The Spartan Almanac Presents “May”:

The Stratford Creative Writing Club was born during that crazy virtual time. Back then, we met on Teams, turned on our cameras to meet each other’s cats, and spent the hour writing from various prompts we stumbled on or thought of at random. Eventually, we wanted structure, craft, and something to show for the hard work of the club members. Born from that was an anthology themed by the months—the holidays, the seasons, the perennial “feel” of a particular time of year.

We will be posting the work here, staggering out the pieces to give everyone their time to shine in the sun. Speaking of sun, our first piece sums up that final month of full-blown Spring, a month where we’re already thinking about Summer, a month where many Spartans are looking ahead to the next grade level and new ambitions. It is also a month where many Spartans say good-bye to their time at Stratford, walking across the stage and culminating four years of hard work and dedication.

Our first piece encapsulates that moment, through the eyes of someone you may already know. Enjoy “Spider-Man’s Incredibly Epic and Amazing Commencement Speech” By Tabitha McCormack.

“Spider-Man’s Incredibly Epic and Amazing Commencement Speech”

By Tabitha McCormack 

Hello, Stratford High School! Thank you all for coming out today to watch such a special occasion unfold before your very eyes. I apologize for being late. I ran out of web fluid on the way over here. Freefalling off the side of the Batman building is just as terrifying as it sounds, by the way. Well, anyway, I would like to formally introduce myself to those who don’t know me. I am your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, even if I am over 900 miles away from my very own neighborhood in Queens, New York. And, as someone who was late to my own graduation, I applaud you all for being here on time. I understand the monumental weight hanging on your shoulders at this very moment. Hopefully, I can lessen that load so you can avoid some of the mistakes I made in my youth.

My uncle always said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” It was something he stuck by until he took his last breath and is something that I will stick by until I can’t stick anymore. I hope you understand the power you all hold as the graduating class of 2022. You have the power to choose your own destiny. You all have the power to change the course of the world as we know it. You are the future. However, how you choose to wield that power is up to you. Before I started this whole hero business, I made some stupid choices that lead to a loved one being killed. I was being selfish and cocky and stupid, and that selfishness and cockiness and stupidness lead to tragedy. It was just one of many that all ended the same way.

Don’t get me wrong: you are entitled to make your own decisions. But, as someone who practically lives on the front page of the Daily Bugle for all the wrong reasons, the choices you make today can have major consequences tomorrow. Though, in my case, I figure J. Jonah Jameson would write something bad about me if I ended world hunger or won first place at the science fair. I did, by the way. Either way, be intentional about the choices you make. Study for that Chem final. Help that lady cross the street. Cherish each moment with those you love. You never know the last time you will see them again.

Enough of that sappy stuff. You’re here to graduate! For some of you, these were the best years of your lives. For others, much like myself, you were just lucky to escape this place with your sanity intact. Starting a new chapter in your life is terrifying. The best advice I can give you is to make the most of it. Remember all the times you had, but when times get tough, remember all the good times you will have. Life is something beautiful, whether you jump off the roofs of buildings for a living, or have a much safer, better paying job, in say, I don’t know, accounting. Whatever you choose to do, remember the power you hold in this world, as well as the responsibility needed to maintain it. Thank you.