Students look towards the future during SCCHS Graduation
The 216 students of the Swift Current Comprehensive High School’s 2013 graduating class began their individual journey’s into the future following graduation ceremonies on June 26.
The graduating class chose You’re Gonna Go Far Kid! as their graduation theme for 2013, celebrating the talent and ambition they displayed in High School as being the springboard which will launch them into future success.
The guest speaker during the graduation ceremonies was Canadian Football League Hall of Fame receiver Don Narcisse. The popular Saskatchewan Roughriders 13-year veteran helped the Riders win the 1989 Grey Cup, he enjoyed 919 career receptions for 12,365 yards and 75 touchdowns, plus he established a CFL record by catching at least one pass during 216 straight regular season games. Narcisse pointed out that there were also 216 SCCHS graduates this year.
Narcisse advised the students to follow their dreams, noting that he was discouraged from playing sports because of a heart murmur, asthma, and his diminutive size.
“When you put a date on your dream it becomes a goal. When you aim for the goal it becomes a challenge. When you beat the challenge your reward is success. Senior Stick Erin Hilts and Senior Pin Dylan Spetz gave the Valedictory Address at the SCCHS graduation ceremony on June 26. To have success you have to have a dream,” he said.
When Narcisse did decide to try out for sports, he had to climb the depth chart at both the high school and university levels while earning the chance to be a starter. He said work ethic does overcome talent.
“That’s why you always give your best and have a great attitude,” Narcisse said. “Hard work beats talent when talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
After earning a scholarship and enjoying a fouryear career at Texas Southern University, Narcisse was told about a Roughrider open tryout camp in Shreveport, Louisiana. At the time he called his mom, and she sent $40 to help pay for the four-hour trip to tryout. The camp was attended by 400 players, and he was one of four players signed to contracts after the tryout. He did make the final cuts for the NFL’s St. Louis Cardinals and was in the last set of cuts before being released, prompting his move to the CFL. He was quickly put to the test with the Riders, having to run 10 routes against 10 different defenders during practice. When he caught nine of the 10 practices he found himself being handed his #80 jersey from a receiver cut to make room or him on the roster. At that moment he became a Rider for life.
“It’s amazing what hard work does for you because that’s all I’ve been about, hard work.”
The Riders all-time reception leader with 919 catches, ranks winning the Grey Cup as his fondest memory from his 13-year playing career.
“Winning the Grey Cup was one of the best things in my life. It’s something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I wear my Grey Cup ring everyday.”
Narcisse was inducted into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame in 2010, and when he was informed of that recognition the first person he called was his High School football coach. His induction was a bitter sweet moment, as he was honoured the same week as his mother passed away.
“She meant the world to me because those $40 that she gave me, I’ve been riding on those $40 for a long time. It’s been 30 years and I’m still riding on those $40 that my mom gave me.”
His hope for the graduates was that they chase their own dreams, no matter how unlikely they seem.
“Making your mark on the world is hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. But it’s not. It takes patience, it takes commitment. It comes with plenty of failure along the way. The real test is not whether you’re going to avoid the failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harm you or shame you into inaction. Or whether you learn from it. Or whether you choose to persevere. My message is to you is go for whatever you want. Always have a great attitude.”
The 2013 valedictory address was given by Erin Hilts and Dylan Spetz. The Senior Stick and Senior Pin recapped the grad year events enjoyed by the Grade 12s, including the winter banquet and grad games night. They reminded the graduates that their senior shirts were baseball t-shirts which encouraged a team atmosphere among the graduating class of 2013. One of the funniest moments during the ceremony was after they thanked Narcisse for acting as guest speaker, and as the class of 2013, the duo jokingly asking him one pointed question “were you the 13th man?”.
The address saluted the teachers working with the Grade 12 students this year and extended a big thank you to the parents.
“They have stood by us, always supporting any ideas or dreams that crossed our minds. Always wanting the best for us. Although we did not always acknowledge your hard work and everything you do, and have done for us...we will admit we really do appreciate it,” Spetz said. There were fond memories shared of moving from Miner Niners to a graduating class during a social media age where their futures can be summed up with the hashtag #yourgonnagofarkid
“These past four years have been full of memories and moments to cherish,” Hilts said.
As another highlight of the morning ceremony, Balsam Arwini was saluted as the Governor General Award winner as the SCCHS top graduating student with a 94.78 average during her Grade 11 and 12 years.