Autistic Student Surprised Everyone When He Took The Podium And Delivered The Graduation Speech

Do you realize how many things you take for granted on a daily basis? You probably do not think much of your ability to talk, learn, and walk. After all, these things come naturally to the majority of the human race. However, this is not the case for every single one of us. Even though autism is not a disease nor disability, it does make it hard for a person to experience life and interact with other people. The young man in this story knows this better than anyone else. Read on to learn more about the struggles that Sef Scott went through!

Not Like The Rest

Set Scott has always known that he was not like his peers. He might have been different from them, but his loved ones always motivated him to be the best possible version of who he is. One day, he got the chance to talk about what he went through in life. He never thought that he would get the opportunity to do this!

Both The End And The Start

One of the biggest milestones in a young person’s life is finishing high school. The graduation ceremony marks the end of this particular chapter in their lives. Many people consider this to be the start of their adulthood as well. At the age of 17, Sef found himself on the stage in front of a large audience for the first time in his life.

He Did Not Disappoint

Most people did not know that he wanted to walk on the stage on such an important day. Despite this, he did not disappoint! It was his goal to inspire his fellow students with his speech. Based on the tears in their eyes, he succeeded in doing so. But what exactly did he have to say to cause a reaction like that?

Graduation Speech Auditions

A couple of months before the day in question, his mom Vicky noticed an announcement. It was asking seniors to try out for the graduation speech. At the time, she wondered if Sef would want to give it a shot. One morning, she asked her young son about it. She did not expect what he had to say!

Not What She Expected

When Vicki brought it up, she did not know how Sef was going to react. Most of the time, he was not excited to talk to others. She did not want him to stress out over such a huge task. As his mother, she was afraid that people would make fun of him for it. What did he have to say to her suggestion?

He Seemed Excited To Do It

Even Vicki was surprised to see her son get out of bed and say yes! The young man giggled and seemed interested in doing so even though he was nonverbal more often than not. He made eye contact with his mother and smiled. She could tell that he was very excited about this prospect.

She Was Happy For Him

Vicki could tell that her son was over the moon with his decision. She shared, “He’s not a demonstrative individual at all, and to have him shaking with excitement, with a huge smile, making eye contact, looking at me straight in the eye and firmly saying yes, it was great.” He knew that he had to write the speech as soon as possible.

Making His Voice Heard

Sef had never been given the chance to make his voice heard. This has been the case ever since he was a small child. In elementary school, she feared that bullies would give her son a hard time. When she saw how the other children interacted with him, she could not help but cry. The little kids took him by the had and played with him! This definitely helped her son grow into the wonderful young man he now is.

The Help Of His Mother And Brothers

The young man had his mother and brothers help him with the speech and the preparation for the audition. We are glad to hear that Sim, his 15-year-old brother, helped him with the speech. According to Vicki, Sef was thrilled to copy what his younger brother did. She explained, “He knows that Sim does it for the benefit of others and he knows that people come away happy after hearing him talk.” Sim, who is in the middle in the photo, had a brain tumor. He has given a lot of speeches about it in the past.

The Panel Of Judges

Soon enough, it was the day of the audition. Sef stood in front of the judges. While he felt nervous, he made sure to maintain eye contact as he delivered the speech. The panel had been very moved by the speech! In no time at all, they decided that he deserved to speak at the graduation ceremony.

No Longer In The Silent Bubble

It looked like Sef was thrilled to have a goal. He managed to get out of the “silent bubble” as he started to practice his speech on a daily basis. Vicki said, “I’ve never seen him so committed to something before. For once, he was communicating after spending so much of his life in a silent bubble.”

His Loved Ones Were Shocked

Vicki and the three kids kept mum about it. No one knew that Sef was going to talk to the student body, not even his dad or their relatives. His other loved ones waited in their seats and were shocked to see him go to the podium. There was a very good reason the story went viral. Read on to see why!

They Knew It Was Something Special

Everyone in the room knew that something special was going to happen as soon as the young man introduced himself. They could all hear how shaky his voice was. We can understand why he was nervous. After all, this was the first time that he had to address this many people at the same time!

No One Expected It

Sef was aware of the fact that nobody expected him to go up to the stage to deliver a speech. He kicked it off by saying, “Unexpected. That is what I want you to remember.” His parents started to tear up as they watched their son speak to such a large crowd. Everyone else was in awe as they listened to him.

Explaining What Was Going On

“Let me briefly explain this unexpected choice of speaker. My name is Sef Scott and I am a student with learning differences. To be more specific, I have autism and a social communication disorder,” the young man explained. The members of the audience were probably surprised and awed to hear such a thing.

Apologizing For His Speaking Ability

Sef then went on to say that he does not have the same speaking ability and vocabulary as his peers. He asked for understanding before he delivered the rest of the speech. In response, the crowd gave him a round of applause! He must have been relieved to see the positive reception.

His Brother Inspired Him

He also talked about how he has a younger brother who had a brain tumor. Sef talked about how Sim gave speeches to raise funds for various charities. This served as his inspiration behind the speech. He wanted to share a very important lesson in life with the rest of the student body.

It Was Not Easy

With his autism, it was not easy for Sef to write a speech that he was going to deliver in front of so many people. He talked about how his loving mother guided him through the process of it. On top of that, he rehearsed the speech in his mind for hours on end!

A Sense Of Humor

It looked like Sef knew just how effective jokes can be! He made the crowd laugh and smile by injecting some humor into his speech. We are sure that he felt even more motivated to go on after seeing how positively everyone was reacting. Among others, he did not shy away from explaining his condition.

How He Charmed The Audience

“We all share one thing in common for sure. We all made it,” Sef told his fellow graduating students. “And how do I know that? Well, it’s kind of obvious. You’re all here with me at a graduation ceremony wearing those caps and gowns. Yes, I have autism, but I am also a smart alec. Unexpected, right?” Once he said this, the audience was paying attention to every single word that he had to say.

More Serious Stuff

After telling a couple of jokes, he decided to venture into a more serious matter. He told his peers that they should try to do the unexpected. By this, the young man means that they should all work together to improve the state of the world! It is up to them to make this world a better place, after all.

A Little Can Go A Long Way

“Standing in line a restaurant? When your name is called, let the people behind you go first. That simple gesture could brighten what could have been a gloomy day,” he told the rest of the graduating class. Even though he is still young, Sef clearly knew that a small gesture like this can go a long way.

Do This Every Day

He was not done just yet. Sef told the members of the audience, “You can sprinkle unexpected moments throughout your everyday life that can benefit those around you with very little effort on your part.” We hope that you are also taking note of his advice! This is something that everyone should do more often.

He Made His Parents Proud

We are sure that his parents were proud of what he achieved on that day. It was not easy, but Sef was able to overcome his fears and reservations to share some words of wisdom with his peers. In the end, the young man delivered an impressive speech that no one expected to hear.

Follow Your Own Dreams

Before he wrapped it up, he had one more advice for his peers. “Don’t follow someone else’s dreams. Don’t waste time on something you never wanted. Do the unexpected. It is your life that you are living, not someone else’s so do what fulfills you,” he told them. It is impressive to see how wise he is!

His Parting Words

In the end, Sef just wanted his peers to know that everyone should stay united at all times. He gave a beautiful speech that was worth listening to. We hope that the other students did not take this for granted. After all, his speech was full of gems that can help us all go further in life.

He Has A Noble Dream

Sef was normally a very quiet person. This is one of the reasons why no one expected to see him on the podium at the graduation ceremony. Even though it was a surprise, he was able to move everyone in the audience. It was clear that his dream was to make the world a better place. How noble is that?

An Unforgettable Speech

The people who heard him deliver the speech even said that they won’t forget it. As you can see, the young man left a huge impact on his fellow students. We just hope that they will not only remember his words but actually live them out in the future. Let us keep our fingers crossed for that, shall we?

He Received A Standing Ovation

It is not at all shocking to hear that everyone gave him a standing ovation. Sef did not just impress his fellow students but his teachers as well! They must have felt proud of the young man. We are glad that they did not lose hope in him whatsoever. We wonder what other amazing things Sef will get up to in the future!