Medicine Hat High School - Yearbook (Medicine Hat Canada, Alberta)

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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII VALEDICTORY ADDRESS Fellow graduates, teachers, parents, family, friends, honoured guests. Let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation for the honour of addressing you tonight on behalf of the graduating class. The day of our high school graduation has finally come. It brings to us both relief and sadness, both excitement and trepidation. Speaking as a student, Iam happy to see the many years of elementary and high school studies, with all their attendant academic and social pressures, come to a successful conclusion, but I will leave behind friends and associates with whom I have shared many pleasant times, and I know that despite the best of intentions, our paths will seldom cross again. I am excited about embarking on post-secondary studies, but the many unknown factors attendant upon entering university make me more than a little uneasy. I'm sure that my fellow graduates have similar feelings on this important day in their lives. We are all grateful to our parents for the support they have given us over the years and the direction they have given to us in both our studies and our personal development. This relationship is about to undergo a fundamental change, as many of us will be leaving home to study or to enter the work force. Although every one of us is no doubt absolutely confident that he or she is ready for this independence, still we have much to learn about being on our own . I suspect that the telephone companies will reap large profits from lengthy long distance calls, collect of course. We must also pay due respect to our teachers for their diligent efforts to provide us with a sound educational foundation. In my personal experience at Medicine Hat High School, I found that the teachers were dedicated professionals who took a keen interest in the students, progress. Several of them made efforts substantially beyond what is required under contract. It is traditional that the valedictorians should not merely express gratitude, but should also impart a message to the assembled throng. Perhaps it's because we have all attended lectures and some of us, church services Csometimes under considerable duressj and cannot resist the opportunity to deliver a sermon. In keeping with this practice, I would like to read a short poem by Robert Frost, called The Road Not Takenn. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowthg Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I I

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The Principal, Staff and Graduands of the Hlediciue Hui High Schoof request the honour of youfpresence at the D88 Qrruluutiou fsfxercises to be held at the Ce zfpress Geutre Stampede Grounds 'VOecluescluu, june 2Qth, IQ88 ul 7:00 pru. BA 'N BA The Wleelicrue Hat High School gruohuurug Qluss oflQ88 requests your presence ut the fuurrrrlu Banquet uud Guburet to be held 8: E ut the Qupress Geutre T r3 Thursday, fuue 30th, Q88 E uf OOO pm. CD rrfrre SO? rrfrr ut'5:fJCJp.1r1,D HA VEA SAFE GRAD 4 qi N h -I f CA sh! ,M R ish T

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llIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII l'm sure that every member of the English department could expound upon this poem for hours. I don't propose to do that. I will not point out one single example of alliteration, simile, metaphor, or satire, or any of the other technical terms that make teachers' eyes glow and students' eyes glaze, I will simply dwell for a moment on a simple message. We students are at perhaps the most critical crossroads of our lives. We must choose what we will study and what career we will pursue. There are many options, not merely two as in the poem. Furthermore, although our parents will be pleased to advise us fperhaps very forcefullyj, in the end we must accept full responsibility for the path we choose. Of even greater significance, once we have set out in a given direction, we are fully responsible for how well we progress. Our parents are not going to tell us to do our homework, and if we fail to complete an assignment on time, either in our studies or on a job, our professors or employers will be far less forgiving than these teachers here tonight. This is rather overwhelming. But before we lapse into shock at the enormity of the implications of this new-found responsibility, l would like to add another brief message. lt is most unlikely that every one of us is going to make the optimal choice in terms of education and career at this stage of our lives. We do not know enough about our capabilities and interest, nor do we have sufficient experience of the working world. I think that we should all approach the next stage of our lives with an open mind, and we should be prepared to make a change in any direction, should we discover that we are not well suited to the choice we are now making. This is not failure, it is merely re-evaluation. Even if this change means extra years of study or apprenticeship, it will undoubtedly be very worthwhile in the long run. At this point of our lives, a year seems like a very long time, but at age 40, it will make little difference whether we entered the work force at age 22 or 25. So endeth the sermon. Let me close by expressing confidence that the staff of Medicine Hat High School will maintain the school,s tradition of excellence in education, and by wishing all graduates success in their future endeavours. Thank you. Jennifer Louise Schmitke I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I