Graduating high school marks ending, new beginning

To the relief of many stir-crazy Grade 12 students, the Fort Frances High School graduation ceremony was finally held on Wednesday, June 25 at the Memorial Sports Centre.
The night was witnessed by a full crowd of family and friends, while the graduates, all decked out in their purple caps and gowns, received their diplomas, listened to insightful and inspirational speeches, and threw their hats high into the air above them.
Carissa Copenace, the valedictorian of the graduating class of 2008 quipped, “I was nervous when I was writing this speech and they told me to start with a joke. I’m not very good at telling jokes so I’ll need your help.
“Knock, knock.”
And the graduates answered obediently, “Who’s there?”
“Opportunity,” she said proudly. “Opportunity is at our door . . . and all you have to do when opportunity comes knocking is get off the couch and answer the door.”
While the night may have meant the end of their high school careers, it also marked the beginning of the rest of their lives for the 200-plus graduates.
Graduate Chantel McLeod admitted that the evening was emotional at times.
“I guess it was really emotional maybe once or a few times. During Cody [Carmody]’s speech—when he said that this might be the last time he’d talk in front of us—that was . . .” she finished, speechless at the memory his words left.
But all-in-all the graduation night for her was great.
“It was really nerve-wracking at first—like right when you first get up there [on stage]. But once you get off, you’re like, ‘Wow, I just graduated.’ It’s exciting,” she enthused.
After the ceremony was complete, many of the grads returned to the arena to take part in the annual “chem-free” grad party, which is hosted by the high school and provides an alcohol- and drug-free environment in which the graduates could celebrate their accomplishment.
There were all sorts of events from blackjack, to Jello-eating contests, to driving the OPP impaired driving simulator, to hurtling yourself over an inflatable obstacle course.
The event was deemed a success by McLeod, even though she was unable to take part in all of the activities because she had missed the sign-in time. She was happy but exhausted with the entire evening as she walked away with a popcorn machine that she won.
McLeod will first be attending the Royal Winnipeg Ballet for a one-week course for training to be a dance teacher. Then in the fall, she plans on attending the local Confederation College for the educational assistant program.
Though she will still be in close proximity to her old high school, she still expects that it will be much different.
“I think I’ll miss just seeing everybody that I’m used to seeing. I’ll still be near the high school but not everyone you expect to be there will still be there.
“I’ll miss just seeing all of their faces,” she revealed.
She knows she will miss the environment and the people, but she is still excited to be done and to be moving on.
McLeod looks forward to working with children in the future and has her eyes set on working in a day care someday, but in the meantime she will continue to help out at Fort Dance Studio by assisting in teaching the children’s classes alongside Madame Borka Gauthier.