Laurier Senior High School bids farewell to the Class of 2007

All those attending Laurier Senior High School's Class of 2007 graduation exercises, September 30, 2007, gathered to acknowledge the perseverance of sons, daughters, and loved ones, and to honour the dedication of teachers and administrators who had guided the graduates through their journey at Laurier High, helping define this chapter in their young lives.

As Elgar's traditional 'Pomp and Circumstance', filled the air, everyone rose to welcome graduates, staff, and honoured guests entering the hall. In the minds of all present, the attainable had finally been attained.

The masters of ceremony, Cynthia De Sua, faculty advisor to the grad committee, and teachers Elayn Farr and Tania Bellon, invited graduates Francine Carnevale and Amanda Moscato to sing O Canada.

Following the superb rendition of the national hymn to our home and native land,

Laurier Senior High School principal Glenn Cuggy, initiated the ceremonial 'turning of the tassels' and welcomed teachers and staff, Vice-Principals Robert Bennett and Natalie Rollin and invited guests, including several commissioners of the Laurier School Board.

In his brief address, Laurier Board Chairman Steve Bletas lauded the efforts of teachers and students in working toward this educational goal. “You will face numerous challenges during the coming years, but never lose sight of your dreams. Remember to always keep your focus and stay positive,” Mr. Bletas advised, pulling the graduates out of the moment and offering them sound advice concerning future goals. Congratulating the educators for their high level of excellence in providing educational services, he applauded teachers for helping students prepare for the future.

Ms. Bellon also stressed the value of being involved, aware, and present in every aspect of life, quoting French novelist Proust: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” If students could come away from high school having learned only one thing, it should be the capacity to look at the world through different eyes, and the ability to view the people in a different light, said Ms. Bellon, showing she has clearly learned this from her own educational endeavors and has applied it to her own life, the way many of the graduates now have the opportunity to do in their futures.

With the air charged by inspirational words and lingering thoughts, the moment that seemed so far off had finally arrived, as Mr. Glenn Cuggy and Mr. Robert Bennett commenced the presentation of diplomas. This is certainly a defining moment in every student's life, as the names are called and the graduates walk to the front to claim their certificates, a symbol of all they’ve accomplished in their three-year adventure at Laurier Senior High School.

David, the perfect example of a well-rounded student, playing active roles in various school activities like the Blue and Gold Revue and the Student Council, also took home several awards, among them the Bronze medal for academic excellence throughout the Laurier School Board. Though his address was unconventional, it was a truly refreshing and at times humorous look at high school life from a different perspective.

Echoing Ms. Bellon's insight that “Life is too important to be taken seriously,” David did not miss a beat, for although his tone was lighthearted, his words were certainly not lacking in wisdom.

“When I first came to high school, I only worried about two things: fitting in, and passing. Well, I’m not afraid of being different anymore, and I’ve learned that sometimes passing can be even scarier than failing, because then everything gets so much more important.”

Wearing his heart on his sleeve, David concluded on a more personal note: “People who dared to be different in high school, it’s nice to know there are still brave people in the world.” This simple statement defines Laurier Senior High’s unique community, accentuates its diversity, and celebrates its successful cultivation of many liberated, free-thinking people that everyone can be proud of.

Following a short message of thanks from emcee Cynthia De Sua, Principal Glenn Cuggy officially closed the Class of 2007 Laurier Senior High School Graduation Exercises with the ceremonial hat toss.

As 300 graduation caps flew into the air, the climax was reached, another tradition had passed, a pinnacle was attained and a bright future waited to be explored. Although Graduation can be described as the closing of a significant chapter in the lives of these young people, it’s important to recognize the educators and celebrate the new windows to the future they individually and collectively opened for the 2007 graduates of Laurier Senior High School.

"This was a reflection of the unity in diversity that is Laurier Senior High School," Principal Glenn Cuggy told Courrier Laval Weekly News in a telephone interview, referring to the second class graduating from his school. "We brought families, teachers, and students together in celebration of the community that lives and learns as Laurier Senior High School," he concluded.