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The Citizen, 2007-07-12, Page 16By Heather GibsonOn this very excitingevening, we come together tocelebrate and reminisceabout the past 10 years thatwe have spent together in this building, creating mem- ories and becoming the peo- ple we are today. We first arrived, nervous and unsure of what to expect. But, as we have been given the tools for learning and the experi- ences for developing relationships, our time together has unfolded somewhat like a dance, perhaps, many kinds of dances along the way. You see: “Life’s a dance you learn as you go … Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow … It doesn’t matter what you don’t know … Cuz, life’s a dance you learn as you go …” Our years through public school have been just like a dance. In the primary grades with Mrs. Kemp and Ms Weise, we took little steps as we learned our letters and numbers and how to get along with our peers. We were given explicit directions on how to go about life at school … somewhat like square dancing – it was important to follow each step in the right sequence. “Allemand left with your left hand, bow to the partner, and there you stand.” As rigid as the steps were, we were all encouraged to learn at our own pace and were given endless opportunities to suc- ceed. Special days like the teddy bear picnic and play days, with endless choices of ice cream, kept us want- ing to keep learning those important steps of the dance. Throughout the next few years of our primary career, the pace picked up and we took larger steps. We were skill building and tap was the dance of the day. You see, tap danc- ing requires intricate and precise steps and the ability to dance around objects. We learned the nextsteps in reading and storybuildings plus we learnedhow to manipulate numbers.We also began to developself confidence. Mrs. Vandendool taught us the value of reading and Mrs. Pickell prepared us for EQAO. Medieval Times and our trip to Casa Loma were high- lights of this stage of the dance. Encouragement was endless, as teachers, adults and peers believed in us. They didn’t discourage us if we didn’t know all the steps to the dance, they just encouraged us to get up and dance. More challenges faced us as we entered our junior years. We were daredevils, wiling to try new things, not caring what it would spring on us. For Grade 5 we danced to the beat of different drummers as we were split into two different classes. Mrs. Pickell and Mr. Caldwell worked closely to keep us in step. Swimming lessons for all and team spirit began to develop. Life got busier as we joined sports teams, were introduced to French and were initiated into the senior hall. Most importantly though, we learned that we never had to be better than any- one else, we just had to be ourselves. Everyone continued to encourage us to dance only better than ourselves, to set goals and to believe in them. The dance was speeding up for our intermediate years. “Hand over hand, heel over heel, the faster you go, the better you feel.” Mr. Holland took over for Mrs. Gilroy when she had her baby girl. EQAO and sitting in the nosebleed section at the Blue Jays game helped to create memories. Mrs. Barnett helped us to explore a variety of dances through loud and soft noises, rhythms and beats. We were intro- duced to recorders and finally the instrumental band where we got to make the music for the dancers. We learned how to express our feelings in videos, on stage and during radio station performances. Those moments were priceless! The dance has continued into our Grade 8 year. Friendships, school spirit, differences in opinions and learning have been a big part of our dance this year. Mr. Coups has made this an interesting year as he has offered us tips on life, encouraged us to strive for what we believe in, to keep a sense of humour and to keep learning and dreaming no matter what age you are. Our Grade 8 trip brought us closer together as we travelled on the bus for three days and shared rooms with our friends. We toured Ottawa and visited amazing places such as the parliament buildings, and museums. We continued our dance and became the dancers when we got the chance to show our moves we had learned throughout the years that our teach- ers had taught us. We couldn’t have had better luck than to spend these years together. As we leave Hullett Central Public School and enter high school, we take with us all the dance steps we have learned along the way. We will remember that they didn’t always come easily but that we were always encouraged to try again and to keep practising so we would dance to the best of our ability. We will remember that each dancer has a unique style and needs to be appreciated and recognized. We will also remember that a sense of humour will take us a long way but most of all we are surrounded by friends who help us to make great memories. It has been a mixture of many dances. We progressed from nerv- ous, reluctant dancers to enthusiastic risk taking dancers. This could not have happened without the ongoing support and encouragement from our teachers, parents and grandparents who have always been there for us, whether it was to applaud an accomplishment, wipe a tear of disappointment or to teach the next step in the dance. Thank you for your patience and for believing in us. Remember graduates, “We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers and we create the dreams.” So, Grade 8 friends, do keep building on the steps you have learned and always remember to dance like no one is watching. All the best as you enter the next phase of your dance. Hullett grads - The Hullett Central Public School Grade 8 graduates are, back row, from left: Mr. John Coups, Emma Dale, Andrew Reinsma, Tanner Merner, Dylan Williston, Brendon Boven, Matt Popp, Aaron Popp (in car), Jeff Plaetzer, David Keller, Will Fleming, Dana Tedd, Brend Drost, Jasmine deBoer. Front: Emily Allen, Brooke Snell, Summer Carpenter, Heather Gibson, Abby Petz, Alanna Roy, Ali Snell, Corey Pollard, Laura Sowerby, Vaness Wilts and Jennifer Snell. Recipients of awards at Seaforth Public School’s Grade 8 graduation were: Jordan Currie, academic, Ontario Principals’ Council Leadership award; Stacy McLachlan, academic; Dalton Becker, citizenship; Katelyn Govier, citizenship; Jessica Baer, public speaking; Sky Hendrickson, language arts improvement; Scott Campbell, sportsmanship; Nicole McIntosh, sportsmanship, valedic- tory award; Dan Lubbers, Sheila Morton bursary award; Nikki Steep, music; Hailey Maxwell, SAC award; Scott Selvey, French award; Rikki Lynn Wilson, Festival Hydro science award; Luke Harrison, vale- dictory award. Seaforth Gr. 8s get awards PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2007.HH uu ll ll ee tt tt CC ee nn tt rr aa ll PP uu bb ll ii cc SS cc hh oo oo llHHuulllleetttt CC ee nn tt rr aa ll PP uu bb ll ii cc SS cc hh oo oo ll Congratulations to all the graduates! 519-482-3997 Municipality of Central Huron ROBERT RADFORD FARM MACHINERY REPAIRS 39912 Londesboro Road, RR #1 LONDESBORO 519-523-4851 BBeesstt WWiisshheess && CCoonnggrraattuullaattiioonnss "Specializing in Older Tractor Parts" Canadian Supplier of Steiner Tractor Parts Stephen Radford Londesborough 519-523-4922 CC oo nn gg rr aa tt uu ll aa tt ii oo nn ss && BB ee ss tt WW ii ss hh ee ss tt oo oo uu rr GG rr aa dd ss !! 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