News
This I Believe
Grade 12s share their acquired wisdom
“This I Believe” is an essay writing and public speaking project based on the popular 1950s NPR radio series of the same name and hosted by Edward R. Murrow in which participants deliver speeches in response to the prompt “This I believe…” The This I Believe Grade 12 showcase first started at Shawnigan in 2015, as a brainchild of the English department.
As Department Head Carmen Boudreau explains, “This I Believe has become an annual Grade 12 event at Shawnigan. Students and staff usually come away from the evening feeling a sense of togetherness and a sense of the students' growth over the years. It's a lovely way to end the year for our graduates and a great way to bond before heading off on their new paths.”
All grads have the opportunity to deliver their speeches before their classes, with each class voting for two classmates (for a total of 14) to move forward to the showcase evening which was held on Tuesday evening in the Chapel.
This year's speeches touched on eternal themes like happiness and the love of dogs to personal anecdotes about revelling in athletic mediocrity, bad hair, and the idiosyncrasies of Canadian greetings.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
