CANORA- As valedictorian for the Canora Composite School class of 2022, Bella Mykytyshyn encouraged her classmates to treasure memories made with each other, but also go boldly into a future filled with almost limitless possibilities.
“It is my pleasure to be here speaking on behalf of a group of people who mean a lot, not only to me, but also the whole community of Canora,” said Mykytyshyn.
“On this wonderful day, we have the luxury of celebrating the Canora Composite School graduating class of 2022, which I could not be more proud to be representing.
“So, today is the day!
“Our class has spent almost 13 years anticipating this moment. Except for maybe in Grade 4, when everyone’s biggest worry was attending the weddings that took place on the playground during recess.
“I think it is safe to say that as the class of 2022 is sitting on the stage, you can notice on their faces how everyone is taking in this bittersweet moment and wondering where the time has gone. The day that seemed like it was so far out of reach is finally here. These are some of the same faces that have been in Canora since Kindergarten, when we met for the first time.
“For the past 13 years, going to school was our daily routine. Sure, Canora Composite could be described as just a building, made of concrete walls, finished with brick. You might have wanted to call it some nasty names at times, because to speak truthfully, who in their right mind would like to wake up and go to class every morning, study textbooks, write final exams, and hand in their assignments… especially on time.
“However, school means so much more than tests and marks, because whether we knew it or not, during the past years we were developing ourselves into the courageous, resilient, intelligent and passionate people that we are.
“Today marks a momentous day in our lives, as we have hit a major turning point in which we get to take everything high school has provided, and bring it with us as we take our first steps in a new direction. Truthfully, I would say we are well equipped, and we owe it to the staff and teachers who have done more than just teach us to get us where we are today.
“When ninth grade rolled around, my fellow classmates and I had our first lessons with the high school teachers with whom we would be spending a lot of time.
“If you know Mrs. Homeniuk, she likes to give all of her classes a theme for individual student nicknames. Mrs. Homeniuk could not have picked a better symbol for us to reflect on during our grad day, as butterflies are a great way to represent the transformation, renewal, and change that we are about to experience.
“Mr. Lowes showed us that math isn’t so scary, and that with hard work, we can accomplish more than we’d ever imagine. Mr. Lowes’ classroom was always full of good energy and conversations, and the sincere connection we share with him will be deeply missed amongst our class.
“Mrs. Sznerch had the pleasure of teaching us all of our science classes, but we learned more than how to balance chemical equations. Mrs. Sznerch taught us how to keep it real. She never hesitated to ask the boys if they were ready to go on break, just to gain some well-deserved quiet time in the classroom.
“Our teachers have shown us how valuable their influence has been on us. They have been with us through the highs and lows, and they still continue to stick with us, and support us in a way that nobody else can.
“Now, I couldn’t write a speech for everyone to hear without taking time to highlight some of my favourite things that I have learned from the class.
1). Never trust Clay with an important piece of paper… for example maybe a bill of sale. He might just lose it.
2). If Carter Unick has a marshmallow gun, you might want to duck, and watch out.
3). If you come to school late every day, there will be no guaranteed parking spot, but eventually the door in some classes will begin to stay open for you.
4). If you accidentally make a mistake while reading out loud, don’t worry, the boys will never let you forget it. Just ask Lloyd.
5). If Mya and Lane are in gym class together, keep the basketballs away. We do not need another falling incident.
6). If you rip the screen out on a window, be prepared to sew up the hole that was left behind.
7). If you notice that it’s snowing, it’s never a bad idea to leave class to shovel a nearby driveway.
8). And most importantly, if you are needing to create snow on the bottom of your school project, Hudson could tell you that white glue might make a lovely blanket of snow at first, but ultimately it dries clear.
“I take a lot of pride in being a part of the 2022 graduating class,” continue Mykytyshyn. “Our class shows success in and out of school, and a short list of memories will never be able to show a true description of the times we had together.
“One thing that is special about our high school years at CCS is that nobody else has lived through it; it is something special that we all share. As we take this with us into our new chapter, I encourage everyone to stay true to themselves, and always trust their intuition.
“In the future, there will always be challenges and times when you feel like giving up. When this happens, just remember to take a minute to stop and think about everything we have to be thankful for, including our high school years.
“The strengths that we have, we have found through each other, and we will carry our school years everywhere we go, for the rest of our lives.
“Class of 2022, we did it!”
