KAMSACK — “It is amazing to look out at all of you today and realize how much you have grown and changed since you were my little Grade 8s all those years ago,” Ryan Lambert, the guest speaker, said during the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute graduation program on June 24.
Lambert was introduced by Tara Taylor who said that the graduating class had decided that their guest speaker should be someone who “watched us grow and had a part in shaping us into the people we are today.”
Lambert has been at KCI for about 10 years and was the students’ homeroom teacher in eighth grade as well as their science teacher in Grade 9, Taylor said. “However, he has continued his relationships with us as he often checked in on us throughout our high school years.
“This person is special as he continues to motivate and direct us in ways to do well in school and in life,” she said. “Thank you for the fun times”
Lambert said that the 2022 graduation marks the first time since the school’s 2018 graduating class that it has been possible to celebrate the occasion in person as a large school community.
“Your special day has arrived,” he said. “Each of you has your own unique set of skills and talents that you will bring to the world and I know that if you set your mind to something, you will undoubtedly achieve it.
“You should all take great pride in being here today, as it is a wonderful accomplishment, and I know I speak for all our staff when I say that we are all proud of you today. High school graduation is a wonderful accomplishment, and I am sure your parents or guardians are all very proud and happy to see you leaving the nest. Don’t get too happy just yet parents – they may have left the nest but I’m sure they’ll be hitting your wallets or purses hard for the next few years.
“I personally find these days bittersweet; I call them Kleenex days. It’s so exciting to see you ready to begin the next phase of your young lives and at the same time, there is a big part of me that realizes I’m not going to see you in the hallways every day next year, and I will greatly miss that. It is one of the most rewarding things about being a teacher: seeing your students grow and mature into the fine young people that stand before you today.”
Lambert then read personalized messages to each of the graduates.
A native of Newfoundland, Lambert said he wished to leave the graduates with one familiar saying from Newfoundland: “Long may your big drib draw.
“This statement basically means may good fortune always find your sails,” he said. “I would like to offer you some personal advice that I have learned along the way, often when life throws the greatest challenges at you. So that you give yourself the best chance to find prosperity and good fortune along your journey.
“My first piece of advice would be to not be afraid about failure. My original life plan was to be a professional athlete, then a doctor and then a writer. Suffice to say that those original plans didn’t pan out the way I planned. Those first few years after high school were spent going in several different directions and not really being sure of what I wanted to do. You will have different people telling you different things and frankly, it can get a little overwhelming. Just remember this: it apparently took Thomas Edison almost 10,000 attempts to get the light bulb right, so do not be too hard on yourself if you fail the first time.
“Your plans will sometimes go wrong and things won’t work out,” he said. “Stay true to yourself. Believe in yourself and block out all the doubters. Find your passion and stick to it. Like me, it may take you several years to find your passion, but when you find it, it does not feel like work.
“Secondly, become involved citizens and give back to your communities. Many of you have already been heavily involved in the school and our communities, volunteering or participating in clubs, sports teams, and many other extracurricular activities. There is nothing more rewarding than giving back to your school or community. It takes a time commitment, but the connections and memories that you make with the people you interact with are priceless and last an eternity.
“We all have our own skills and talents that we can share with other people, and make a difference in the lives of those people we help. Some of my fondest memories with you all are when we bonded over an extracurricular or club activity of some sort. Become involved and you will not regret your choice.
“Finally, I want you all to know that perseverance and persistence pays off. For some of you, high school wasn’t easy, there were many challenges along the way, and it would have been very easy to give up and throw in the towel. Each of us faces our own unique challenges and the reality is that life beyond high school does not get any easier. There will be times when you too, will be presented with a very simple choice. Do I give up, or do I push through?
“My response to you would be [to choose] how badly you want it, because if you want it bad enough, true character is created facing the greatest challenges.
“Depend on your friends, family members, teachers, and other close contacts for support when the times get tough. I was the first member of my family to leave my home province and get a post-secondary degree. I’d like to think that I inspired my three younger siblings to do the same, as they all went on to become a nurse, a pipefitter, and an electrician. If my siblings and I can leave our small town and make a living for ourselves, I have no doubt that the potential is there in all of you to do the very same.
“Remember your times here at KCI. Remember your friends, your teachers, the people who have helped you get to where you are today. Take everything that will help you in your future with you today and be sure to take a long, good final look at the place you’ve called home these last eight years.
“Thank you for being such dedicated students and thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your special day.
“Have fun tonight but be safe,” Lambert said. “And to borrow an old Grade 8 phrase, make smart choices. Congratulations to you all, graduates of 2022.”
