Rapping grad delivers a speech to battle disability
RICHLAND, Wash. - It can be one of the most nerve wracking things we ever do. Public speaking is hard enough as it is but if you have a stutter the fear of getting in front of a crowd can be unbearable.
On graduation night one student at Hanford High didn't let it stop him. He used his disability to put on an inspiriing show.
Graduation ceremonies mean speech, after speech, after speech but none delivered like the way Colin Serkowski did.
He spoke his to the beat. " Don't waste an opportunity, you only get a few, just know you only live once, there's no round two."
What seemed like just a normal kid hamming it up on stage is anything but.
Colin has battled a severe stutter since he started talking. He's never let it stand in his way or shatter his confidence.
He rapped his feelings on stage. "And all my life I had to learn to push through the fact I've been stuttering since the age of two. You never knew all the pain that you might have caused when I heard you make fun of the way I talk."
He has gone to a speech therapist all his life. It hasn't helped much. He can only get a few words out at a time. For him, carrying a beat was the only way to clearly deliver his Salutatorian speech.
He said, " I had it planned out a while ago, I'd say probably back in January. I thought about it and I just thought a great idea at my graduation."
He continuted his rap, "Most of you life will take you all around the globe but for all of us Hanford High will be our home."
Both of his parents had the same condition but grew out of it. Colin probably won't. Still it's never been an issue for this 3.9 GPA student and baseball player.
He said, "Always, like if you, work hard enough you can overcome any obstacle, any disability. So go ahead and dream big because that's what I did and sometimes dreams come true."
He's taking his to the next level with a full ride to Trinity College on a baseball scholarship.
His rapping speech continued with, "Right now is a new beginning so treat it well. Never will I forget class of 2012."
He hopes to land in the big leagues someday.
Colin doesn't know what he wants to study in college but judging by his performance he may want to consider a career in hip-hop.
On graduation night one student at Hanford High didn't let it stop him. He used his disability to put on an inspiriing show.
Graduation ceremonies mean speech, after speech, after speech but none delivered like the way Colin Serkowski did.
He spoke his to the beat. " Don't waste an opportunity, you only get a few, just know you only live once, there's no round two."
What seemed like just a normal kid hamming it up on stage is anything but.
Colin has battled a severe stutter since he started talking. He's never let it stand in his way or shatter his confidence.
He rapped his feelings on stage. "And all my life I had to learn to push through the fact I've been stuttering since the age of two. You never knew all the pain that you might have caused when I heard you make fun of the way I talk."
He has gone to a speech therapist all his life. It hasn't helped much. He can only get a few words out at a time. For him, carrying a beat was the only way to clearly deliver his Salutatorian speech.
He said, " I had it planned out a while ago, I'd say probably back in January. I thought about it and I just thought a great idea at my graduation."
He continuted his rap, "Most of you life will take you all around the globe but for all of us Hanford High will be our home."
Both of his parents had the same condition but grew out of it. Colin probably won't. Still it's never been an issue for this 3.9 GPA student and baseball player.
He said, "Always, like if you, work hard enough you can overcome any obstacle, any disability. So go ahead and dream big because that's what I did and sometimes dreams come true."
He's taking his to the next level with a full ride to Trinity College on a baseball scholarship.
His rapping speech continued with, "Right now is a new beginning so treat it well. Never will I forget class of 2012."
He hopes to land in the big leagues someday.
Colin doesn't know what he wants to study in college but judging by his performance he may want to consider a career in hip-hop.
