Page 38 - 1981

Good Evening:
As I attempted to write this valedictory address, I
found that I was constantly at a loss tor words; I wanted to create something original, something pro- found.
Then I realized that this originality, this uniqueness lay not in what I would say this evening, but to whom and of whom I would speak: we the graduating class of 1980; we, the students who 5 short years ago entered this massive and bewildering jungle, feeling somewhat inferior and frightened; we, th.e students who grew to feel at home here, to enjoy the good ole CCI through our Involvement, through the friendships that we formed; we, the students who survived the essays, the exams, the elations and frustrations, the successes and defeats; we, the students, who through all that even managed to follow Mr. Giller's advice, to "have a good day" five days a week for five continuous years. Yes, we are the students, the GRADUATES, who are being honoured here this eve- ning.
And what an evening it is ... tonight, as if sus- pended in time, we shall pause -
pause to reflect upon the years spent here, the memories that, this evening, must be tucked away in a little box, to be cherished and remembered as part of those good ole days when we were kids.
And as we reminisce about those years, about our accomplishments, our growth, we cannot help but to thinK of our teachers, who nur:fured us, who fed.our thirst for knowledge, our hunger to learn (or perhaps the lack of it) our teachers, who have given us the strength to continue to grow, to cope and survive.in a world where we are no longer spoon-fed, a world of reality. And so, to our teachers, our friends, we must simply say thank you ·c- thank you for sharing.
But this growth did not occur without hardships and headaches, trials and tears, without growing pains. But we always knew that through all that, there
was someone we could count on,
someone to support us when we thought we'd fall, someone to bring us sunshine and brush the clouds away, ..
someone to give us love and warmth when we need it most,
that someone ... our parents, our parents who give us Cill they have and yet ask tor nothing in return. They have given us our roots to grow, and more importantly, our wings to fly, to soar to our highest limits! And so.to our,parents, we say thank you for giving ... for being.
... and so we pause, safe in the security of our family, our friends, our home. But as we pause, we must also look ahead, ahead to the goals and aspirations we have yet to achieve, ahead to a future that is ours. Now unlike any time in the past or future, we are free, FREE to become ANYTHING or ANYONE, FREE to choose the people WE WANT TO BEl We are being transplanted into a new environmenf, a new world, where we have room t.o expand, to grow, to be ourselvee, a world, that in some way, big or small, will be changed by our pres- ence.
Much more could be said, but as In a sang I once heard:
"Words can only take a thOught so far and I've almost gone as far as I can go to see each
other as we realty are
as we grow as we grow as we grow"
Continue to grow ... continue to $trive ... continue to dream ... Good luck, good night.
Valedictory Address: Jane Gilroy
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