Page 140 - 1990

Introducing ...
Miss Sandra Truscott
I would like to dedicate this valedictory speech to my fellow graduates , and do so in the spirit of a Victorian poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson; called Ulysses. The character Ulysses was a mythical hero , whose name in Greek was Odysseus . Odysseus translated means odyssey or ex- otic journey. As Tennyson wrote, it was Ulysses' destiny to roam the earth in search of ultimate knowledge and wisdom.
Our odyssey began in grade nine, and continued through five years. This journey was marked by many significant events. I'm sure we can all recall our entry into C.C.I. as nerds who rolled , crawled and stumbled down the halls on initiation day. We will always smile at the memories of the dances, the sports, the formals, when the halls of C.C.I. magically transformed into a Camelot or the roaring twenties.
Remembering days such as Fun in the Sun will make us chuckle as we recall spraying whipped cream and dodging water balloons. Memories such as these truly made our odyssey through C.C.I. unforgettable .
Unlike Ulysses, whose journey was solitary, our years at C.C.I. were made special by the parents, f r iends and teachers who guided us along the way.
Whether the problem was big or small, good or bad , our parents were always there to pick up the pieces and set us straight again, to provide encouragement to try new challenges, and give us the confidence to succeed. Without the support and guidance of our parents, many of us may not have reached this point in our journey. Our teachers played a key role in the course of our journey. As in the poem Ulysses, they instilled in us the desire to "follow knowledge like a sinking star."
Through their patience, wisdom and gen- uine interest in our success, they brought out the best in our abilities and motivated us to learn.
Finally being all together again this eve- ning, I think we can truly appreciate the ef- fects our friends had on the success of our odyssey. The friendships that were formed within those halls got us through some of the difficult times at CCI, but made all the other times the best. As You look around the room this evening you will see faces which bring back thoughts of wild field trips to Washington and Montreal, or creating powerful school spirit with friends and colouring your faces black and gold to cheer the teams to victory, or even more special was being apart of the team when the trophy was brought home. The seem- ingly insignificant times which became part of a daily routine at CCI, have now come to mean so much more such as just laughing and talking on the hall benches or, for many of us, sharing the same cafeteria tables at lunch , fo r five years. But now as many of us journey in a new direction, these experiences we've shared with our friends have now become memories which will last a lifetime.
As commencement ends, we the graduating class of 1989, will begin the next stage in our journey. If we keep faith with the poem dedicated by Lord Tennyson to Ulysses, we will continue to seek, to strive, to find and not to yield.
Thank-you
On October 28, 1989, Coll- ingwood Collegiate started their Commencement Exercises with over 350 grads proudly entering the gym to the familiar proces- sional of "Pomp and Circum- stance" performed by the C.C.I. Sr. band.
Many teachers , family and friends watched as students were presented with well-deserved diplomas, scholarships, and bur- saries . Greetings were given by Mr. Jim Hughes, Mr. John Freudeman, Mr. Tom Moore, and Mayor Joe Sheffer . Graduates, guests and Collingwood Collegiate Staff members were then invited to the reception in the new gym.
138 It's What's Inside 'Commencement'!
Colour this • • • Achievement