As Ladysmith Secondary School (LSS)’s Class of 2014 celebrated its graduation this past weekend, Chase Ennis and Kristy DeClark shared words of wisdom as class valedictorians.
Graduating students write one female name and one male name on a ballot, and the students whose names appear most often are chosen to represent the graduating class and speak during commencement ceremonies and the grad banquet.
“It’s a pretty big honour that they chose us to speak,” said Ennis, who is 18.
“We made enough of an impression that they chose us to represent them, and that’s pretty cool because it’s a pretty unique grad class,” said DeClark, who is 17.
Both students have only great things to say about their five years at LSS.
Ennis, who went to the provincials with the senior boys’ rugby team last year and finished ninth in B.C., describes high school as dynamic and changing as it goes.
DeClark was involved in most organizations at school.
“It was busy,” she laughed, listing being student council president, a member of the dance team, Ladysmith Ambassador and going to provincials and winning an award as a member of The Cagebirds cast as a few highlights.
“It’s life-changing,” she says of high school. “It’s been a ride, for sure.”
Ennis and DeClark both feel very optimistic when they think about life after high school.
“I feel like there’s a lot of doubt and people who think about how troubled our future might be, but I feel like definitely, our grad class is up to bat, up to the challenge,” said Ennis.
Ennis has been accepted into the Vancouver Island University Bachelor of Science program, and he will be majoring in biology.
DeClark will be taking the Bachelor of Commerce program at the University of Victoria, and she plans to major in international marketing and finance.
DeClark’s message to her fellow grads is “don’t stop dreaming.”
Ennis would like to thank the teachers for all the hard work they’ve put in over the years.
They both send a heartfelt thank you to principal Dave Street, who is being transferred to Woodlands Secondary School in the fall.
“We’ve had him all five years, and we’re pretty lucky,” said DeClark. “I can’t imagine LSS without him.”