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14 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 18, 1986 Laura Tremblay The annual Commencement Ex- ercises at Port Perry High School were held on November 7th this year. The following is the Valedictorian address presented by Laura Tremblay. Mr. Morrison, Mr. Grant, Mr. Gradish, Honoured Guests, Teachers, Fellow Graduates, Fami- ly and Friends: Welcome. Welcome to this . celebration. Each one of us is here tonight for a different reason. Be you-a graduate proudly beaming in the front rows; a parent heaving sighs of satisfaction (or perhaps relief) in the back; or be you a teacher reminiscing as you look out upon those faces you had once been so accustomed to; we are all here tonight to celebrate success. For the teachers tonight, there must be an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and reward. After all, look what's in front of you -- the finest group of graduates PPHS has turned out yet! And we're the pro- ducts of all your trials, and, in some cases, errors. We are a reflection of your experience, your skill and your wealth of knowledge. You have been generous in giving us what is need- ed to go ahead with our lives, guiding us in the right directions. In other words, educating us. How could we have known coming into grade nine what a choice lot you . were. Like the Frer.ch teachers who sponsor "Accent Awareness Month" or who introduce the concept of "flinging your body on the board," - and who are wise enough to know 'if you hooked Patti's and Evelyn's lips up to a generator, you could light up the whole universe!" And then there's the music teachers, Chock full 0' talent, who do everything to scale; the man to whom everything is all in pun; your homeroom teacher who is really Santa Claus; and of course there's the Phys. Ed. department- but that's more of a visual concept I'd say. Each one of you has made your own special con- tribution and overall you've been patient -- yet driving, kind -- yet stern, willing to listen -- yet willing to listen still; as in the case of the 'Short Shorts Scandal." And just what was shorter, Amy's shorts or Heidi's skirt? In knowing who you are, you White Rose Nursery opens door This Thursday, November 20, White Rose Crafts and Nursery Sales Limited opens the doors to it's 13th store. The new store, located at 300 Taunton Road, Oshawa opens it's doors at 9:00 a.m. sharp and will feature door prizes, lucky draws and door crasher specials. White Rose is backed by over 30 years of customer satisfaction and will offer a complete selection of tropical plants, flowers, crafts, trees, garlands and so much more. The Oshawa store opens this Thursday morning and will be giv- ing away free balloons for the kids and African Violets for the first 100 customers from Thursday to Saturday. See full page ad in this weeks Port Perry Star for sensational savings and super Grand Opening specials. Valedictorian Laura Tremblay helped us to come to know what we could be. You allowed us to see past the disciplinarian scale and compas- sionately showed us that, yes, we would be guaranteed a future without knowing how to reach the derivative of infinity or knowing ex- actly what evil lurks in the heart of men (besides what your mother told you). And for the parents, tonight is a celebration of their bringing a child into the world, and through inter- minable love and enduring hopes, 'guiding that child until guidance was no longer a necessary element in their education. Leading that child into making the right decisions -- although for some, no matter how much guidance was given, they always seem to make decisions without thinking of the outcome -- just ask Allyson how not to invite people to a party or ask Lynn, lan and Gerry about proper advertising techniques. Congratulations Mom and Dad. The very fact that we're here is proof that you have succeed- ed. And for me, parents enhanced my final year even more. Especial- ly one. This year, I had the pleasure of having my mother as a fellow stu- dent. You'd think it would be the ultimate nightmare for a teenager but believe me, | enjoyed every minute of it. | even enjoyed our very first disagreement before our very first biology test! Although I'm not so sure | appreciated the exag- gerated tales she heard in English class told by my so-called friends - you know who you are which could have destroyed any hopes | ever had to any type of social life ever! I believe it takes more than nerve to re-enter a system of education that has undergone so many changes. | believe that it takes a high regard for education and in tense value placed on learning to bring a person back. It is this regard 'and this intensity that allows me to be here tonight, Mom. Your en- couragement, your love and understanding have brought me my success. And at the same time you worked hard to succeed yourself. I can only say to you now how proud Port Perry High School Valedictori and how thankful I am to you for making my graduating year even more special. At at last -- but definitely not least -- for the graduates, tonight is definitely a celebration. Tonight we celebrate the success of a great ac- complishment. Accomplishment of what has been the main goal in our minds for the past four or five years. Completing high school. Receiving one piece of white paper that reads "Congratulations on obtaining your secondary school diploma" perfect- ly rolled and tied with a small red bow. But this award is really the sum total of all those small goals we superceded to achieve this one. It stands for all the time spent on math problems we thought we could not change our lives in any significant way. It reflects the insecurity we felt when we weren't sure if our best efforts were enough -- but it also prcves they were. It is a key. A key to that part of us which holds many memories. Memories we keep in our thoughts, in our words, and most important- ly -- in our hearts. The memories of friends who smoothed a brow when you were unsure of your abilities, or who knew those very last answers to those very last questions when you couldn't face any more. Memories of running through these dear old halls in poppy-red jackets selling those dear old Nevada tickets. Or of staying up to all hours of the night to build a giant pineap- ple out of a pile of snow. Memories of sha.-ed Christmas spirits in door and hal' decorating and phenomenal foreign child collections. Memories of the MusicMakers Inc., a jazz tenor and bass, Cupids, Tahiti Fest, the Dids, German and Japanese ex- change students and the "elite" Grade 13 Committee! A wise young English teacher an '86 once said to us, "When life gives yo lemons, make lemonade!' And that's exactly what we did. When we got fed up with misfortune and despair -- we created SADD; whe there were three minutes left to fil in an assembly, we created Swe and Dodi; when the guys stil couldn't understand our dominant] position -- we created a winning female rugby team; and when we were without a comrnons room we sought an alternative. Only in the case of the commons room there was too much pulp in the lemonade] and Robbie and Bruce were only lef strained in the end. But at least they tried. So for us, my fellow graduates, these small scrolls we now hold, contain everything we were ever here for. And here we are again, for one last time. Celebrating our success. A satisfying end to a long and far- reaching four or five years work. We've come to the end of the road that veers off in different directions for all of us. And what is true of any path in life already taken or yet to be taken: "Happiness is not found at the end of the road but along the way." There is open to all of us, a post way of undiscovered oppor- | tunities and challenges. Fear not that which lay ahead unbenounced for that which you find on your own, becomes and remains, always, your own. And now, I hope I have succeed- ed in summing up all the memories we have lived for the past few years. I can only say that I have been given my greatest honour tonight in being allowed to look into the faces of those I love and cherish; and share everything that has been and always will be a part of me. QS Bl hh at a ---- more guests, just call us in advance. Meals are complete with chicken, salad, rolls, butter, napkins and cutlery. 29 PER PERSON 136 Water Street, Port Perry - 985-9009 i -- ER Siar i] hy