News Archive

This I Believe

Personal reflections from graduates
On Monday night, an audience of about 200 gathered in the Shawnigan Chapel to listen to the 2019 This I Believe speeches from 16 Grade 12 students.
 
The evening has evolved from its beginnings five years ago to become an important culminating academic event for the school, but the true measure of its value can be heard in the quality of student thinking and emotion. The students were nominated from eight different Grade 12 English classes, and the speeches ranged from reflections on adoption to the perils of perfectionism, from our role in processing grief to the value in keeping a large collection of lipstick. The remarks by students were, by turns, funny, thoughtful, searching, and edgy.
 
Perhaps the most impressive part of the evening was the consistency of the efforts across the entire Grade 12 class. As English teacher David Chant remarked, "I could have sent a dozen students to the event." On behalf of Head of English Carmen Boudreau and the entire department, I would like to commend the Grade 12 class for finishing strongly and extend our gratitude to the audience for the generosity of their interest and attention.
 
– Submitted by Mr. Jay Connolly
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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.