Salutatorian Speech Examples (and How to Write Your Own)

A salutatorian speech is the address given by the second-ranked graduate, and it traditionally opens the ceremony — welcoming the audience, setting the tone, and leading into the rest of the program. Where the valedictorian usually closes things out, the salutatorian's job is to greet everyone warmly and get the day started on the right note.

If you've just been named salutatorian, congratulations. This guide walks through what the speech is, how it differs from the valedictorian's, what to include, and three short original example excerpts in different tones you can borrow ideas from. At the end, there's a simple way to rehearse it out loud before you step up to the podium.

What Is a Salutatorian Speech?

The salutatorian is the graduate with the second-highest academic ranking in the class. The word itself comes from the Latin for "to greet," which tells you almost everything about the speech's purpose. Historically, the salutatorian delivers the opening remarks of a graduation or commencement ceremony.

That means your speech usually does a few things:

• Welcomes everyone — graduates, families, teachers, and guests
• Acknowledges the significance of the day
• Sets an emotional tone for the ceremony that follows
• Leads gracefully into the rest of the program

Because it comes first, the salutatorian speech is often a little shorter and a little lighter than the valedictorian's. You're opening the door, not delivering the final word.

How the Salutatorian Speech Differs From the Valedictorian Speech

The two speeches are easy to confuse, but they play different roles in the ceremony.

The salutatorian speech opens. It greets and welcomes. The tone is warm, inviting, and forward-leaning — you're inviting the audience into the celebration.

The valedictorian speech closes. It tends to be the bigger, more reflective "send-off" address, ending the ceremony and challenging classmates as they head into the future.

In practice, that affects what you say. As salutatorian, you don't need to summarize the entire high school experience or land the single most quotable line of the day — that's often the valedictorian's territory. Your strength is the welcome: thanking people for being there, naming the moment, and building momentum. If you're also reading our valedictorian speech guide or the broader graduation speech guide, you'll notice the structures overlap, but the salutatorian leans harder on greeting and gratitude.

What to Include and How to Structure It

A clean salutatorian speech has five parts. You don't need anything fancier than this.

1. The Welcome (about 30 seconds)

Open by genuinely greeting the audience. Name the groups in the room — fellow graduates, parents and families, teachers, staff, administrators, and guests. This is the one part of the speech that is uniquely yours as salutatorian, so make it warm.

2. A Hook or Shared Memory (30–60 seconds)

Right after the welcome, grab attention with something the class shares: a funny moment, a hard year you all got through, a question, or a short story. Avoid the dictionary-definition opener — it's the most overused move in graduation history.

3. Reflection on the Journey (1–2 minutes)

Briefly look back on where the class started and how far it has come. Use "we," not "I." You're speaking for the class, not about yourself. A few specific, shared details beat a long list of generic milestones.

4. Gratitude (1 minute)

Thank the people who made the day possible — teachers, families, mentors, coaches. Specific thanks land harder than blanket ones. If a teacher changed how your class saw a subject, say so.

5. A Forward-Looking Close (30–60 seconds)

Because you're opening the ceremony, hand things off gracefully. End on a hopeful note and, if it fits, lead into what comes next in the program. A short, clear final line is far more memorable than a big dramatic flourish.

Salutatorian Speech Examples (3 Tones)

Below are three short, original excerpts written as samples. They aren't from any real speaker — use them as starting points and rewrite them in your own voice.

Example 1: Heartfelt

"Good evening, everyone — graduates, parents, teachers, and everyone who showed up tonight to cheer us on. On behalf of our class, thank you for being here.

I keep thinking about the version of us that walked in four years ago. We were nervous, a little lost, and pretty sure we'd never find our way around this building. And look at us now. We found our way around a lot more than the hallways.

To the people in these seats who drove us to practices, quizzed us at the kitchen table, and believed in us on the days we didn't believe in ourselves: this moment is yours too."

Example 2: Funny

"Welcome, families, friends, teachers, and the brave souls who agreed to sit through this in folding chairs. I promise to keep my part short, because I know the real event tonight is finding out whether the gym air conditioning works.

When they told me the salutatorian gives the opening speech, I learned two things. One: I had to look up what salutatorian actually meant. Two: it means I'm basically the opening act — so please hold your applause until the headliner.

But seriously, we made it. We survived group projects where one person did everything, cafeteria food we'll somehow miss, and at least three different versions of the daily schedule. That's got to count for something."

Example 3: Reflective

"To our families, our teachers, and the friends and neighbors who came out tonight — welcome, and thank you. It means more than you know that you're here.

Standing here at the start of the ceremony, I keep coming back to a simple idea: we didn't get here alone. Every name on this stage tonight is attached to a hundred quieter names that never get called — the people who packed lunches, stayed up late, and asked how the test went.

So before we talk about where we're going, I think it's worth pausing on how we got here. We got here together. And whatever comes next, that's the part I hope we carry with us."

Delivery Tips

A strong speech can still fall flat if the delivery rushes or wanders. A few basics go a long way.

• **Keep it short.** Aim for about 3–5 minutes. As the opener, shorter is almost always better — roughly 400 to 650 words depending on your pace.
• **Slow down.** Nerves make everyone speed up. A comfortable speaking pace is around 130 words per minute; on stage, most people drift faster without noticing.
• **Use eye contact.** Pick a few friendly faces in different parts of the audience and speak to them, not to your notes.
• **Pause on purpose.** Let your welcome breathe. A short silence after a line lands feels confident, not awkward.
• **Bring brief notes.** Memorize your opening and closing lines; use a small card for the middle as backup.

Rehearsing Your Speech With Mic Buddy

The single best thing you can do before graduation is practice the speech out loud — and ideally hear yourself back. Reading it silently doesn't reveal that you're rushing the welcome or saying "um" between every thank-you. Recording yourself does.

That's exactly what Mic Buddy is built for. It's a free public-speaking practice app for iPhone (made by NGSMedia LLC) that you can use to rehearse before the big day. You record yourself delivering the speech, and it gives you feedback on three things that matter a lot for a graduation address:

• **Filler words** — so you can catch the "ums," "likes," and "you knows" before the ceremony
• **Speaking pace** — measured in words per minute, so you know if you're racing
• **Clarity** — so your welcome and your thank-yous actually land

Everything runs on-device, so your practice stays private, and you get unlimited free practice runs to time yourself and tighten the speech. You can find Mic Buddy on the App Store (an Android version is coming soon). Run through your speech a few times, watch your pace settle, and you'll walk up to the podium knowing it's ready.

Final Thoughts

Your salutatorian speech has one main job: open the ceremony with warmth and welcome everyone into the celebration. Keep it genuine, keep it short, thank the people who got you all here, and hand the moment off with hope. Borrow ideas from the examples above, write it in your own voice, rehearse it out loud, and you'll be ready to greet your class on one of the most memorable days of their lives.