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L.V. Rogers grads celebrate with ceremony, cavalcade

‘It’s been amazing watching them transform’
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LVR grads are introduced two-by-two to a cheering crowd at the NDCC on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jensen Edwards

JENSEN EDWARDS

Nelson Star

Aspiring surgeons, mechanics, teachers, artists, world travellers and even some ‘to-be-determined’ began the next chapter of their lives last weekend. Those are some of the goals of the 184 grade-twelve students from L.V. Rogers who crossed the stage at the NDCC last Friday at their graduation ceremony.

In front of hundreds of friends and family members, the students shook hands and hugged with teachers and support staff who have helped them reach the end of their high-school journey.

For L.V.R. principal Tamara Malloff, it was a very special evening. She has known many of the graduates for over five years, since they all were at Trafalgar Middle School where she was then the vice-principal.

“It’s amazing, watching them transform,” Malloff said after the ceremony. “They probably don’t realize that they have, but I do. I’ve been with them a long time, since middle school. Now they’re ‘adulting.’ Almost.”

Sage advice

The evening kicked off with local politicians and school board members offering their best wishes and sharpest advice to the graduates.

Nelson city councillor Valerie Warmington began by highlighting the importance of critical thinking in adult life. “The world needs each and every one of you to be innovative and independent political thinkers,” she said to the graduates.

Innovation and independence were key themes throughout the speeches. Kootenay Lake School District trustee Lenora Treneman, for example, noted that for many of the graduates, their future careers have yet to be invented.

“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t even exist yet,” she said, “using technologies that have not been invented yet, in order to solve problems that we don’t even know we have.”

“My hope for you is that you will learn from the past, live in the present and always strive for your dreams and goals in the future,” Treneman added.

This year’s graduates are the first group of students born in the 2000s to graduate from L.V. Rogers High School. In 2000 —the year they were born, George Bush was inaugurated president of the United States, the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup, and Russell Crowe’s Gladiator opened to rave reviews. Just one year later, the first iPod would revolutionize music consumption.

Looking forward, in their words

As the graduates crossed the stage and accepted their diplomas, L.V.R. vice-principal Jordon Konken read statements that the students had submitted. Some had thank-you messages for parents, friends, teachers and even Google Translate; others expressed well-wishes for friends and future university and college plans.

For some students, the statements were an opportunity to predict their futures.

Soleil Babcock, for example, “plans to become a starving artist; she would like to thank her family and friends for encouraging her to take this optimistic yet unfortunate path.”

Liam Dignam also joked about his future in the arts. “Liam will be attending Studio 58 in Vancouver to pursue a career in the performing arts,” his statement read. “What he really means to say is that he’s going to go work at McDonald’s forever.”

Soon-to-be University of Victoria engineering student Tristan Schuh outlined a more personal goal: he “plans to learn to cartwheel.”

Other graduates’ statements expressed uncertainty about the future.

Nicole Brown, for example, wrote that she “would like to do something with her life. She’s not quite sure what that something is yet, but it will likely involve student debt and a lot of chocolate cake.”

Amongst all of the graduates’ messages, one message rang clear and was summed up by prospective elementary school teacher Ashley Hall’s own statement: “the tassel was worth the hassle.”

Parting thoughts

Class valedictorian and prospective millwright Tyler Lakeman closed out the celebration with his commencement address. Cracking a joke about a former vice-principal’s receding hairline and leading a 184-voice chorus of ‘thank-yous’ to the parents in attendance, Lakeman gave his class a rousing send-off.

“There’s a lot of happiness [amongst the grads right now],” Lakeman told the Star before the ceremony, “but all of us have that feeling of ‘what’s next?’ as well.” It’s a point he touched on in his speech.

“After we finish high school, we may lose contact with those we see every day,” Lakeman said. “But, we must always remember that there are no strangers, only friends we have yet to meet.”

In a final farewell, L.V.R. principal Tamara Malloff offered the graduates her best wishes.

“Class of 2018, we’re really going to miss you—I’m going to miss you. You’re really special to us. Best of luck as you move into the world in the midst of change.”

“You’re a truly amazing bunch of individuals and we’re really proud of the young adults that you guys have become.”

Community-wide celebrations

On Saturday, the L.V.R. graduates of 2018 wove through downtown Nelson in the year-end grand march and cavalcade. Dressed to the nines and riding in truck beds, classic cars, horse-drawn carriages and on bikes, the students celebrated with cheering friends, parents and neighbours who lined the streets.

Celebrations began at the NDCC where two-by-two, the graduates were introduced to a nearly sold-out crowd. Then, parents were invited to join their children on the arena floor for an opening dance; they swayed, twisted and sang to Elton John’s Tiny Dancer.

Later, students waved from honking cars and blew bubbles from camping chairs in truck beds as hundreds of Nelsonites waved back in congratulations.

The cavalcade, which has cemented itself as a staple in Nelson’s June calendar, was met with astonished disbelief to some. “This many people come out to celebrate their graduation?” one visitor, impressed with the community’s turnout, asked The Star’s reporter.

Students returned to school Monday to round off their high-school careers with exams and final projects, but now holding a little extra motivation for the final push and tangible indications of their accomplishments.

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LVR valedictorian Tyler Lakeman leads his classmates in saying ‘thank you’ to the parents present on Friday night at the NDCC. Photo: Jensen Edwards
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Ruby Nixon-Bilski applauds a classmate while she waits to go on stage. Photo by Jensen Edwards
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Two grads took the word “cavalcade” seriously, opting to ride in a horse-drawn carriage on Saturday. Photo by Jensen Edwards
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Keagan Jade and Taylor Pujos-Michel smile from their horse-drawn carriage on Saturday. Photo by Jensen Edwards
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Some cars were decked out to match outfits for the LVR cavalcade on Saturday. Photo by Jensen Edwards
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Three students chose to ride on bikes instead of in cars for the LVR cavalcade. Photo by Jensen Edwards