Students, their teachers and families gathered at Affinity place to celebrate both the achievements of the past, and the potential of the future ahead. The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) graduation ceremony packed the seats of the arena, with the sounds of cheering and applause echoing throughout the entirety of the event.
During the introductory speech, principal Pat Jeannot declared the theme of the graduation by invoking a quote by Walt Disney: "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."
Jeannot encouraged the graduates to have that necessary courage to live their dreams, facing risks of failure in life, saying, "If you have the courage to pick yourself up, and carry on with the vision of your dream, you will attain it. Believe in the skills that you have acquired over your years of education, have confidence in yourself, in that you are able and willing to use these skills...Only you will control the pathway of your future."
On behalf of the City of Estevan, mayor Roy Ludwig congratulated the graduates on their success, echoing the message in Jeannot's speech, by asserting that a person's attitude is crucially important to their future. Ludwig said how the graduates approach their days and other people, moving forward, will determine their success.
Graduates Allyssa Cunningham and Jarrett Daoust were recognized as senior ring and pin by teacher Pat Fergusson, after which they gave a gracious speech accepting their recognition. Cunningham and Daoust also thanked everyone who supported them, near and far, helping them through all of the trials and difficulties they faced in their education and high school life, giving special recognition to all the parents in the audience. Graduate Colin Sutter also spoke, giving recognition to the teachers at ECS.
Parents, Kevin Daoust and Johnathon Bachorcik gave a humorous and heartfelt tribute to the students, congratulating them on how much they have matured over the years, and on what Bachorcik described as "writing your own stories."
The graduating class of 2016 was a large class, but each of the graduates had their individual chance to shine, walking across the stage, past a backdrop of present and past photos, as their plans for the future were announced to guests.
Retiring teacher Tim Lee entertained students, fellow teachers and pretty much everyone else with a thorough, heartfelt speech that touched on the conflicting feelings of relief, pride and sadness he felt, watching the graduates move on with their lives. Lee spoke fondly of some of the memories he shared with some of his favourite students, noting that the qualities they possess bode well for the future.
Lee had the audience laughing for a good part of his speech, debunking myths about teachers, stating that, although they are not always nice, teachers very deeply care about the success of theirs students, also addressing some of the more nitty-gritty realities of teaching, in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
Valedictorian Carly Kreklewich took to the stage to congratulate a number of teachers who helped her and her fellow students reach the degree of success they celebrated. Kreklewich thanked a number of teachers in a number of fields, for encouraging the graduates of 2016 to excel, both academically and athletically.
"Looking back on these last four years at ECS, they certainly have been memorable. We began Grade 9 feeling a mixture of nervousness and excitement. ... There were many new faces, experiences and rules to get used to. For example, I learned it is really easy to receive recognition at the Comp. All you have to do is drop your lunch tray and everyone will break out in applause," joked Kreklewich, in her valedictory speech.
Kreklewich referenced numerous fond and humorous memories, as she recalled events memories that ranged from driving lessons and the 12-minute run, to Cookie Mondays and rap battles between students.
She said, "I've learned many things from my time at the Comp. Foremost, I've learned that, although you can't be friends with everyone, being friendly to everyone goes a long way. Secondly, I've learned that although you may not be the best at everything, giving your best effort and showing the right attitude is critical to success."
Kreklewich, with some incredulity and sentimentality, described high school as "a blast," but added that it was a little sad to see everyone going their separate ways, be it to travel, pursue further education or gain work experience.
"We will be meeting new people, going on new adventures and creating a bright future for ourselves, knowing 'all our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them,'" she said, referencing the theme of the night. "Grads, let's make our teachers proud, our families proud, and most importantly, ourselves proud. Let's carry the ECS spirit of excellence, commitment and success, with us in all of our future endeavours."
