IN THEIR WORDS
Kaylee McCullough, valedictorian Parkland Secondary, North Saanich
Next year: Taking a year off school to pursue other interests and save money.
We have the ability to change our perspective of the pandemic. We can choose to see it as an opportunity for further growth and personal development, even though it may feel like the world’s version of tough love.
Looking back at my senior year, it’s easy to imagine all the missed opportunities and to think of all the little things I often took for granted; however, now I can clearly see how important it is to live in the moment and appreciate what I do have instead of what I could have had.
The pandemic has changed my perspective on my own life completely. Instead of diving right into university, I have decided to take a year off to further pursue my passions, such as dance, art and photography, in greater depth as well as spend quality time with my friends and family and save money.
I am so proud of our rising generation. We have learned to make the best out of the worst situations and appreciate the good times more than ever before. I believe that our current world is shaping the young people we are to be stronger, smarter, and to think more sustainably.
I am beyond excited to witness the next generation of lawyers, doctors, leaders, activists, teachers, police and politicians among many more because I believe we will bring a better future full of respect, accountability, equality, sustainability and prosperity.
Even though the pandemic may have ruined our idealistic vision of the perfect graduation year, I hope everyone can make the choice to change their perspective and see the world not as a construct of limitations, but an infinite void of undiscovered potential.
Paige Murray, valedictorian Claremont Secondary School, Saanich Next year: Attending UVic to study earth sciences and environmental studies.
The other day I was talking to my mom about my speech and what life is like these days for students. We agreed that today’s student is ridiculously stressed. Our stress levels are astronomical and I think a lot of it stems from how hesitant we are to make mistakes. So many of us, myself included, are terrified of the possibility of messing up.
But what many of us fail to realize is that if we don’t make mistakes, then how the heck are we supposed to learn and grow? Like Stephan Hawking said: “One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist… Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.” Now, if Stephan Hawking, one of the smartest men to ever live, said this, we’ve got to believe it. I’m sorry, but it’s just the truth.
In all seriousness though, we often forget or get too busy to try new things, let loose and enjoy life. Sure, we’ve got to work hard and do our best, but that doesn’t mean we should stay in our comfort zones. So what if we fail a test, or mess up a new recipe, or even end up on a different path than the one we always planned to take! The important thing is that we try new things and don’t give up easily.
Even if we mess up big time, we’ll learn and become better people because of it. Not in spite of it. Think of it this way: What if Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Micheal Collins had been too scared to take their first steps onto the Apollo 11 spacecraft?
I want to challenge my fellow graduates to do something new or something that scares them a little, because I know that this diverse group of young people, who I would turn to and look in the eyes right now if they were on stage with me, is capable of amazing things.
It won’t be easy, but we’re used to that. So now go and do your version of taking your first steps onto the spacecraft, and ultimately the moon. Like Ms. Frizzle from
The Magic School Bus said: “Take chances. Make mistakes. Get messy.”
Vivienne Nguyen and Mo Abdelghany, valedictorians Royal Bay Secondary, Colwood
In this unideal situation, this grad class has had a lot taken away from us. We couldn’t wear our ridiculously expensive dresses on prom night, and most importantly, we couldn’t walk across the graduation stage with a cap on our heads — celebrating a great milestone in our life that we’ve all worked so hard to achieve.
Our senior year of high school ended on a random Friday. At 2:12 pm, we all rushed out of class without a second glance. Little did we know we wouldn’t be returning to finish what we’ve been told is the best year of high school. But, instead of dwelling on what we couldn’t have, we can reflect on many moments from our senior year this grad class will miss.
Today, we become high school graduates. Today, we celebrate who we’ve become over the past four years. Today, our world grows just a little bit bigger. I’m incredibly proud to have witnessed all of you make the first step in achieving your dreams that you’ve spent years striving for.
Nothing would have been possible without the continued support from our families, teachers, coaches and friends. To our parents and parental figures, thank you for encouraging us through the tough times, celebrating our big wins, and loving us unconditionally through it all.
Thank you to the Royal Bay staff, for taking us in four years ago and never giving up on us. You have all shaped us into who we are today.
Finally, to the students of Royal Bay, thank you for being the pure heart of this school, and never making a moment of our time dull.
There are so many new things awaiting us on our next adventure. Wherever we may be, and whatever we may be doing, it’s the start of our life outside of these halls. Ready or not, world, here we come.
Marin Clarkston, valedictorian Edward Milne Community School, Sooke
Next year: Studying at UVic to obtain a biochemistry degree, with a goal of attending medical school.
When I was younger, before I started a book, I would always read the last page first. I wanted to make sure that I would be satisfied with the ending. I have come to realize that you can’t always do the same thing with life. We are in the final pages of our childhood and we can no longer flip to the last page to make sure we like the ending.
After 13 years of having a common goal, we are now able to write our own endings. The idea of that is quite daunting and we’ve all felt it. Yet we cannot let ourselves be burdened with the anticipation of our next ending, because if we do, we will skip blindly through our pages, ignoring the messages and not enjoying our stories.
Do not let yourself be pulled down by the fact that you may or may not know what you want to do at this point. And if you skim through chapters of your life to find an ending you don’t like: Write a new ending, start a new chapter. We don’t always have the ability to make sure that the last page is somewhere we want to end up, and for many of us it may be something completely different than what we had expected.
In a matter of months, we’ve had our worlds flipped upside down and our perspectives changed. We had no idea that that Friday before spring break would be the last time that the halls were filled with the echoes of our laughter. That it would be the last time for some of us to look into the smiling faces of the people we’ve spent the majority of our childhood with. Our stories were cut short. We didn’t get to say goodbye, we didn’t get the satisfaction of a clean ending. We didn’t get to feel the butterflies in our stomach as we crossed the stage, or stress about how to put on a corsage before prom.
But COVID didn’t ruin our grad year. We took 13 years to get here. Thirteen chapters of our lives — some of them happy, some of them not. Those memories can’t be discounted by the unfinished final lines.
So graduating students, take a moment to be proud of yourself that despite the cliff hangers and plot twists, you’ve made it to this very moment — this very moment where our lives take on a new beginning.
Kathy He, valedictorian Stelly’s Secondary, Saanichton
Next year: Studying biology, biomedicine and life sciences at McGill University, with a goal of pursuing a career in medicine.
If I were to ask my fellow grads what graduation looked like to them four years ago walking into Stelly’s, all of us would describe a June day, endless family and friends, dressed to the nines, ready to celebrate by walking across the stage. Graduation day was not quite what we all envisioned as we celebrated our graduation virtually and physically distanced from those we want to thank and hug, still in denial that this is how we would end this chapter of our lives.
I do not believe that the reality of this pandemic hit until days before spring break, as school trips and sports tournaments were cancelled. We thought that this was the most we would be affected. Little did we know, this was just the beginning.
Friday, March 13, the day when we realized that we were living though a future history lesson, was also the last day we would all ever be together as Stelly’s graduating class of 2020. Memories of the best four months of high school were stripped from us, and graduation traditions such as water fights and ceremonies crumbled one by one.
We spent the next few months overwhelmed not only with the grief over these losses, but also with the stress of our futures, and the overall anxiety of being a teen living through a worldwide pandemic.
But the class of 2020 is not defined by COVID-19, as these recent months do not invalidate the last 13 years of hard work.
John Mark Soriao, valedictorian Parkland Secondary, North Saanich
Next year: Going to get my first-year biology and transition to practical nursing at Camosun College.
I know that this year will mark the history of all the graduating students because of the pandemic that we are facing.
Even though we don’t have a traditional graduation ceremony, I would like each one of us to feel that we’re all in this together. Let us all remember the words of encouragement Dr. Bonnie Henry said to all graduating students, that we should look at this experience as a unique and historic one.
I know some of us feel that it is frustrating and sad, we missed a lot of special events during our high school’s most important year. Please let me remind you that this is not the end of our life and journey, but this is the beginning of our new adventures in life.
Graduation is a time of reflection, looking back for our past, no matter what, if it’s happy or sad, success or failure, victory or defeat, and looking onward to a brighter future. It is the time that we, as graduates, get together virtually for one last hurrah before moving on to bigger and better opportunities that await all of us. This year we have a very unique and exceptional group of graduates.
I am proud to say that once a PANTHER, always PANTHER. Thank you to all of you. Until we meet again.