They may be opposites but both of the valedictorians of Similkameen Secondary School this year illustrate important truths about high school life.
For Faith Regnier, her focus has been on academics and extra-circular activities. Next fall, she is attending the UBC Okanagan Campus to study biochemistry and psychology, with the goal of becoming a cardio-thoracic surgeon.
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“I work a lot at my school. Any club ever, I’m on it. I’m president of the yearbook and it’s such a challenge. I like to be involved in everything at my school because it is an excellent place to learn and grow for everyone.”
She said while the other valedictorian, Yan Peron, may focus on what’s funny and lighthearted in their graduation speech at the graduation ceremony this year, she wants to focus on life’s sometimes harsh reality.
“There are going to be times when there is going to heartache and times when you want to give up,” she said, adding it is always possible to get help and overcome these hardships. She knows from personal experience when she said she was struggling with Grade 11 and not knowing what she was going to do with her life.
She credits family and her math teacher Gary Reichl for helping her get through the difficult parts — like math class.
If Regnier had advice to pass on to other students, it would be this:
“If you want something to happen, you have to work hard. You can’t just sit around, expecting it to happen. If you want something, you fight for it.”
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For Yan Peron, the high school experience was not so much about academics as engaging with other students. He said the hard work and fun times he had as a basketball player on the school team, the Similkameen Sparks, was one of the most memorable high school experiences.
He said he thinks he was voted to be this year’s valedictorian because he’s easy to get along with and easy to talk to, and excels at public speaking.
“I don’t only just talk to a few of my friends, I say ‘hi’ to pretty much everyone in the hallway. I’m friends with everybody — not just in my grade but in the grades below me as well. I have a pretty good reputation throughout school. I’m a very good public speaker.”
Sports have played such a large role in his life so far at high school that he hopes to study sports journalism and communications at Ryerson University in Toronto after taking a gap year to earn some money.
He said his favourite quote that sums up his high school years is this: “Don’t let school get in the way of your education.”
“Maybe coming from a valedictorian that’s not what you would expect to hear. But if you only follow the way that school is taking you — there’s nothing wrong with that — but find your own passion outside of school and go with that as well,” he said.
The graduation ceremony takes place in the SESS Secondary gym on June 27 from 5 to 7 p.m.