Special guest speaker and Poplar Bluff High School senior Abigail Murphy addressed fourth, fifth and sixth graders during an honors reception held Tuesday night at the middle school gymnasium. Murphy urged the honors students to embrace their uniqueness and strive for greatness.
During her speech, Murphy shared her personal school experiences, recounting a time when she proudly displayed a particular keychain on her backpack, only to face ridicule and the label of her prize possession being nothing more than “stupid.”
“When there was no one I felt safe at school being different around, I realized I had to be that person that made others feel safe,” said Murphy.
Murphy emphasized her achievements, having been awarded over $37,000 in scholarships. She noted that while there were rejection letters, there were also appreciative responses expressing admiration for her submitted work.
She explained to students that despite life’s hurdles and growing pains, she found success in being true to herself. To further prove her point, she presented her backpack adorned with over 80 keychains.
“Some kids are just scared,” explained Murphy, adding, if they say you are weird, just say “So what?”
At the reception, the students were presented with a medal and certificate of achievement, which were provided by the PTO. Cookies and water were provided for the students after the ceremony. The event highlighted students’ accomplishments and support received from their educational community.