By Britney Anderson
WLSS Valedictorian
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join together this grad class, and their future.
Five years ago, in the words of acclaimed British sensation Susan Boyle, “I dreamed a dream.”
That dream was to represent the wonderful people of this class, and hopefully, do them justice.
I thought the best way to describe my feelings towards the grads would be by reciting one of my favourite poems, which seems all too fitting for the occasion.
“Because when the sun shines, we’ll shine together. Told ya I’d be here forever. Said I’d always be your friend. Took an oath I’m a stick it out till the end.
“Now that it’s raining more than ever, know that we’ll always have each other. You can stand under my umbrella (ella ella ay ay ay) under my umbrella (ella ella ay ay ay ay ay ay).”
I once read that cleverness is the shadow, whereas intelligence is the substance. Well, let me tell ya, there is a lot of substance behind me.
There are people that have maintained an 86 per cent-plus average, been on a Hero Holiday to give back to their fellow man, amazed us with their dramatic ability on stage, rocked the house in the school band, scored numerous tries out on the pitch, and yes reached level 85 on WOW. If that’s not substancey, I’m not sure what is.
It’s been a great ride over the years with my peers, but it wouldn’t be what it is without the lovely staff to help us along the way. Whether its Mrs. Capling who is trying to get us stoked on math by staging elaborate skits, Mrs. Burtenshaw, enticing us with delicious food to get us to conjugate French verbs, Mr. Belonio having nightmares about us in biology, Mrs. Wright losing her keys every other day in art, Ms. Gobolos highlighting her way through chemistry, Mr. Bisaro “mother henning” us to get our courses done, or even Mr. Dueck harassing us for handing in a terrible essay.
Just look at us all, wearing our robes. Usually when people are caught wearing robes after 10 in the morning it means they have given up, but in this case it’s quite the opposite.
These Grade 12s (or if you’re from Big Lake, chances are you’re in Grade 13) are today’s future and tomorrow’s present.
Most associate me with song lyrics or titles, but c’mon that’s Crazy. It’s not as if I’m Hooked on a Feeling where the only way to have people Come Together is by Wishin’ and Hopin and letting The Music Play.
I know you may feel Under Pressure, but you have to Take it Easy and Let The Good Times Roll for we won’t be Forever Young so Let’s Live For Today.
Well grads, there Ain’t no stopping us now, just look How Far We’ve Come!
We’re on “our way from misery to happiness to be, uh huh uh huh uh huh uh huh uh huh.”
And don’t forget to Smile Like You Mean It even when life Gives You Hell, after all, it’s well known that “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need.”
And even when you all Go Your Own Way please, Don’t You Forget About Me!
OK, no more songs, I promise. “Suddenly I see,” that it “Looks like we made it!” and remember, if you ever need to talk, Call Me at “867-5309” — “Oops! I did it again!”
I have recently been acquainted with the phenomenon known as the “ripple effect” which demonstrates how one tiny pebble has enough force to create a movement within an entire pond, leading me to imagine the effect that these 82 young pebbles will have on the pond we call society.
Now it may seem daunting, heading out beyond the comfort zone of our parents’ watchful eyes, going out into a world where putting cereal and milk in a bowl doesn’t count as cooking, turning your shirt inside out doesn’t count as washing it, and “yeah I’ll pay you back next week!” doesn’t cut it with your landlord.
I know it’s scary, but remember, change is the only constant in life. And it’s our ability to not only adapt to the changes around us, but also how we grow with each success and failure that enable us to do great things in the world. It’s with a heavy heart I say goodbye.
But not to you grads, I’ll see you again sometime. Whether it’s at our 10-year reunion, the grocery store, downtown Vancouver, or after the ceremony at Tim Hortons. It’s time to say goodbye to the innocence of childhood and the naivety of adolescence. I hope that each and every one of you will find that flicker, that spark, that flame, that will allow you in your own way to illuminate the world.
Sitting behind me may be the next Shakespeare, Freud, Gandhi, or even Lady Gaga. Well hopefully not Lady Gaga, but you get the point.
In conclusion I leave you with the words of Ellen Degeneres: “follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someone else’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path, then by all means you should follow that.” Don’t forget, pants come and go but the memories we make never fade. Best of luck my friends. “Keep on rocking in the free world,” — “with love, from me, to you.”