A graduation is a true cause for celebration and this year’s West Country Outreach School’s graduation was certainly no exception.
The graduation and awards ceremony held Fri., May 30 at the Peter Lougheed Community Centre was a gala affair and the gymnasium was filled with graduates, teachers and guests who enjoyed a delightful evening including a delicious meal followed by speeches, awards and finally, the recognition of the graduates.
Graduate Shae Bast gave the toast to the teachers.
“A teacher is more than an educator,” she said. “A teacher can play all roles; the roles of a friend, counselor or mentor. A teacher can be the guiding force in our lives even after we pass through the portals of our school and step into the world that lies ahead to be conquered.
“In these years of our youth and adolescence, when the friends we make are likely to be the friends we keep, it is our teachers who guide us on our path. When we fall, more often than not, it is a teacher who picks us up, dusts us off and gets us back on our feet. When sorrow comes our way, and all who surround us can offer no solace, it is not uncommon for our teachers to lend a shoulder to cry on.”
In her toast to the parents, graduate Natalie Peck noted parents play a huge role in educating their children.
“As we advance through our teenage years, our parents continue to educate us. I’ve heard that raising a teenager is like trying to nail Jell-O to a tree. This quote suggests that trying to educate a teen is most difficult because nothing seems to stick. Frustrating as that must be they just keep hammering on the nail.
“As much as they want to teach us, they also want us to learn to make our own choices and become more independent. Therefore, they try to move away from giving us lessons and instead strive to guide us.
Despite how we sometimes act, what they think still matters to us and over time they’ll find that their lessons really did stick.”
Trudy Bratland, board chairman of Wolf Creek Public Schools said the graduates should remember receiving a diploma is the first step towards opening doors for the future.
“I recently learned that the comedian/actor Jim Carey wrote himself a cheque for one million dollars early in his career with the objective of cashing it one day. We all know that is a lofty goal, but he not only accomplished it, but did so by doing something he loved to do. May you all reach your goals and find your place in the world doing something you love to do.
Mark McWhinnie, assistant superintendent of tech services also spoke at the graduation.