The Fort Frances High School graduating class of 2008 stood with pride in front of a packed crowd at the graduation ceremony held yesterday evening at the Memorial Sports Centre.
Some 205 grads walked across the stage to gather their diploma, and for some, to receive prestigious awards or Ontario Scholar certificates.
David Donaldson, Tyson Grinsell, and Jordan Manty were honoured with being named leading students with the highest academic standings.
Manty also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal which was created in 1873 by Lord Dufferin and in the past was bestowed upon such prolific figures in Canadian history like Pierre Trudeau, Robert Bourassa, Kim Campbell and more. He accepted it with modesty and grace as he crossed the stage to shake hands with high school administration.
Donaldson also achieved the highest average in 4U physics and 4U calculus and vectors and thus was awarded with the Sir Isaac Newton Award.
Many others also received awards and bursaries for academic, musical, dramatic, and sports-related endeavours.
Besides doling out praise and recognition for the grads, the ceremony also featured a handful of moving speeches and musical performances.
Cody Carmody, one half of the Student Executive Coucil presidency, gave a speech entirely written in verse. He highlighted moments of his high school career as well as motioned to the future, announcing: “To the graduates of 2008—we actually did it and we did it great.”
To a thunderous applause he walked away from the podium, proudly saluting his fellow peers.
With such a group of talented and ambitious students, principal Gord McCabe, along with the rest of administration, said he was sorry to see them go but was also very excited to see what will unfold in their bright futures.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
