Cameron Penney
Earlier in the school year, Fort Frances High School students created T-shirts for the incoming Grade 9 class that read “With change brings opportunity.”
Now the Class of 2016 will have plenty of opportunity themselves as they go their separate ways after graduating from high school.
“[It’s] like no other feeling I’ve felt before,” Maddie Sanders beamed after last Thursday night’s ceremony at the Ice For Kids Arena.
“It’s great that my four years are finally done.”
“I had a really good time,” Adam Stromberg said of his time in high school. “I’m going to miss some memories of it.”
“I really enjoyed the soccer team and made a lot of friends along the way,” he noted.
“Tonight we recognize the accomplishments of a special group of students sitting in front of me,” Fort High principal Peg Keffer said in her opening address.
“They have worked very hard to get here.
“The distinction of being a graduate is unique to each one of you sitting here,” she added.
Keffer then reminded the grads that while they achieved the same goal, they all have a different story to share about how they got there.
“Each one of you has a story of a struggle you may have had with your studies,” she remarked. “A story of an absolutely unforgettable event you participated in.
“A story of someone who was supportive or someone who supported you.
“And a story of a teacher who really made a difference in your lives.”
Keffer also recalled what she had observed recently at the high school—and offered advice to the outgoing students.
“There is a lot of pressure, it seems, on students that I speak with about what they want to do, who they want to be, and a sense that there is a timeline attached to these decisions,” she said.
“You need to know there is no timeline, there is no pressure,” she stressed.
“Your path is of your choosing and is self-directed.”
Keffer also touched on the students’ characteristics that will be missed, such as their personalities, sense of humour, and antics.
“You are a talented and skilled group of people who are now able to say, ‘I did it, I graduated—now let me go out and make an impact on the world.’”
After the grads were presented with their Ontario Secondary School Diplomas, as well as other awards and bursaries, Ana Stopa then delivered the valedictory address to close out the ceremony.
“Throughout the course of writing this speech, often times it felt like I was writing more of a eulogy,” she remarked.
“Here lies our grade point averages before exams. You will be dearly missed,” she lamented.
“They say high school is the best four years of your life,” Stopa added. “Yeah, you have nothing more to look forward to.
“I can’t begin to count the amount of times I sat through a thermochemistry lesson trying so desperately to reassure myself of that statement,” she said.
“Sorry, Mr. Spooner.”
Stopa then took a moment to reflect on all the achievements that had been accomplished over the past four years, such as athletic teams travelling to OFSAA and even winning titles, as well as the musical performances and efforts by various clubs.
“Our final year as high school students has definitely been one for the books—correction—one to remember,” she quipped.
“I don’t want to even look at a book for the next two months.”
Stopa also paid tribute to the teachers for their contributions to the lives of students during their high-school years.
“Lastly, I would like to take a few moments to commend the people that have put countless hours into helping us succeed: our teachers,” she remarked.
“I commend you for your integrity, your perseverance, and above all your courage.
“I’m sure I speak on behalf of my fellow graduates in saying we recognize your efforts in going above and beyond every single day,” Stopa stressed.
“You are not only educators, but mentors that have helped guide us through some of the hardest years of our lives.”
To close her speech, Stopa wished the best to her fellow graduates and said she hopes to cross paths with them again in the future.
“Who am I kidding—it’s Fort Frances, I’ll see you at Walmart,” she joked.
The valedictory address had everyone in the crowd laughing—and drew rave reviews from students afterwards.
Sanders said she felt Stopa was a good choice to represent the student body.
“It was really good,” she said of the speech. “I thought she brought up really good points and it was just a good way to wrap up the night.”
“I really enjoyed it,” echoed Stromberg. “It was funny, good, and serious.
“It covered all the grounds that needed to be covered.”
Afterwards, Stopa admitted she was fairly nervous during her speech.
“Actually at the end, my pages got messed up so I was scared because I didn’t memorize the end of my speech,” she recalled.
“But throughout the whole thing, I started off nervous [and] then I got better near the end.”
While the teachers did not participate in the graduation ceremony in the same capacity as previous years due to their ongoing labour dispute with the local public school board, many sat alongside family and friends in the crowd to show their support for the graduating class.
“I’m glad they were still here to support us,” Sanders said.
“Either way, I know they are there for us and they’ve been there for us throughout the past four years,” she reasoned.
“It would have been nice to have them down there [on the arena floor],” Stromberg conceded. “But I understand why they weren’t.
“I know that they were with us the whole time and that’s what matters,” he stressed.