It’s that time of year: graduation.
This month, hundreds of students across Vancouver Island are bidding farewell to a significant chapter in their lives.
As all who have already travelled the road can attest, successfully reaching the end of it is a big deal. Rarely are those five years entirely smooth sailing, and the challenges faced can sometimes feel insurmountable.
So, a hearty “well done” to the graduates of Vanier, Dover Bay, Cowichan, Edward Milne, Spectrum and all our other secondary schools on making it through your studies, a huge step toward adulthood.
At grad ceremonies, the words of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the places you’ll go may be heard, or perhaps celebrations will include the 1999 Vitamin Chit song, “Graduation (Friends Forever).” Or not.
Classes of the new millennium don’t need to hold to the staples of past years. While some who’ve hailed from older generations may question the roles that “advancements” such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat serve, the reality is they are valuable tools at the disposal of today’s grads – along with the study of Shakespeare and the quadratic formula.
People born in the ’30s grew up in the Great Depression and now FaceTime with their grandkids. Imagine how far the graduates of today might go.
Despite changes to the world since these students first sat down at their desk (or table) in kindergarten – the power of generosity, authenticity and thoughtfulness remain, and just like those who came before, today’s grads have a responsibility to carry those powers forward.
Graduation is not just about crossing a stage and the long-awaited chance to toss mortarboards in celebration – although these are moments worth savouring.
With high school conquered, it’s time to figure out what’s beyond those classroom walls
Black Press reporters across Vancouver Island have written countless stories over the years about many of the students who are now graduating – about their accomplishments in sports and academics and the arts and community – and no doubt, some of those names will reappear on these pages in the years ahead.
And while we’ll put the words together, how exactly those stories will unfold is out of our hands.
But, oh, the potential.