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.
We'll publish their answers daily this and next week, at 8:05 a.m.
Jimmy Sam
Riverside Secondary (Port Coquitlam)
What are your plans after graduation?
- I plan to attend UBC under the Bachelor of Commerce program.
What are you most proud of during your high school years?
- I am proud of the charity work I did in high school. In total, I raised over $1,500 for Crohn's and Colitis Canada, participated in a clinical research study and also volunteered my time to planning the 2024 Fraser Valley Gutsy Walk. As someone with Crohn's disease, the work they do is extremely important to me and I am glad to have contributed as much as I have.
What would you change about your high school years?
- If I could get rid of the whole COVID-19 pandemic, which plagued my early high school years, I would in a heartbeat. But more realistically, I would like to have managed my time better and focused on leading a healthier lifestyle. I was not averse to occasionally procrastinating and would often sacrifice sleep in order to finish homework. I would like to have had the foresight to make the proper decisions and do what's best for my body.
What does being a valedictorian mean to you?
- I see the valedictorian as a leader within their respective graduating class who emphasizes community engagement and academic excellence. It is the culmination of a lot of hard work and an opportunity to inspire people for their future and celebrate school spirit.
What advice do you have for the next graduation class?
- Try and stay positive, even when everything seems to be going the wrong way. Do not dwell on the past because you cannot change it. Do what you can in the moment and you will see as everything falls into shape.
Photo op
Port Coquitlam is celebrating the class of 2024 by proclaiming June 10 to 14 as Grad Week, lighting up city hall in school colours and providing Congrats Grad 2024 photo backdrops in city parks.
Congrats Grad 2024 photo backdrops will be placed in the following locations:
- Blakeburn Lagoons Park (2900-block of Elbow Place)
- Lions Park (2300 Lions Way)
- Castle Park (2252 Castle Cres.)
