CANORA- As guest speakers for the Canora Composite School graduating class of 2022, Cindy Smith, former principal, and Simone Homeniuk, teacher, were more than ready to have the undivided attention of the graduates for one final time.
“Ladies and gentlemen, parents and relatives, dignitaries, fellow teachers and administrators, honoured guests, and most importantly, graduates,” began Smith. “I am very honoured to be among you, and to be asked to provide your keynote address as you celebrate this milestone in your life
“Life has given you so much, and yet so much is in store. We never know what is around the corner for us; but science has shown that we are an optimistic species, and we will expect good things.
Unsure start
“So it was that in 2017 my job as math coach was cut, and I had to make decisions quickly. The job of principal in Canora was posted. Since I had a master’s in educational administration, I was a possible candidate for the position. I threw my application in, and three days later found myself a first-time principal.
“Holy smoke.
“So. Was I prepared for what was to follow? No way. Without getting into detail, let’s just say the role was incredibly intense. Especially for a rookie.
“But thank God for an amazing group of people in Canora who saved my life! They were there to boost my spirits, calm me down, and help me laugh when things were rough. Those people are before you now as graduates. In my crazy days as administrator, I found shelter daily with these amazing people, where things slowed down and we found ways to learn and laugh.
“What an amazing group of young people. I experienced compassion, kindness, enthusiasm, passion, intellect, and humour. This group has an incredible amount of personality! And they had to endure a teacher that was also a principal, and called away frequently. I remember running away from office demands to come teach Grade 8 math, panting and closing the door behind me, to enter a better world for an hour.
“You gave my work meaning every day, and you shared your energy with me when I was exhausted and beaten. You are very special people, and dear to my hearts and always will be.
“Mrs. Homeniuk and I started our time at Canora Composite together, and together shared our bewilderment at the antics of this group of students.”
Graduates are truly unique
Homeniuk opened her section of the speech by encouraging the graduates to “Please give a round of applause to all the parents, extended family, friends and all the education staff from kindergarten to Grade 12 that have impacted you on your learning journey. It truly takes a village to raise a child.
“I have reflected many times on how to write a humorous speech to convey the insane number of times that this graduating class has made me howl with laughter,” said Homeniuk. “Here is the situation, I am going to mention a few of these moments, but I have realized that you butterflies should be up here doing the sharing. I know I am the crazy teacher who affectionately has nicknames for all of my favourite students.
“I don’t know why, but it has seemed to me that when we hear stories of vehicle investments that have tree stumps for back seats, and come with fire hazard problems, it somehow contributes to a powerful arsenal of educational excellence, athletic achievement and community spirit amongst this Grade 12 class.
“I think what you have taught me from the police investigating vehicles in the student parking lot and those who hit the floor in my room on the run from the authorities, is that while harbouring these fugitives I was able to clearly see that when individuals work together, the whole group is raised up and the impossible becomes the possible.
“I would like to acknowledge every single one of you beautiful butterflies. Did you know that the butterfly is a classical symbol of transformation? Let me share some snippets of these transformations.
Hudson Bailey
Green hairstreak butterfly
“You are the guy that I spit my coffee on in Grade 9 and you handled it so gracefully. You are an insanely talented athlete and you laugh in an even- keeled way at everything!
Drea Beblow
Palmfly butterfly
“You are a multi-talented individual. You are intrinsically motivated, which is a waning quality in our consumer society. Palm is the nickname for the nickname palmfly butterfly. I wish you well in your education career.
Lexie Biletski
Tawny co-star butterfly
“Your persistent and inquiring attitude makes it clear to me that you will continue to take on new challenges in your nursing career and excel. I admire how you can organize rowdy situations with assertiveness and strength.
Lucas Baillie
Compton tortoise shell butterfly
“This butterfly joined the ‘Butterfly Hood’ in later years. Sometimes, when the shenanigans are full blown, it can feel like teaching in Compton, Los Angeles. Since Lucas joined us with his chill and relaxed style, I thought hey, a tortoise is calm.
Josh Bugera
Checkered skipper butterfly
“Josh, you have a philosophical and existential mindset which I have cherished because you have a bird’s-eye perspective on life. You see the frivolous and the meaningless. You search for authenticity and are unmoved by mediocrity.
Alexa Burym
Queen Alexandra butterfly
“You are a regal queen indeed. You are royal to me and you are easily galvanized into action. You are emotionally and linguistically intelligent with an empowered voice. My wish for you is that you continue to use your voice for the goodness of humanity.
Kalena Cutforth
Small copper butterfly
“The great irony is how much you dislike butterflies. However, your stunning transformation from Grade 9 to 12 does demonstrate the essence of the butterfly, as you have embraced challenges and blossomed. ‘Small Cops,’ you have the cutest laugh!
Mathew Dmitruik
Buckeye butterfly
“Buckeye, Buckeye, Buckeye. You always support shenanigans; you are up for the adventure every time. This is probably why the authorities showed up to your house to deal with some mischievous vehicle infractions…. all because you had to be involved.
Kaylie Donovan
Leaf butterfly
“Leaf, you are always a quiet and respectful butterfly. Never underestimate the ‘quiet’ ones. This girl has a dynamite brain - it is on fire! I always have appreciated how you can focus despite the consistent shenanigans; this skill will serve you well in your future teaching career.
Carter Dereniwsky
Grizzled skipper butterfly
“We have been so lucky to have been graced with your celebrity presence at CCS. You have had an exciting hockey career so far and I proudly follow your hockey status online. I will never forget learning about the intricacies of concussions in hockey athletes from you in Life Transitions 20.
Cheyenne Fediuk
Essex skipper butterfly
“You are so fun to talk to. I don’t know if you realize this about yourself, but you are so quick to process information and figure out what your next steps need to be. You demonstrated how quickly you could process when you were able to duck and miss the flying marshmallow launched at you by giant owl.
Kayden Grayson
“Kaden you are an inquisitive, insightful student and it is wonderful to see all the strides you are taking in your education. We commend you on all the opportunities you are pursuing and your commitment to seeing your goals through to fruition.
Shannyn Hamm
Red lace wing butterfly
“I will never forget the first day I met you. Perhaps, you will never forget meeting me, ‘this cracked up teacher’ on your first day at CCS in Grade 9. You are one of the kindest, open-hearted and empathetic butterflies. You got into university and I have to take a moment to feel self righteous; I knew you could do it.
Avery Hanson
Atlas moth
“You are hands down one of this class' favourite out loud readers. There is nothing more mesmerizing than listening to your fantastic rendition of Hamlet. You have style and a worldly, historical knowledge base. Thank you for your willingness to share your learning.
Brody Harrison
Dingy skipper butterfly
“Ding, Ding, Ding. You stole the show in your drama class; as the Grade 9 kid pulled up to perform with the older kids. I’ll never forget your portrayal of the bumbling Greek guy, hamming it up in a toga. Impromptu performances of hilarious German accents would break up my sometimes dreary day. I was never fooled by the antics–there is a quick intellect lurking under all that hilarity.
Payton Hudye
Holly blue butterfly
“You have a very wise and scholarly soul. You have been a role model for how to take care of yourself. Often as a society, we say ‘Take care of yourself,’ but that phrase requires action. When you have needed to retreat, deal with real life hardships and heal, you have, and it has allowed you to flourish greatly.
Jamie Katryniuk
Tailed Jay butterfly
“You are book smart and hands on smart; you have amazing talents in the trades. The world is literally your oyster because you have a range of skills that are in demand. You also have excellent conversational skills which will help people continue to like you and trust you.
Codee Kopelchuk
Pink cattle heart butterfly
“You are a strong female powerhouse. You are an exceptional hockey player and an avid ‘ag’ gal; hence the beautiful, feminine pink cattle heart. Your heart is kind and you are such an amazing listener. When you have something to say it matters, even if some of those boys are chirpy. For someone who is so mature, I always love how the immature cracks you up every time
Brendan Landstad
Blue Adonis butterfly
“The definition of Adonis, according to dictionary.com, is ‘a very handsome young man.’ This butterfly is not only handsome, but he has blue eyes, making him a perfect Blue Adonis butterfly. Beyond his looks, he is also well known for his generosity of spirit, as he will kindly help anyone.
Bella Mykytyshyn
Monarch butterfly
“You are so self-aware and authentic and I have selfishly bathed in your understanding of humanity. You have a deep insight into the complexities and vulnerabilities that exist within each of us; not everyone can see this and I hope you will continue to work on setting boundaries so that you do not overwhelm yourself with compassion fatigue.
Teagan Secondiak
Red Glider
“The Red Glider Butterfly is unique because it is one of only a few red butterflies in the world. You are a rarity and I am grateful to have had the privilege to teach you. You have mastered your graceful glide through the hallways. You are always respectful towards others and you have transformed into such a thoughtful, kind and hard-working woman.
Clay Sleeva
Gatekeeper butterfly
“You were named gatekeeper butterfly because I had faith in your ability to keep some of the butterflies in line, but I feel like you have been coerced into shenanigans instead of demanding an end to them. I have observed your hockey progress and I know you can continue to be successful because of the sheer grit that you possess.
Jake Statchuk
Gray cracker butterfly
“Your brilliant writing conveys succinct, straightforward and often satirical observations about your musings and I hope you actively pursue this method of communication. This communication mode will probably serve you better than using multi-media to make cat breeding videos. I wonder if your foray into these digital creations is your secret to grinning like a Cheshire cat upon your typical tardy arrival to class.
Elley Tomcala
Brown clipper
“You are a yawning delight. Maybe my classes have bored you to tears because I have never seen someone yawn so much in my 27-year career. Maybe, you just need a good rest for a while from being exceptional. You are an incredible athlete, student, community citizen and friend.
Carter Unick
Giant owl butterfly
“If there was an award for longest school presentation ever – you, dear giant owl would win first place. I feel like I can confidently say that every student in Grade 9 who was under your spell for a whole period, into break, and into the next period would say that they have never sat through such a witty and enlightening presentation like that before or after.
Abby Wilson
Grand Duchess butterfly
“You are a passionate dancer with a flare for an unrestricted range of motion; not only physically, but intellectually as well. Your character has always been grand and regal. I know in my heart that you will thrive in Toronto at the Randolph College for the Performing Arts.
Mya Wolos
Green moss peacock butterfly
“I am so grateful that you are so self-assured and that you are not easily rattled when called a “Karen” in class. I know that some of the chirpy ding dongs have called you this because you continually, ingeniously question some of the mystifying and bewildering presentation statistics that we were subjugated to in class.
Breanne Woloshyn
Blue clipper butterfly
“Blue clips, I am so proud of you because you are a courageous gal. You assertively use your voice to challenge disrespectful and unkind behaviour and you continue to move forward, leaving petty situations in the dust. You are an insanely hard worker with a brilliant brain.
Cassidy Zuravloff
Red spotted purple butterfly
“I have always appreciated your honesty and integrity. I have enjoyed watching you crack up over some of the ridiculous conversations that have taken place in class and it secretly makes me feel better about howling immaturely myself.
Dawson Zuravloff
Pipevine swallowtail butterfly
“Pips, Pips, Pips. It is nice to see you awake and fresh today. Good thing this grad thing didn’t start first thing this morning because you might have had another unpunctual situation. I love your passion for learning, even when it means you get so carried away that it is difficult for you to censor yourself and not interrupt others.
Lane Zuravloff
Drury butterfly
“Drur, you were sent to planet earth to torture administrators and teachers. What we didn’t know was there was a bright mind in there, and –who knew–a great team leader as he skipped his team to provincial gold.
Advice for the future
“This is the part where the chief is supposed to give you advice,” said Smith. “So this is the first lesson—you never know where life will take you, but trust that there will be wonderful people along your path that will help you, in unexpected ways, just as you helped me.
“Here are some other things I wish I would have known when I was younger: that what people think about you has more to do with them than you. Don’t let others’ judgement make your decisions.
“Embrace mistakes. Indeed, they are the only path to success. Do not fear failure. Fear the cowardice of not trying.
“Make other people feel good. These trips around the sun are limited. The whole journey is over in a blink. Help others love the journey, and your own will be enriched.
“Accept and embrace change. However good or bad a situation is, one thing you can count on is that it will change. Understand that change happens for a reason.
“You have lived through COVID-19. It messed up your plans and impacted things you were looking forward to. It changed your lives, it cost you opportunities, and it left you annoyed, worried, and anxious. We recognize that young people who came through COVID have experienced trauma. Do not let this define you.
“An emerging body of research is pointing to a benefit of situations like this. It is called ‘post traumatic growth.’ The American Psychological Association says that following periods of difficulty in life, ‘People develop new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life.’ Post traumatic growth has positive indicators in five domains:
- Appreciation of life;
- Relationships with others;
- New possibilities in life;
- Personal strength; and
- Spiritual change.
My wish for you is that you experience these positive impacts, and go forward with strength, an appreciation for possibilities, and a profound appreciation of life.
“It has been my greatest privilege to have your presence in my life. Now go on and make the world a better place, just like you made my classroom, our school, and your community a better place.
“Congratulations, graduates.”
