“Good evening, everyone.
First of all, I would like to thank everybody for coming to support the grads today.
I can assure you that it means as much to us as it meant to many of you as you crossed the stage.
I am honoured to be standing here, representing this class. I was fully prepared to write a speech about how our class is the best in years, but if all we can come up with for a valedictorian is a Mr. Cowboy hat, I’m not so sure anymore.
In all seriousness, I am incredibly proud to be part of, and speaking on behalf of, this graduating class, not only because these are the peers that I know the best. Over the past few years, I firmly believe that we have proven ourselves and demonstrated our virtues at every turn and in all walks of life. Since grade 8, we’ve made up the bulk of the school’s sports teams, filled up the band, and have consistently shown up to a wide variety of clubs and extracurriculars.
Obviously, this is in part due to the size of our class, but I believe it goes deeper than that. Even now, as I look again at my classmates, I see no shortage of different abilities, bright personalities and compassion, none of which have been matched by our preceding classes, nor by our successors to whom we pass the graduation torch.
We show up, time and time again, and we will continue to do so as we carry on into the rest of our lives.
If you’ll allow me, I’d like to share a brief story.
One night in early March, a Wisconsin high school senior named Charlie had been out at a party. When the party had ended, and it came time to walk back home, he found that he was faced with a challenging decision.
Frequently in the winter, he had a habit of taking a shortcut over the frozen Monona Bay, situated on a small lake beside the mighty Lake Michigan, but as it was close to spring, the ice was growing thin. His gut, although impaired, warned him not to take the shortcut, that the ice would be too fragile, and he would fall through into the frigid water below. Regardless of the danger, Charlie knew the bay well, from many days spent ice fishing, which, in his inebriated state, provided a compelling argument from the part of his mind that reminded him of the warmth of home and the growing desperation to get out of the cold March winds.
Unfortunately for the reasonable, sober part of his conscience, a gust of icy wind blew, whirling away some of the fog which had been hanging over the lake. It cleared, and in its absence a figure walked, silhouetted, as it made its way across the bay. Convinced, and emboldened, Charlie pressed on, out onto the ice, towards home and towards this other person. As he closed the distance, however, he noticed two things about this person. First, he decided that it looked like the man had been drinking. Second, and as he got closer still, he realized that he knew exactly who it was.
It was his cousin (who, for no particular reason, we’ll call Grady), and he had certainly been drinking.
His cousin turned to look at him, his voice clear across the ice.
“Hey. We really shouldn’t be out here.”
I can’t say how they got off the lake, but I do know they made it and lived to tell the tale.
Now, I like this story because it has two morals.
One, it shows that you’re allowed to make mistakes.
Even in dire situations, there are people who can support you, and people who have made similar mistakes. They have been down the same path. They will help you, just as you will help them.
Two, it shows that it’s not always a good idea to trace the steps of those who came before you.
Take your own path.
Trust your gut.
You never know where blindly following a path might get you – you could just be walking along the weaving footsteps of your drunk cousin Grady.
I won’t carry on much longer, but I hope that if any of my fellow grads will remember anything from this speech, it is this:
Our accomplishments, our compassion, and our perseverance haven’t been overlooked by our community, and the legacy that we have left after many years of striving forward, together as a class or driven as individuals, will be remembered by teachers, fellow students, and many Golden locals for years to come. Our victories and achievements have been noted, and we have made greater impacts on those around us than any of us realize.
Thank you to our parents, who have pushed us to our successes,
Our teachers, who have guided us towards the journeys on which we are all about to embark,
And to our friends, who we can always count on.
To the Golden Secondary School Graduating Class of 2026, I wish each of you prosperity, happiness, and good luck.
It has been my absolute pleasure,
Godspeed.”
~ Valedictorian Ryan Wolfenden
