Class of 2024, we all come together today for the final time to celebrate and recognize the many years of hard work and all the accomplishments and milestones we have achieved, together.
We have seen each other through our ups, downs, accomplishments, laughter, successes, and maybe even a few tears. And now it's crazy to believe it's our graduation. We have made it.
The countless things we have surpassed, conquered and completed together over the years of school will forever be memorable. From the elementary school slam-dunk tournament to getting our grade eight year shortened due to COVID, eating from lunch boxes and playing grounders at recess to sitting in the parking lot and making fun of each other for our impeccable driving skills.
We will be able to look back at these memories fondly. We will remember how we got through it together, and here we are, graduating.
Counting down the last few months, weeks and days, I think about how it flew by. We begin a new chapter of life today as we walk across this stage, then in three weeks we will say our final goodbyes to the cafeteria cheese buns, the overly crowded stairs, and most importantly, each other.
Even though with graduation we may be thrilled to never have to wake up early to walk through those halls again. Brooks Secondary School has given us each other; it has given us memories, friendships and experiences that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.
Graduating comes with so much excitement and celebration but also stress and responsibility. We are now going off, becoming young adults and starting the new chapter of our lives, the start to becoming the person we have thought and dreamed about being since we were young.
The future is full of opportunities and the chance to be whomever we want to be. One day we'll look back at Brooks, at our childhood, and we will not remember that bad mark on our chemistry test or the grammar package we rushed to finish. But we will remember the fun bus trips with our teams, laughing till our stomachs hurt, and the great experiences we have had as teammates, classmates and peers.
We have our teachers, parents, coaches and mentors to thank, but most importantly, we have each other, our friends.
If I were to give my fellow graduates a piece of advice before we part ways, it would be to always remember where you came from and the people who helped you along the way, to set goals, dream big and realize your path does not have to be straight. And it's okay to make mistakes.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
So tonight, let’s not worry about the future, but spend time with our friends and enjoy our last time together.
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