'The tassel is definitely worth the hassle'

Selkirk Class of 2015 valedictorian Connor Tompkins. 

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

Finishing Grade 12 and graduating high school is surely something many students mull from the time they're young, and now it's something 357 Selkirk graduates can add to their list of achievements. 

A sea of blue filled the Selkirk Rec Complex as the class of 2015 took to their seats on Monday afternoon for the school’s graduation ceremony. 

Outfitted from head to toe in blue with a trim of white and a pinch of shiny gold on their grad caps, the Class of 2015 was recognized for more than a decade’s worth of hard work. 

A few thousand friends and family members filled the stands and listened to special remarks before grads lined up one-by-one to receive their high school diplomas. 

Principal Jerret Long said the students have a lot to celebrate, but he wanted to remind the graduating class that life wouldn’t always be easy. 

“You will go through seasons of uncertainty and tough times, but ... I want you to remember that you made it here. That you did it,” Long said during his address to the grads. “It was because of commitment. 

“It was because you put your mind to task and accomplished it.” 

Long said if he had to offer one piece of advice to students it would be to go out and make the most of every success and failures too. 

“Because we learn and grow from both,” he said. 

Lord Selkirk School Division chair Jean Oliver said students in the division have made several meaningful contributions to the local and international communities during their tenure at the Comp and the division’s adult learning program. 

She said whether it was building schools overseas or volunteering at Our Daily Bread Soup 

Kitchen, the community should be proud of the accomplishments students have made. 

“I stand in awe at the philanthropic actions you have performed,”Oliver said. 

Valedictorian Connor Tompkins added some humour to the ceremony in his address to the graduating class. 

He said it seemed like it was only yesterday he was writing his speech, adding procrastination is a common habit for high school students. 

But he recognized that although some teachers may accept students’ assignments late, the real world will be a bit more challenging. 

“Employers aren’t looking for someone who shows up half an hour late and doesn’t put in an effort,” Tompkins said. “However we are and should take pride in what we accomplished today because man do we have something to be proud of.” 

He said it was funny a diploma, just a single piece of paper, would represent students’ work from the last 13 years. 

“This glorified piece of tree bark embodies our achievement (that) we’ve graduated from high school,” he said. “The tassel is definitely worth the hassle.” 

Tompkins reminded his peers to thank their parents for doing all the little things over the years like making lunches. 

He said he did the math and figured out parents made 2,730 lunches for them while they were in high school. 

He closed by reminding grads the future is in their hands. 

“Choose to do what you love and don’t let anything stop you,” he said. “Be happy with who you are ... happiness is the key to survival out there so remember stay happy, stay humble.” 

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition July 2 2015 p.2 (GRAD PULL-OUT)