Our high school journey may not have been perfect, but one thing’s for sure—we made it through together. It might sound a little cheesy, who am I kidding, a lot cheesy, but we grew alongside each other. Whether we started out together in kindergarten or joined later on, we’ve shared countless memories and moments that have made us who we are.
It kind of hurts to think back to grade seven when we thought we were so cool and mature, news flash: we were not. But, it is important for us to acknowledge these “phases”, to see what worked for us and what clearly didn’t. Every single moment and memory here at George Elliot, has shaped us and brought us to where we are today.
We’ve survived the ups and downs; the movie Fridays where some teachers caved to the brutal calculus tests where they didn't. We’ve tackled the three--hour exams, Mr. Maddox's math videos at two times the speed, hundreds of assignments. We survived through online classes, Grade 8 cohorts, school floods, the lockers that seemed to be against us, the vending machines that stole our money, and even the fire alarms that literally couldn’t get any louder.
From the friends we’ve leaned on, to the teachers who pushed us to do our best, to the classmates who spoke for the whole class when they asked for maybe a walk outside instead of a worksheet. Every person and experience here has left a mark on us, even in the smallest way.
Fellow graduates, you are the people we found through the school teams, the clubs, and the classes. You are the ones who made the long days feel shorter,who we created inside jokes with -- and the people who reminded us that we were never alone on this journey.
To the teachers, thank you for showing up early, staying late, always answering our endless questions, making treats for us on Fridays, and even managing to come up with “connect” questions that allowed us to build a community and actually get to know each other. Thank you Mr. Frechette and Mrs. Youngberg for your support throughout our mock capstones and for giving us the opportunity for free credits through work experience.
Mrs. Boisvert, thank you for going above and beyond by making time to talk, keeping us organized, and ensuring every volunteer hour was accounted for.
We want to give a big thank you to Ms. Marples for doing yet another incredible job coordinating grad this year. As tough as it was to wake up and be ready for 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday for grad council, it’s worth acknowledging how awesome it truly was to be part of the group of students who took part in some of the decision-making.
We also want to thank the grad parent committee for working, so hard to bring our prom costs down. They not only hosted events and fundraisers, but they allowed us -- the students -- to serve the community and to show them that we aren’t just rebellious teenagers.
And finally, to the class of 2025, Congratulations! We’ve made it this far and we’re ready for whatever comes next. We may not have all the answers, but did we ever? This is a test we have prepped 18 years for, and now we must dive in headfirst.
So let's use what we’ve learned to get a running start, and not be afraid of the fall.
Thank you and congratulations George Elliot class of 2025.
