Arborg Collegiate’s 18 graduates took to the stage at the Arborg-Bifrost Community Hall where they fondly recalled some of the highlights of their high school years, took to heart some words of wisdom and were presented with a number of scholarships to help speed them on their way to a bright future.
Hundreds of family members and friends packed the hall for the school’s graduation celebration on June 24.
Valedictorians Ava Smolinski and Willian Caldeira spoke about how their high school years passed in the blink of an eye, and despite their classmates having different personalities and interests, they were able to come together and work as a team.
Smolinski called her fellow grads “amazing” and that they’ve never ceased to surprise her.
“We grew up alongside each other. We’ve learnt to deal with different personalities and different ways that people live their lives. And with that I think we taught ourselves a better lesson than any class could have. You’re not always going to get along with everyone. You won’t see eye-to-eye but when you know how to navigate around that and still see the good in everyone – like I know this class does – you will get along just fine out there in the real world,” said Smolinski. “We were always able to come together when it mattered whether it was a spirit-week activity or pushing Mr. P to delay the bio test a couple more days so we could study. We have always had each other’s backs.”
Caldeira told his fellow graduates that the memories they made together will live on as they head in new directions and find their way in the world.
“Standing up here, I can’t help but think that the most important lesson we learned was not how to hand-in everything last minute so Stadnek ripped his hair out. It wasn’t learning how to factor binomials quickly with Simundson,” said Caldeira. “But the most important lesson was that no matter how much time has passed, the roar of laughter and mountains of memories we made will stick to us… and take up space in our heads.”
Smolinski reminded the grad that none of them “could have gotten to where we are without the constant love and support that our parents gave us, so we thank you and appreciate you so much more than you know.”
The grads’ guest speaker, teacher Scott Stadnek, took them through a final literature lesson, using Aesop’s Fables’ Tortoise and the Hare as a pedagogical tool. Although some of the grads are “always ready to go and come flying out of the gate” while others “live and die by the adage, slow and steady wins the race,” they should remember three things as they travel through life.
The first is to stop and smell the roses as they make their “mad dash” to meeting their future goals. Second, they should maintain a “tortoise level” of determination and focus, and try not to get distracted, especially by their phones.
“The hare had it all — speed, flair, maybe even a sneaker deal,” said Stadnek. “He should have won the race, but he lost focus.”
Third, the grads should run and watch their own race, not the races they see on social media platforms.
“Did [the tortoise] stop to check his phone halfway through the race to see how the hare was doing? No. Was he thinking, ‘Should I be going faster? Should I be more exciting? Should I be live-streaming this with a #ShellCam?’ No. He just kept going,” said Stadnek. “Why? Because everything in life doesn’t need to be a highlight reel. The tortoise ran his race at his speed, with a quiet confidence, and he didn’t feel the need to post about it.”
Principal Brad Harding said he has been in his role with Arborg Collegiate for only a year, but he knows most of the graduates as they came up through the ranks from Arborg Early Middle School.
“I had the privilege of getting to know most of you during your years at Arborg Early Middle School. I’ve watched you grow from curious and energetic young children into the thoughtful, capable, and courageous young adults sitting before us today. And let me tell you, it has been an absolute gift to witness your journey.”
Harding congratulated the grads for achieving a major milestone and told them they made him proud. The grads met the collegiate’s mission to provide relevant learning and promote responsibility, respect and success. The grads embraced responsibility through their studies and by helping others. They practised respect for their peers, teachers, themselves and their communities. And they achieved success through academic, athletic and artistic accomplishments.
Evergreen School Division superintendent Scott Hill told the grads they’re about to enter a complicated and challenging world, and they can draw on the lessons they learned throughout high school.
“You’re stepping into a complicated world, but you’re ready to use what you’ve learned here to create something, to challenge ideas, to lead with clarity and to do something good in the world,” said Hill. “We’ll be cheering for you every step of the way. Congratulations class of 2025. Go make us proud.”
After the speeches, Harding presented graduate Susan Marks with the prestigious Governor General’s medal for academic excellence. Marks had achieved an outstanding grade point average in grades 11 and 12.
Local and area businesses, the legion, Evergreen School Division, post-secondary institutions, family endowments, service clubs, the municipalities of Arborg and Bifrost-Riverton and other generous donors provided several graduates with awards and bursaries to help them pursue their future educational dreams.
To see the grads on their way, family, friends and other residents applauded and cheered them on during their parade through town.
