TISDALE — This year’s batch of graduates at Tisdale Middle & Secondary school are described as supportive, bright, driven and mature.
“I think we’re a really good group of people and if one of us had a problem and went to somebody else, they would be there for us,” said Nicole Becker, the 2018 valedictorian. “I feel there’s lots of groups within our grade that are really supportive, very helpful and overall pretty good people.”
“They’ve succeed in many different mediums, whether it be drama or sport,” said Randy Kerr, the high school’s principal.
This year saw 62 students graduate at a ceremony held June 28.
Becker said she has mixed feeling about finishing 13 years of school.
“It’s in some way a relief because school’s a lot in this point of our lives,” she said. “It seems like it’s the most stressful point of our lives, so it’s kind of a release that we’re finally done, but other than that, you miss it because everything comes rushing back, from the memories from elementary school to middle school to high school.”
For the valedictorian, it was the memories of events that brought the students together that stuck out, whether it was playing games in elementary school, becoming the youngest group when they entered middle school and hosting prep rallies in high school. A big memory was hosting this year’s provincial student leadership conference in September.
“A lot of the individuals who graduated from this class were paramount in leading the hosting of the provincial student leadership conference,” Kerr said. “When you have a group of students that take the initiative to lead and work and devote themselves to host almost 1,000 students and their advisors, that’s pretty memorable.”
The principal said he’s also going to remember how some of the grads pranked him by covering his office floor with Styrofoam cups filled with water.
“The prank speaks to the type of kids they are because they did it in a respectful fashion. They left buckets to clean up the cups of water that they left, so that speaks volumes.”
Becker said she’s telling her fellow graduates to not get stressed out over the little things when they leave. It may seem that people know what they are doing out there, but that isn’t always the case.
“I think it’s really important not to stress out because, usually, some people don’t know what they are doing either,” she said, “so you don’t have to face this all alone.”
The valedictorian, who’s going to Saskatchewan Polytech in Saskatoon to become a registered nurse, said she hopes she’ll be able to keep in touch with the people she formed friendship with.
As for Kerr, he said he was proud with how the graduation went. The event involves a supper complete with toasts, an awards ceremony and a part where funny anecdotes are shared about each student.
“It takes a lot of people a lot of hours, a lot of time, a lot of patience, but I believe we put on a wonderful graduation ceremony that puts the students front and centre but allows the families to cherish this.”
Valediction by Nicole Becker
The definition of a bond, is something used to tie something or to fasten things together. After 12 years, living our lives side by side, and looking at us right now, sitting at our graduation ceremony, it’s not as difficult as it once was to understand the emotional meaning behind such a physical word. A bond is something that can be seen and felt today between us graduates.
Good evening and welcome family, friends, teachers, staff, esteemed guests, and most importantly the graduating class of 2018. As this year's chosen valedictorian, I am beyond honored to be speaking on behalf of a class that I would describe in only three simple words: young, dumb, broke. Put bluntly, but with honestly, you could probably guess what song I listened to on repeat while I wrote this speech.
Right now, looking around at one another, we can see that we are pretty young, somewhat still dumb, and basically broke high school kids with a future ahead that we are told is big, bold, and expecting our presence. Some of us individuals, currently, are willing to attack what’s in store after leaving the nest we call home, while some of us cried last Friday when the realization hit that it was the final day of classes. Not going to name names about who let the water works go but…
Either way, whether we feel ready or not, this big, bold, crazy, and unpredictable future is coming for us, so we’re coming for it. This next chapter in our lives, filled with undeniable promise is soon to become our present day, even when it seems like, not that long ago we were purely, kids. And not that long ago we were just kids, and the only thing we had to worry about was whether we were the goalie or out in infield during those barbaric soccer games at Tisdale Elementary. This which consisted of too much swearing for 9 year olds and using your hands to chuck the ball at the opposing net too often. Or sometimes opposing teammate.This was also a time when the only drama and gossip that we obtained in our lives was when everyone saw Laira throw her ‘wedding ring’ from Skylar into the playground sand.
Elementary school, in addition, was a time period of discovering specific feelings. These emotions included the burning sensation of jealousy, which occured when it was exposed that Mrs. Andruisak’s Grade 3 class got ice cream when they accomplished their times tables up to 12, and the other class got nothing in return. Ultimately, elementary school was the point in our lives when young friendships began to form, even if they were just a one day, grounders group relationship or a best friends for life friendship with somebody who continues to have your back today.
Soon enough though, as we wished the clock to tick just a bit faster, we found ourselves anxious to walk through the doors of Tisdale Middle & Secondary School, leaving behind our names engraved in the old wooden bench at Tisdale Elementary or other marks at alternative schools. Here, attempting to get use to our new surrounding as soon as possible, we came to know we were no longer the big dogs, but that we had to start at the bottom of the food chain. Therefore, our first few weeks at TMSS consisted of us travelling in huddled packs throughout the hallways to the washrooms, similar to that of scared groups of antelope. Luckily though, as our career through middle school continued, this protection habit came to an end, resulting in us exploring and discovering our place in a new environment. Beginning with trying out for the badminton team, to discovering one’s love for playing clarinet in band class, and joining the Student Representative Council, we all discovered a passion and created friendships revolving around recreational and school activities we enjoyed most. From Mr. Gisi always suggesting that the junior girls basketball team should start a wrestling team because they were too aggressive, to the time Mr. Andrusiak had to drive Carson home to change clothes after he fell in a mud puddle, these laughable occurrences didn’t seem that significant then. Now, looking back at Baylee’s daily stated relatable band references and facts, and Kameron and Matthew’s bad but hilarious band trip prank phone calls, these are some of the memories that naturally, come to mind.
And then before we knew it, we were officially in high school, where late night study sessions occurred more often than liked, Ellen in Ms. Rudd’s class became a daily ritual, and singing the Jackson 5 at the top of our lungs in Mrs. Andris’s history class was the highlight of our day. Within the span of three years of high school, memories have been established involving people we’ve watch grow alongside us and become unconditionally attached to. Experiences such as creating 11 minute long dances in Mr. Kozun’s gym class, running out to the football field hoping to catch a glimpse of a rogue bull, watching Knoll walk around the school in a Ted costume, and witnessing unlikely events, such as a certain someone stabbing a certain someone else with a tack through the arm, has brought us all closer together in a manner none of us would have expected. From onlooking the Senior Boys Volleyball team making it to provincials, the Senior Drama Club performing at regionals, and hosting the annual Saskatchewan Student Leadership Conference, here, in Tisdale, we’ve become our own support system.
Over the course of our Grade 12 year, we have all united in a demeanor that has allowed us to reflect on how far we’ve come and be proud of our accomplishments as one. And these accomplishments, big or small, are ones we deserve to be proud of ourselves for, because we’ve worked our butts off to achieve them in order to be where we are today. Moving on into this new portion of our lives, we also owe a piece of our success to those who have tended to us from day one. From our parents, families, and friends who have acknowledged our ups and downs frequently, to the teachers, counselors, coaches, and community members who have always steadied us as a guiding team, thank you, for celebrating this memorable day with us.
Looking back, we can recognize one the of the main concepts that have kept us trudging through and surviving high school has been our friendships, our relationships with each other. We have all leaned on one another in some measure, allowing us to never feel completely alone, whether it be the exchanging of alarmed and fear filled eye contact when writing your first Physics 30 exam, realizing you and everyone else have no idea what's going on, or boastfully commentating on how the Lord of the Flies movie does not follow the book. While reaching this inevitable, exciting, and taunting journey, soon to be living it, I believe that it’s important for us to keep in mind that probably nobody still knows what’s going on or what they’re doing either.
This school, our experiences, our highs and lows, the friendships we have created with people, are what have held us all together. They have bonded all of us. The schools we have attended and the people we have befriended are the glue that has tied us closer, keeping us linked as we part to go our separate ways. Even if you have just joined the majority of us this year or have been conducting this adventure from the start, we hope you’ve enjoyed the ride. Now, towards the end, we can notice how we have evidently impacted each other, as we have assisted in molding each of us into who we are presently, and influenced what we’re going to carry with us when we head on to conquer our future endeavours. With the bonds that have been constructed, unforgettable, laughable, embarrassing, and foggy memories have been been the result. These memories, which we are hoping will last a lifetime.
Filled with a little too much excitement, slight hesitation, and knowledge of past lessons learned, the day we have dreamed of as elementary school kids has finally come graduating class of 2018. As our memories invented through our bonds remain behind us as we move forward into this unknown world, they will continue to tie us back to home and where our stories all began. With bonds shaped that have the potential to last a lifetime, I would encourage all of us to hold on to what has made us, us. Now, as we pursue to chase what our hearts desire in our futures, let’s take a deep breath and together, show the world what we got.
Thank you.
