HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-07-06, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2017.
Seaforth Valedictorians look back on class memories
On behalf of the class
Seaforth Public School's Grade 8 classes each had a
Valedictorian to represent them during the graduation
ceremony on June 27. From left: Liam Wilson, Wendy
Campbell and Colin Campbell. (Denny Scott photo)
By Colin Campbell, Wendy
Campbell and Liam Wilson
Colin: Tonight we will be telling
you about the amazing
accomplishments of our peers and
friends. But we are getting a little
ahead of ourselves. The first thing
we did was spend quite a bit of time
Googling "how to write a
valedictorian speech". Sadly there
weren't a lot of results. We may not
be the best behaved students as we
were reminded by a supply teacher
every once and a while. But with a
little help, well actually a lot of help
from Mr. Hundey, Mr. Dunseith and
all the other helpful teachers, they
made us better students and, along
the way, better people. They helped
prepare us for the future that we are
truly grateful for and I know
everyone can agree with me when I
say that we appreciate everything
they have done.
Wendy: We have made plenty of
good memories throughout our time
at Seaforth Public School, as well as
a few bad ones. But this is a night of
celebration, and so we should focus
on those happy times. We all
remember back in Kindergarten,
looking around the school for the
gingerbread man, hanging up lost -
and -found signs or when a visitor
came in to show us how to
"properly" brush our teeth. We also
would like to thank our teachers.
Mme. Zembashi who has helped
each and everyone of us through at
least one tough time, Mr. Hundey
has a great sense of humour and
always went all out for costume
days. Mrs. Dawe has shown
incredible devotion to our music
program, and has demonstrated
amazing patience. You can ask Mr.
Dunseith any question and he will
likely know the answer. We may
have tried to sneak a few answers for
our math tests.
Liam: This year we were given an
amazing opportunity: to get to know
our friends better, to make some new
ones, to learn new skills and have
fun along the way. At Camp Celtic
we got to do all of this and more. I
know everyone could agree with me
when I say that we had an amazing
group of counsellors and we got to
see another side of our teachers. I
fondly remember time watching
fellow students get busted for having
their elbows on the table and having
to do crazy things like: playing leap
frog through the aisles, giving
counsellors massages, running while
pretending to be a rocket ship, crab -
walking through the aisles and more
crazy performances. That was our
amazing Celtic experience.
Colin: Changes will happen and
we are a generation that will be
confronted with major changes.
Seaforth Public School has done an
amazing job of preparing us for the
future and for that change. In the
next part of our lives we will be
faced with plenty of challenges, but
throughout this year we have grown
stronger as individuals and as a
group. We have learned not only
from our teachers but from our peers
as well. They have taught us that not
everything is learned in a classroom
and we will take that knowledge
with us into high school, college and
throughout our lives. Fellow
graduates, we look forward to
conquering these challenges in the
future with your help and the skills
we learned at this amazing school.
Wendy: Before we start a new
chapter we need to thank everyone
that has been a part of the old one.
Our parents have played a huge role
in our lives and I think we need to
thank them. Look at them smiling
and snapping pictures so they can
remember this moment forever. The
people out there are the people that
woke up mornings and stay late after
work to pick you up from school just
so you could be on the basketball
team. Today is an important day for
you and them. Today they are very,
very proud of you. Today would be a
good day to ask for money.
It's also a good day to thank them
for supporting you, because as much
as this is your achievement, this is
also the achievement of your friends,
teachers, parents and siblings. These
people have all helped shape you
into the person you are today.
You had some great times. Maybe
you had some tough ones, but you
did it and you succeeded. Promise
yourself you will make the next year
even better than the past 10.
Remember that you don't have to
follow the crowd. Do the right thing
even when no one's looking. Study
hard. Remember that you are
teaching yourself with every book
you read and, finally, don't be in too
big of a hurry to grow up. These are
the great times and shouldn't try to
push past them. As Dr. Seuss once
said "You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes. You can
steer yourself any direction you
choose."
Liam: A wise man once said:
"You can't connect the dots looking
forward; you can only connect them
looking backwards." So, you have to
trust that the dots will somehow
connect in your future. You have to
trust in something — your gut,
destiny, life, karma, whatever —
because believing that the dots will
connect down the road will give you
the confidence to follow your heart,
even when it leads you off the well-
worn path. And that will make all the
difference." That wise man was
Steve Jobs. We can all learn a
valuable thing from that advice. We
can't give up. Whether it's in life, at
work or at school, we have to keep
pushing forwards. Now let's
keep pushing forwards onto
high school.
Hoonaard fondly recalls last decade with classmates
Continued from page 20
group we have all gotten to know
each other really well. Our crew is
full of different personalities. We all
have our special talents and unique
aspects.
When you first come to our class,
Josh Goudy may seem quiet. But
once you get to know him, he is very
smart! And you sure won't miss him
with that bright head of hair!
Chelsea, on the other hand, is
definitely not quiet! Mrs. Scott said
that she can hear Chelsea's voice
from the other end of the hallway.
Actually, I think she's said that about
all of us! Chelsea also has a love for
horses and could probably tell you
anything about them!
You would most likely find
Meghan with Chelsea here on the
construction site. Meghan also has a
love for horses, but I think that her
biggest love is hurdles. She may be
one of the shorter ones, but that sure
doesn't stop her from doing her
thing when she gets to the track! Oh
yeah, and there was also that time
when she licked Chelsea's paper.
Emma is amazing on the track as
well and she is super encouraging!
But when she's not outside cheering
someone on or playing a sport, you
will probably find her reading her
newest book. It seems that she has
read almost every book out there!
Sam also has an interest in
reading, as he has been on the battle
of the books team since Grade 4. He
is very smart when it comes to
planes, trains and anything that has
to do with the military! He is also
super funny, sometimes not
intentionally.
Travis is also one who always
makes everyone laugh! He comes to
school almost every week with a
new catch -phrase. Travis is also
good with cards! He has fooled us all
multiple times with different magic
tricks.
Josh V. is almost always with
Travis and also enjoys magic tricks.
Josh V is very helpful and is always
good for a laugh. He is also the class
celebrity look-alike, because he
looks like Aaron from the movie The
Little Drummer Boy.
Amanda is always willing to help
out and very good with kids. She
also always has a story to tell and is
super talkative.
Ally is an amazing dancer! She
can do just about any type of flip or
dance move that you can imagine!
She also has a love for cats! If you
need cheering up, just ask her about
her cats and she will tell you
multiple stories about them!
Brooke is the newest member of
our construction team, as she just
joined this year. Over the last year
getting to know her, we can all see
that she is super athletic! She is a
great runner and is also really into
baseball!
Makayla is also relatively new to
our group, as she joined us two years
ago. Makayla fit in great with us, as
she is super talkative and wasn't shy
at all! Makayla is always laughing
with us and has an amazing singing
voice!
Joshua also has a great voice and
loves music! He has been a part of
the praise team for a few years now
and sang a solo in the musical too.
He is amazing on the trumpet and
enjoys playing drums once in awhile
as well.
These past 10 years have been a
blast. We have made numerous
memories together and experienced
many great opportunities. I would
like to thank all the teachers, staff
and parents for playing a huge role
in our lives and for building us up to
be strong Christians.
In Matthew 7:24-27 it says to
always build your house on the rock
and when you do build your house
on the rock, it will not fall, because
it had been founded on the rock. This
verse is talking about our lives as
Christians: if we build our lives on
Jesus Christ, we will not fall,
because he is a strong foundation for
our lives.
Christian education has given each
one of us a strong foundation to
build our lives on, as we have
learned about God through
everything here at Huron Christian
School.
As we are leaving here and
preparing for what God may bring us
in the future, I wish my fellow
builders that God may always be by
your side in whatever you may be
doing and that you will always
remember to build your house
on the rock.
Campbell, Mitchell receive J.W. Talbot Award
Seaforth Public School held its
annual graduation and year-end
awards gala on Tuesday, June 27 at
the Seaforth and District Community
Centre.
Colin Campbell, Wendy Campbell
and Liam Wilson were named the
school's valedictorians.
Wendy Campbell also won the
Nancy Kale Environmental Award,
the Music Award, the John Jew
Citizenship Award and the OPC
Leadership Award.
Colin Campbell also won the
Gauss Math Award and the History
Award, while Liam Wilson won the
Geography Award, the Gauss Math
Award and the J.W. Talbot Award for
academics and contribution to his
school.
Claire Mitchell was the other
winner of the J.W. Talbot Award for
academics and contribution to her
school, while she also won a Gauss
Math Award, the Science Award, the
French Award and the Athletics
Award. She was also named a Field
Day Champ for the school,
alongside Owen Oliver.
Alaina Campbell won the
Georgina Reynolds Spirit Award,
while Alivia Brown won the Carolyn
Griffin Positive Role Model Award,
the Rachael Broome Memorial Art
Award and a Gauss Math Award.
Owen Taylor and Allysa Greidanus
were both winners of the Barb
Elston Sportsmanship Award.
Greidanus also won a Gauss Math
Award, while Taylor won the
school's Athletics Award.
Aidan Wilson won the school's
Friendship Award and the John Jew
Citizenship Award.
Austin Crawford won the Music
Award, while Seth Ashwin won the
Edna Bell Waddington Bursary
for the most improved English
student.
Madalin Henderson won the June
Boussey Bursary Communication
Award, while Reegan Watcher won
the Sheila Morton Super Fun
Bursary Award.
Torrance Pennington-Vock won
the School Council Award for having
a positive attitude, while Carrson
Hawes -Vance and Jenna McClure
were both winners of the Most
Improved Math Award.
Claire Mitchell, Jenna McClure,
Allysa Greidanus, Colin Campbell,
Wendy Campbell and Liam Wilson
were all honoured for their
excellence in English with a grade of
over 80 per cent, while Colin
Campbell, Allysa Greidanus, Seth
Ashwin, Sierra Smith, Ben tenHag,
Alivia Brown, Wendy Campbell,
Owen Taylor, Aidan Wilson, Liam
Wilson, Reegan Watcher and Claire
Mitchell were all recognized for
their excellence in mathematics with
a grade of over 80 per cent.
Hullett students awarded
Hullett Central Public School
handed out its Grade 8 graduation
awards on Tuesday, June 27. The
students gathered for a group picture
at the school before heading to Blyth
for their graduation ceremony and
awards night.
Jeylin Riley was named the
school's valedictorian — which was a
surprise to students until the
ceremony began that night.
Riley also won the Student
Leadership OPC Award, as well as
the Male Academic Distinction
Award and the Science Award.
Ella Sawchuk was the winner of
the Female Academic Distinction
Award. She also was honoured with
the Mathematics Award and was a
co -winner of the Art Award
alongside Bailey Coles. Coles also
won the Geography Award.
Kiara Driscoll was named the
school's Outstanding Female
Athlete, while also collecting the
Performing Arts Award and the
Student Council Award.
Dawson Hoggart was named the
school's Outstanding Male Athlete
for the year and it was Brianna
Graf who won the Heart of Gold
Award.
Ainsley Croft won the Kim
Hunking Memorial English Award,
while Travis Wilts won the Howson
and Howson Design and Technology
Award. Sara Hunking won the
History Award, Avery Boven won
the Amy Bosman Memorial Music
Award and Braedan Fleming won
the school's Computer Technology
Award.
Emma Bernier won the French
Award, Rorie Bromley won the
Overall Academic Improvement
Award, Tyler Johnston won the
Student Choice Award and Kennedy
Huether and Chloe Elliott were co -
winners of the Effort and Co-
operation Award.