CARMEN PATERSON

Ross Sheppard High School

Unfortunately, the Class of 2020 has had to face the COVID -19 pandemic, the magnitude of which has not been encountered for a century.

Though this crisis is certainly a critical moment for our generation, what will define us is not the disappointment of cancelled events or overwhelming amounts of fear and uncertainty, but what will define us is the magnitude of the growth of our strength, our grit and, most importantly, our resilience, which will stay with us forever. The resiliency and adaptability of our generation is, and will be, a powerful force in the world.

Through our success with remote learning, we have demonstrated our capability to rapidly shift gears and adapt. These new challenges that we have overcome will serve us well in all of life’s future endeavours.

Not only has the coronavirus brought our lives to a complete halt at Ross Sheppard High School, but it has also brought the world to its knees. Amid the tragedy and uncertainty, our generation has been given the priceless gift of rediscovering the value of our health and safety, the value of friendship, and the value of family. The class of 2020 has a new-found appreciation for all occupations: truck drivers, grocery workers, gas attendants, health care workers and countless others.

It seems surreal to imagine that in the near future, we will be those workers contributing to the world. Equipped with all the tools that we require, I have no doubt that this graduating class has the resilience, strength and work ethic to make a profound and meaningful impact in the world. Like a phoenix, I believe that we will rise from the ashes of this crisis, stronger than before.

Never before have we realized how interconnected we are nor the domino effect that can occur when any one part of our workforce is overwhelmed or under-represented. Never before have we relied on each other to such a large extent. This crisis has illuminated the strength of the human spirit. Class of 2020, remember to always be authentic and, as Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a secondrate version of somebody else.”

Carmen Paterson is the 2020 valedictorian of Ross Sheppard High School. To read this speech in its entirety, please go to edmontonjournal.com/grad2020