Before I start I would just like to thank Mrs.Turner and Mrs.Harrington for their hardwork and commitment to our grad class not just this year but the last five. It has been a pleasure. On behalf of the Grad class I would also like to extend my thanks to Google, Wikipedia, and sparknotes who offered the assistance we needed for those “Really Hard” Assignments!
Good evening ladies and gentlemen, parents, guests, and fellow graduates.
This is an interesting task; one of the only papers in high school history I have been asked to write that will not be graded nor given a word length limit. This raises two concerns. First would this paper receive more than 4 out of 6 from my good friends Mr.Abbie and Ms Laver? And second what is the limit? So while I tried to give myself a limit I thought about limits. What are they? Who decides them and what defines them?
Mr. Gruntman would tell you, “They are a value a function approaches but never reaches.” Mr. Basso would tell you, “They are unsurpassable bounds such as oceans or mountains.” Mr. Abbie (and dictionary.com) might define them as, “The final utmost or furthest bound or point.”
Rory Lodge would say, “The limit does not exist!” And I believe she is the closest to correct.
Graduates remember that no matter what, nothing is stopping you from getting to where you are going. You’ve made it this far, through obstacles, challenges, and distractions. You’ve had help of course but it was your own strong resolve, determination and mindfulness that carried you through… Of course your good looks, charm, and humor probably helped you along the way but it was your ability to meet and accept challenges again and again that really stood out.
You reached above and beyond when you should have been too tired to reach at all, you raised the bar because you had no fear you might fall. We are here tonight with a stage full of talent. We’ve got singers and dancers, (Yes I do mean Braden), poets, writers, and artists, our athletes proved their worth by repeatedly coming in first, zone, valley and provincial champions we have them all.
Brainy kids, fear not! I have not forgotten you! You that helped explain to us what was previously clear as mud. You who so diligently raised your hands asked and answered questions again and again, for you it was “All in a days work” We admire you.
Now of course I will not fail to mention the Parents who so willingly donated their time, money and resources to us graduates. You will be the reason we find such successful futures. You were with us every step of the way, from our wide eyed and bushy tailed first appearance to the kindergarten classroom where promise of reading and writing stirred in the air, you were with us on that first day of grade 8 when we so coolly told you to chill out, you even stuck by our sides dragging us out of bed and pushing us out the door to pursue the beginning of the end of our high school careers. You cheered us on when we succeeded, and pointed out the lessons in our failures. You were our Taxi, restaurant, checkbook and maid. You stayed humble when you should’ve been on the roof tops shouting, “I told you so!” I will admit we probably failed to show you the appreciation you deserved although that doesn’t mean we haven’t recognized your efforts and dedication. I think it’s fair to say we’ll keep you around a while!
Teachers. What can I say about you my fine feathered friends? (catch that Mr. Basso?) It was the very knowledge you bestowed upon us that has gotten us to where we are now, sitting here tonight with all the attributes of a BC graduate and having met the correct Prescribed Learning Outcomes, we are fine examples of today’s intellectuals. We owe much of it to you. We were encouraged to learn, to ask the important questions, so we did. A few examples being, “Can we have class outside? Is this for marks? What’s this out of? And when does this class end?” Yes, we have always had the need for knowledge one would hope for in a group of students.
Many thanks go your way, for understanding our need for group projects, movies, the occasional opportunity to color, and the break that reading the announcements offered. You sacrificed so much of your time for us, to help, to coach, to talk, and to teach. Although I don’t know how you will survive without us, I believe in you. You’ve faced bigger losses, for example when your very work place burned down this fall you rallied the troops and got back to work as soon as possible, encouraged us to look forward and made do with the resources at hand. It was inspiring. Your selflessness was admirable and it’s the life lessons we’ve learned that will be the most valuable for the future.
To the graduating class, with everything constantly changing from the equipment on our playground to the phone in our hands and clothes on our back it is hard to predict where any one of us may be 5 or 10 years from now. Wherever your life takes you, no matter how long the road may be, keep working hard, be the best you can be at whatever you are doing. Whether, you’re building houses, or building bridges, making cabinets or making art, strive to be the best.
Before you run off to get your YOLO tattoo, or preorder all of Justin Bieber’s new music for the next five years, remember how far you’ve come, how hard you’ve worked, and all the support you have. I would leave you with a quote but all the good ones have been used for facebook statuses so I’ll leave you with my own best wishes for your future endeavors, Hakuna Matata, Live long and Prosper, and May The Force Be With You!
Ladies and Gentlemen Teachers, Guests and Family: The Graduating Class of 2012.
Photo by Rachelle Goncalves