Hats off to Westwood Senior’s Class of 2010!

According the to the United States Naval Academy's website,

this time honored tradition of throwing graduation caps in the

air began with their military class of 1912, with the cadets celebrating

their graduation from the Academy by throwing their hats into the

air one memorable June day.

Hats off to Westwood Senior’s Class of 2010!

Convocation was held for this year’s graduating class of Westwood Senior on Tuesday, May 31 at John Abbott College. This year’s Valedictorian, Jon Goddard was welcomed to the stage with such loud enthusiasm that his popularity became immediately obvious to all. His speech focused on the importance of using humor to get us through tough times. This practice also helped Jon keep his address interesting and enjoyable. With great pride, he pointed out the fact that these students had survived the first year of The New Reform and that they had initiated the Bridge to Burundi Project, already a remarkable achievement credited with the construction of two grade 1 classrooms there!

The senior band played O Canada as their final recital together which was performed superbly even through all the nervous emotion of the evening.

What now?

Many students headed out to celebrate as a grad parent was brave and generous enough to accommodate them. There was a sense of relief in the midst of all of the stressful planning that surrounds these students “capping off” one phase of theirs lives and making important decisions about the next. To them, the traditional Prom event has become a little less like the ones of the past. Organizing something following the supervised Ball, has now become a challenge considering they must come up with realistic plans that would allow them the thrill without the risk of breaking the law. This is that age where they are too young to go to bars, but still need to socialize, dance and in many cases, perform music themselves. Having that “stepping stone” of a Junior High Campus was great, but what is supposed to be that step in their social lives? One student commented, “Why should we have to go all the way into a sketchy part of Montreal to hear a local band play?” Society is open to read of their accomplishments but prefers for them not to be seen or heard from while they are relaxing and just being young! How will they get any solutions or compromises?

Valedictorian, Jon Goddard