The Tri-City News asked SD43 valedictorians in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody to reflect on their high school years and tell us what their future brings.
Callie Tyliakos
Customized Learning Centre (Coquitlam)
What are your plans after graduation?
- I plan on attending school within the next year. I want to focus on becoming an educator to high school or elementary students with an interest in trades. I am also excited to travel with hopes of visiting Italy, Norway, Greece, Sweden, Switzerland or other places in Europe.
What are you most proud of during your high school years?
- My journey over the last two-and-a-half years has been transformative where coming out of the pandemic I was a very quiet person and my scholastic achievements were poor. Since then I have had the joy of including and befriending people as mentors and peers. I am most proud that, despite my start in high school, I have raised my grades up to be in the position I am in today.
What would you change about your high school years?
- My dad passed away when I was 15 years old after a year-and-a-half of battling heart cancer. If I could change anything about my high school years it would be that he could physically be here to see how far I've come.
What does being a valedictorian mean to you?
- It is an incredible honour to be representing the students and my school. Receiving the title of valedictorian means to be a leader and cause leadership around me. It means to be an example of perseverance through academic study and to be a great representation of the student body.
What advice do you have for the next graduation class?
- My advice for the next graduating class would be to speak up for what you need to thrive. This will open up opportunities for you to succeed. I used to think that asking for help made me needy or less intelligent but what I really discovered is that it results in becoming confident and understanding.
