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The Citizen, 2016-07-07, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016. PAGE 21. Newell honours Class Grade SC with eight 'C's By Jaime Newell Alright, I know all the parents are dying of heat, the poor girls' feet are crammed in those tiny heels and mainly everyone is just looking forward to celebrating with friends. So, to start off, let's give a round of applause to everyone who made this night spectacular: parents, teachers, decorating committee, the EAs and all of our graduates — because without all of you this night couldn't be possible. This year has been surreal. I have made so many memories this year, from the teacher vs. student volleyball game [which by the way students won], to the colour run, and getting loads of colourful baking soda in the mouth oh, if you ever participate in one of those be sure to keep your mouth shut running through the colour stations! And, our trip to Camp Celtic with most of our peers was a gigantic highlight! Now, I would like to speak about my classmates, peers and friends of Grade 8C by actually using eight Cs. • Classmates: We come from different families, different homes, different towns and we came together under the wing of Momma Martyn and became the family of 8C. • Competitive: whether it was throwing dodgeballs at each other's heads or writing down your math answer as fast as you could, 8C was a very fiercely competitive bunch.. Man, some of those dodgeball matches felt like they went on forever. • Comedic: If there was a class clown award, I'm sure someone in 8C would receive it. We have shared moments like having laugh attacks and repeatedly interrupting Mrs. Durnin's lessons or not even noticing garbage in the middle of the hallway and completely (trashing) them. • Celebration: a team victory, a broken record or a birthday we could make everyone feel special. I'm sure we have sung Happy Birthday so many times we could probably make a cover for it, but before we sing, we always had to wait for Mrs. Dery or "Barb" as some of us like to call her, because we, especially Brett, didn't feel right. • Charismatic: A lot of the time we were a very charming persuasive group especially towards our favourite supply teachers. Ms. Hallman and Ms. Adams. We would try to negotiate deals to get free time even if it meant not talking (which is ridiculously hard when it comes to our class). Or even to get our teachers to fell us fairly embarrassing stories of their life. • Compassionate: We've created an environment where all students feel included, safe, valued and feel like they belong. It's the small things like taking someone into your group if they don't have one, helping a peer with some of their work when they're stuck or even simply asking them how their weekend was. • Change: Lots of us have experienced change this year, whether your friends weren't in your class, you've made new friends or maybe you joined a team you never thought you would. A quote that sticks with me is "Don't be afraid to change. You may lose something good but you may gain something better". — Unknown. • Continue: As we continued from Grade 6 we were the big fish in a fairly small pond but we continue to change into a bigger pond where we are considered a minnow. I hope we all continue to be friends and support each other as we move into the hallways of Grade 9. So, to our teachers, coaches and mentors, thank you! You have helped shape us into the young adults you see before you. Now a very special congratulations to our Grade 7/8 Principal Mrs. Irwin. Congratulations on a well deserved retirement! I'm sure everyone here at Madill will miss your face in the hallways. And to Mrs. Durnin we thank you for supporting us in class, on the track and in our everyday lives. We wish you the best at Goderich Public School, all of us and especially the long distance runners will miss you. Our very final thank you goes out to all the parents, guardians and families. If it weren't for you, these young adults wouldn't be sitting here today. You have driven us to sporting tournaments and arts events to represent Madill. You have prepared us each and every day for school whether it was by helping us study or completing projects or just figuring out life. Thanks for all you do — you have certainly influenced us all in a great way! So this is the end of our grade school days. Congratulations to you all and thanks for a great year. I hope everyone has a safe and thrilling summer and I hope to see you all in our new hallways in September. Shaw looks back to '02, '06 in school journey 1 l U LLI By Breelle Shaw Good evening staff, family, friends and fellow graduates. Graduation is a time for reflecting on the past and looking to the future. It is a time that we, as graduates, gather together, not only to celebrate, but to remember where we came from, how we've grown, who supported us along the way and wonder just what adventures might lie ahead. So let's start at the very beginning: 2002. We entered this world and met our very first teachers: our parents. Our parents gave us the roots to grow. Like a seed that becomes a sapling and then a young tree, they cared and nurtured us, celebrating our growth. Of course our parents didn't do this alone. Many of us can appreciate the special role our grandparents, aunts, uncles and extended family have had in our lives as well. And to them all we owe a "thank you". When our school career began, we added more teachers to our circle of support. The year was 2006. We headed off, most of us as shy five -year-olds, with our Tinkerbell or Lightning McQueen backpack in hand. We all have our own unique memories from those first years, whichever school it may have been. In Grade 7 our classes came together at Madill. It was an exciting time. We were given new privileges and new responsibilities. Friendships quickly formed between students from once -rival schools. We continued to grow under the new teachers here. Mrs. McGavin, Ms. Culbert, Mr. Hallman and his bad jokes, Mr. Prout, the always smiling Mrs. Tinsley, Ms. Martyn's passionate coaching, Mrs. Durnin, the encouraging ski and track coach and Mr. Westra, who showed us that learning can be fun. Along the way, they have all had a role in shaping us and we want to thank them as well. Now as we begin high school new adventures await. We will extend our branches and continue to grow. And just like a forest of trees, we will all grow differently. Some will grow tall, some will extend their branches further to the sides. Some of us will keep growing close together, some will venture off in new directions. We will all grow in our own ways, reaching for the light at the top of the forest. In high school, you can pick your classes, start to choose the path you want to take and the knowledge and skills you want to gain. You'll hopefully get excited about the endless possibilities and start to decide where you want to go in life. It may seem overwhelming — but at the same time, exciting. Within us, each of us has the power to become a strong tree, soaring to new heights. But we would be fooling ourselves to think that something won't go wrong along the way. there may be times when you are shadowed by a larger tree in the forest. You will at times, struggle to find the light that guides you. But I am confident that we will all find our place in the forest. We are all good at something and high school will help us find it. Find your passion and believe you have it in you to succeed. It may be in sport or a subject. You may join a group or choose to study abroad. Some of us may actually meet our future wife or husband in high school — isn't that right mom and dad? So, graduates, I wish you all good things on your journey through high school as your branches extend and Hullett students receive awards Last week, students at Hullett Central Public School received awards at their special graduation night ceremony as they began their transition from public school students to high school. Claire Scrimgeour was named the school's valedictorian. She also won the Kim Hunking Memorial Award for English and the mathematics award. Joy Pizzati won the school's science award, while Owen Whyte won the Howson and Howson design and technology award. Faith Allen and Kaori Ono won the school's art award and Griffie Bromley won the performing arts award. Josh Plunkett won the history award, while Kaori Ono won the geography award. Plunkett also won the school's French award for the year. Joy Pizzati won the Amy Bosman Memorial Award for music and Alex Fielding won the computer technology award. Jason Wilts was the winner of the male outstanding athlete award, while Myea Fleet took home the female outstanding athlete award. Josh Plunkett won the male academic distinction award, while Claire Scrimgeour won the female academic distinction award. Adam Shortreed won the overall academic improvement award, Jaden Shortreed won the Student Leadership OPC Award and Jared Bergsma won the Effort and Continued on page 27 you reach for the sky. And I leave you today with these words: "Behind you, are all your memories, before you, are all your dreams, around you, are all who love you and within you, is all you need." Class came together at Madill: Caldwell By Grace Caldwell Graduates, we have finally made it here today. It's been a long year. Wow, ladies we look beautiful and men you still have some work to do — I'm just kidding. Wow, this set- up is amazing. Please, let's give the parents and volunteers who helped a round of applause. Let's also mention all the work that the secretarial staff and custodial staff have done over the year. But graduates let's give ourselves an applause — it has took eight years to get here. Teachers you were wonderful this year — Mrs. Durnin, Ms. Martyn, Mr. Westra, Mr. Prout and Mrs. Tinsley. In Class 8B we had a great time, didn't we? We were always making our own fun, from putting holes in the roof with a catapult to making fun of Mr. Prout or learning that if you were hit with a volleyball just right you could go flying. Ms. Martyn, your love for basketball helped the girls basketball team to win two tournaments. Ladies on that team, you rocked! Mr. Westra, your love of baseball was the best, whether we were watching the Blue Jays game in September, or playing it in June, there was never a dull moment. Mrs. Durnin, your love for track, Nordic skiing and cross-country teams was inspiring to watch. You shall be missed next year as you go to Goderich Public School. Mr. Prout, you were a cool music teacher, whether we were doing karaoke, making fun of people or hearing us about weird things you have ordered at Tim Horton's. Best for last — Mrs. Tinsley, you always had the patience for people learning French and coaching people from the sidelines on the swim team. Even though we have all come from all different schools like Teeswater, East Wawanosh, Turnberry, Wingham, North Woods, Brussels and Maitland River, we all joined together to make our grade stronger. Since Kindergarten, we have all had some pretty great teachers through the years to get to where we are today. They have taught us to be successful and they helped build who we are today. When we came together with our different skills, abilities and knowledge to make our grade stronger. That's what made being a part of Madill the best. So now I will leave you with a quote: "You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think " See you in Grade 9, graduates.