱进就得“活到老学到老”，从学生的演讲中我们可以学到很多的东西，也可以从另一个侧面更好地了解学生的兴趣爱好，了解他们的心理需求，可以更好的有共同交流的话题，实现教学相长。

学生喜欢演讲的另一个原因是没有固定模式没有条条框框，可以自由发挥自己的主观能动性，选自己所想，讲自己所爱。但在演讲结束后，我们教师要适时的点评，起到重要的和必要的引导作用。因为放开话题不代表放任自流，总有一些话题不那么合适，总有一些话题不那么严肃，也总有一些话题偏离主干道，这就要求我们做好领航人，让学生在正确的价值引领之下，拥有积极向上的世界观、人生观。

学生的演讲稿有网络上拷贝的，也有自己精心组织撰写的，不管从哪里来，呈现在我们面前的时候总有这样那样的错误，不可能是十分完美的。如果选择跳跃忽略这些错误也未尝不可，但是我个人还是觉得要抓住这样的一个共同学习纠错的时间，让大家带着问题去倾听演讲，去发现演讲过程中出现的种种错误，然后尝试着去修改错误，那么这样的一个过程本身就是学习进步的过程。学生的遣词造句能力得到了提高，学生的语言运用能力得到了实践，学生的自我纠错意识得到了加强，何乐而不为？

四、初悟

训练学生口才的方法很多：勤说勤练、多听多看多模仿、多读书多积累，让他们随自己兴趣爱好去说也算是顺其自然，让学生有专业的引领也很重要。要提高演讲的技能，那么尽可能多得让学生去阅读演讲与口才方面的书本或者杂志也是必须的，因为那里有理念的指引、专业的引导。

篇5：2分钟英语演讲稿

You will no longer fear making new sounds, showing new facial expressions, using your body in new ways，approaching new people, and asking new questions.You will live every single day of your life with absolute passion, and you will show your passion through the words you speak and the actions you take.You will focus all your time and effort on the most important goals of your life.You will never succumb to challenges of hardships.You will never waver in your pursuit of excellence.After all，you are the best, and you deserve the best!

As your coach and friend, I can assure you the door to all the best things in the world will open to you, but the key to that door is in your hand.You must do your part, you must faithfully follow the plans you make and take the actions you plan, you must never quit, you must never fear.I know you must do it, you can do it, you will do it, and you will succeed!

Now stand firm and tall, make a fist, get excited, and yell it out： I must do it!I can do it!I will do it!I will succeed!I must do it!I can do it!I will do it!I will succeed!I must do it!I can do it!I will do it!I will succeed!

2分钟英语演讲稿二

In china，people believe that，at the beginning，the tiger and the cat were friends，and the cat was much smarter than the tiger.The cat learned the physical skills quickly，and the tiger was always behind.Gradually，the tiger had to learn from the cat，and the cat was patient to teach the tiger.Day after day，month after month，finally，the tiger could also run，jump，roll，grasp，tear，and strike as well as the cat.One summer afternoon，the cat was taking a nap as the tiger sitting nearby.Looking at the cat，the tiger suddenly thought，why should he keep befriending with such a small animal since he had already learnt all the skills from the cat?The evil tiger decided to kill the sleeping cat as a before dinner snack.The tiger stood up and approached the cat viciously.Just as this moment，the cat woke up.Opening up her eyes，the smart cat immediately realized what the tiger was trying to do and swiftly jumped onto a nearby tall tree and climbed to the top branch.The tiger thought he had already learned every skill from the cat.But he never knew that the cat had hidden the tree climbing from him.“I kept the last technique of the tree climbing from you just because I suspected you might be can ungrateful friend.” The cat loudly told the tiger who watched under the tree helplessly.

2分钟英语演讲稿三

Red： Rehabilitated? Now let me see.You know, I don＇t have any idea what that means.Parole official： Well, it means that you＇re ready to rejoin society.Red： I know what you think it means, sonny.To me it＇s just a made up word； a politician＇s word.So young fellas like yourself can wear a suit, and tie, and have a job.What do you really want to know? Am I sorry for what I did?

Parole official： Well, are you?

篇6：2分钟英语演讲稿

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon !Today the topic of my speech is “Discover myself”

I think each people is unique.Everyone is different .I don’t need to envy others，because I think I am the only one in the world.So do u really know yourself?In my parents’eyes,I am a naughty boy. In my friends’ eyes, I am a friendly boy.In my teachers’eyes,I am a boy which progresses.But how do I think of myself?I don’t know.

Everone has merits and shortcomings. we need to discover our disadvantages and get rid of it . However, Lookers-on see most often.So mentors are necessary.In elementary school, I didn’t know the importance of studying.I just know playing all day.One day my english teacher told me (that) she thought I was a intelligent boy.I was shocked by what she said.I didn’t do well in my english subject at that time.I was encouraged by what she said.In other words,what she said made me exicted.Since then,I fell in love with English.I started to read some English novels and listen to music.My english teacher taught me patiently and encouraged me to insist on doing these.I was interested in english.I found it was easy to learn english.It does’t like I thought it would be difficult.Maybe I had talent in learning english.However,if I don’t listen to my english teacher.Maybe I would get lost.

Everybody should have confidence in discovering yourselves,although it is a difficult journey.When there is a will,there is a way.

★ 英语励志演讲稿2分钟

★ 2分钟关于勇气演讲稿

★ 运动会演讲稿2分钟

★ 关于植树节演讲稿2分钟

★ 和朋友介绍春节英语作文

★ 小学生春节英语演讲稿

★ 2分钟公司竞聘演讲稿

★ 关于爱的2分钟演讲稿

★ 中学生消防安全演讲稿2分钟

篇7：优秀英语演讲稿2分钟

A fish hears and comes. He asks, “Why are you crying?” The frog answers, “I lost my toy.” “What is your toy?” “I don’t know its name, but it’s round and yellow.” The fish says, “I know, I know.” Quickly, he comes back with a yellow leaf. “No, no,That’s not my toy.” The frog still cries.

A dog is coming, “A round and yellow thing is on the playground. That must be your toy.” The frog sees, that is not his toy, too. It’s a yellow ball.

A squirrel is running with a pine nut. But that’s not the frog’s toy.

It’s dark. The frog is very sad. He doesn’t find his toy. He cries again. The moon is rising in the sky. The shadow of the moon is on the pond. “Oh! My toy! I found my toy!”

篇8：英语口语演讲稿2分钟

报道称, “制作充电电池的新材料称之为“纳米管”, 是在十分纤细的锗 (Germanium, Ge) 线表面抹上极微量的锑 (Antimony, Sb) 粒子, 再以700 ℃的温度进行加热, 然后在锗线的中心位置会出现直径约为200纳米的洞窟。在制作锂电池时用上这种纳米管, 结果显示比现有的充电电池的电流流量快了200倍, 仅2分钟就能结束充电。而现有的电池则需要30～60 min。在进行了400次的反复充电放电后, 电池的容量仍维持在98%左右。”

声明指出, 现有的硅半导体纳米管合成技术很难大量投入生产, 如果这种新材料实现商用化, 在加油站或者家里都可以在短时间内完成充电。并且使爬坡时需要瞬间输出大量能量的“强劲电动车”的开发成为可能。此外, 也将打开手机等使用充电电池的各种电子产品高速充电的方便之门。

篇9：英语口语演讲稿2分钟

【关键词】英语课堂 三分钟演讲 综合语言运用能力

在高中英语课堂教学中，对学生“听、说、读、写”能力训练的目的是学好知识、培养能力。它是英语课堂的重要任务，又是学习英语知识的完整过程。但从目前的现状来看，教师在课堂教学中最容易被忽视的就是对于“说”的训练。从教师的心态来看，认为“说”会影响教学进度，而且，高考又不直接考评。熟不知，“说”的训练正是为“写”打基础，二者是不可分的。因此，本人认为，有效地利用课前三分钟英语演讲对于学生的英语要运用能力是非常重要的。

为了提高学生“说”的能力，我们采用了“课前三分钟演讲”。具体做法是：每堂英语课在讲授新课前按学号排，由一名学生演讲，然后根据这名同学的演讲，由学生或老师做简短的讲评。坚持由易到难的原则，开始时，站在座位上讲，后来到台上讲，从自由讲话逐渐发展为命题讲话，即兴演讲。内容可讲所闻所见所感。这样一学期经过筛选把较好的演讲稿装订成册，定题为“高一英语演讲集锦”，印发给学生。那么，“课前三分钟演讲”有哪些好处呢？

一、它训练了学生的语言表达能力

学生在限定的时间内把准备好的内容表达出来。要求明了、轻快、准确、令人信服。通过演讲，学生内在的表达能力在教师和全体同学面前真实地外传。“三分钟演讲”使学生比较准确地了解自己表达能力。如在用英语表达的过程中语言是否准确，语音语调是否合适，声调是否恰当，表情是否自然，感情是否真实等。在表达中，学生看到了别人，也看到了自己，讲评别人的同时，也在规范着自己。

二、有助于提高学生的英语写作能力和口语表达能力

如果按传统的教学方法，提高学生的写作能力，效果总是不甚明显。通过“课前三分钟演讲”有助于提高学生的写作能力，因为学生要想三分钟演讲取得较好的成绩，必须演讲前要组织好英语材料，用恰当的词汇和句子完成自己的演讲内容。因而说的过程，也是写的过程，要想说好必须写好，不能应付，这样就能调动学生的积极性，激发学生的学习兴趣。经过一个学期的训练，学生的英语作文水平和口语大有提高。

三、为进行思想教育创造了一个生动活泼的局面，开辟了一条新途径

因为学生演讲内容摄取身边所见、所闻、所感，内容丰富多彩。诸如理想抱负、人生价值、社会生活现象、个人生活感受、班级活动、家庭关系、读书心得、学生之间关系等，这都对学生思想有教育意义。

四、锻炼了学生逻辑思维

为了准备演讲，学生要选择材料和组织材料，进行认真地思考。先讲什么，后讲什么，怎样开头，怎样结尾，怎样提出问题，怎样进行论述，这些都要进行认识、分析、归纳等各种形式的思维活动。尤其是此外，“课前三分钟演讲”还能拓宽学生的知识面，培养他们敏捷的思维能力。

篇10：励志英语演讲稿2分钟

What I think most about when I think of Yale is not just the politically charged atmosphere and not even just the superb legal education that I received. It was at Yale that I began work that has been at the core of what I have cared about ever since. I began working with New Haven legal services representing children. And I studied child development, abuse and neglect at the Yale New Haven Hospital and the Child Study Center. I was lucky enough to receive a civil rights internship with Marian Wright Edelman at the Children’s Defense Fund, where I went to work after I graduated. Those experiences fueled in me a passion to work for the benefit of children, particularly the most vulnerable.

When I was thinking about running for the United States Senate-which was such an enormous decision to make, one I never could have dreamed that I would have been making when I was here on campus-I visited a school in New York City and I met a young woman, who was a star athlete.

I was there because of Billy Jean King promoting an HBO special about women in sports called “Dare to compete.” It was about Title IX and how we finally, thanks to government action, provided opportunities to girls and women in sports.

So, dare to compete, yes, but maybe even more difficult, dare to care. Dare to care about people who need our help to succeed and fulfill their own lives. There are so many out there and sometimes all it takes is the simplest of gestures or helping hands and many of you understand that already. I know that the numbers of graduates in the last 20 years have worked in community organizations, have tutored, have committed themselves to religious activities.

Community service and religious involvement being up. But if you look at the area of voting among 18 to 29 year olds, the numbers tell a far more troubling tale. Many of you I know believe that service and community volunteerism is a better way of solving the issues facing our country than political engagement, because you believe-choose one of the following multiples or choose them all-government either can’t understand or won’t make the right choices because of political pressures, inefficiency, incompetence or big money influence.

Well, I admit there is enough truth in that critique to justify feeling disconnected and alienated. But at bottom, that’s a personal cop-out and a national peril. Political conditions maximize the conditions for individual opportunity and responsibility as well as community. Americorps and the Peace Corps exist because of political decisions. Our air, water, land and food will be clean and safe because of political choices. Our ability to cure disease or log onto the Internet have been advanced because of politically determined investments. Ethnic cleansing in Kosovo ended because of political leadership. Your parents and grandparents traveled here by means of government built and subsidized transportation systems. Many used GI Bills or government loans, as I did, to attend college.

Now, I could, as you might guess, go on and on, but the point is to remind us all that government is us and each generation has to stake its claim. And, as stakeholders, you will have to decide whether or not to make the choice to participate. It is hard and it is, bringing change in a democracy, particularly now. There’s so much about our modern times that conspire to lower our sights, to weaken our vision-as individuals and communities and even nations.

It is not the vast conspiracy you may have heard about; rather it’s a silent conspiracy of cynicism and indifference and alienation that we see every day, in our popular culture and in our prodigious consumerism.

And I leave these graduates with the same message I hope to leave with my graduate. Dare to compete. Dare to care. Dare to dream. Dare to love. Practice the art of making possible. And no matter what happens, even if you hear shouts behind, keep going.