After Mr. Hooker asked me to be the valedictorian for the class of 2009 and I happily accepted, the first thought that went through my mind was what have I got myself into. I mean, really, who wants to stand in front of not only their peers and teachers, but friends, family, and countless other members of the community and make a three minute speech? And then there is that nerves factor. As most of my fellow classmates and teachers know, public speaking and I don’t get along. Knees shaking, hands sweating, voice lowering. There are all accurate descriptions of my life when I am in front of a crowd.

But there was something that could push me past my fears. The honour of representing the class of 2009. Being their last voice that will echo through these halls.

This however created another problem. How can one some up five years of high school education?

Well, first there were the classes. As most of the grads saw, it started out as simple grade 8 concepts such as how to write a proper paragraph, and easy mathematic equations, but they soon turned into the derivatives of an inverse trig function, and synecdoches.

Those teachers who constantly told us in grade 8 that they were always there to help after class suddenly made sense. If anyone is the reason why we are all present at this ceremony today it is because of the staff of RSS. They told us to get our homework done, motivated us to pass, and gave us all of their time just to see us succeed.

For me, my grade 12 year couldn’t have been as successful as it was without the help of my four teachers. I know that I wouldn’t be standing here without them. Because of this, I feel like they deserve my thanks.

Mr. Spannier. You passion for mathematics is contagious, and I don’t believe that this is due to your suspected witchcraft. I will miss your cheesy puns, those 2-D hands that dared to travel in the 3-D electrical world, and your willingness to help me when I missed countless classes to play soccer and run around a track.

Mr. Phelps. We really taught those English teachers a lesson. They won’t wonder in and spill chemicals all over people’s binders anymore. I will miss the enthusiasm you bring to your lessons and how even when I was constantly asking you questions you still had a smile on your face. Oh. And its OK. You can say the word shut out all you want now.

Mr. Pfeiffer. You helped me to grow into the creative and skilled writer that I now am and allowed me to take on another second language, German. You were always there to help and listen, which was greatly appreciated. Vieleicht in der Auskunft kann ich zu Ihnen “du” sagen und mein Deutsch wird besser sein, also wir koennen viel Deutsch sprechen!

Mr. Moore. Our French class was small but we always had a lot to say. Although you couldn’t control the weather, you helped all five of us to become better French students all around. Merci, et bonne chance avec les nouveaux étudiants du français !

And to the other teachers. The ones who helped my peers to succeed. The ones who taught us from grade 8 to 12. Thank-you for all your countless days of extra hours that you put into our education. It is moments like these where your hard work has truly paid off.

When we weren’t in class there were the extra curricular activities. Whether it was volleyball, basketball, track, soccer, student leadership, yearbook, drama, band, or art, the students who involved themselves in these kinds of activities were not disappointed. For me, I had the privilege of being part of the senior girls soccer team and RSS track and field.

Playing soccer for RSS has definitely been a blast. We accomplished so much in our last season going to Valleys, and even though that game against Fulton will haunt us for the rest of our lives, it’s been a great five years of soccer. Thanks girls for trusting me to be your last chance back there all those years, and allowing me to be your crazy keeper.

Track and field. Although I joined the track team late, you let me in the track family with open arms. I’ll miss looking ridiculous at track meets with our A’s and B’s, and of course team Math. I mean the word hit is so overrated. Keep on running fast and jumping and throwing far next year without me!

To the teachers who took on the task of coaching and leading student groups: You were dedicated and determined. Sometimes more than the students. Your time and compassion led many of the grads to success outside the class room. Thank-you.

For some students, school also gave us a taste of the real world, when we travelled to other countries, towns, cities, and continents. I know from the experiences I obtained which included some scary Paris subways, angry German waitresses, and navigating those Swiss dorfs, I have learned valuable life lessons.

And of course with the extra curricular trips came the memories. The ones that you will carry with you forever. It was where you made better friendships, met new people and experienced different cultures.

With all of this going on it was amazing that we found time for our family and friends. They were always there when the rest became too much, or you just needed someone to talk to.

And finally, there were those moments. Those moments that made you laugh. Made you cry. Made your high school experience even more special, that led you to today. The final moment of high school, but the first milestone of the rest of our lives.

Look at what we all have just accomplished. Take that energy and passion and live the life you choose. Let’s be a grad class that’s remembered, and is talked about for years to come.

Well grads of ‘09, guess what? We did it!