Grade 12 is a very challenging year. Whether you are focusing on academics, athletics, work, or family and friends, this cataclysmic shift from high school life to independent adult life challenges graduates in every aspect.
This year, I have relearned many of the things I previously thought I understood. I have been confronted with challenging decisions, rejections, far too many stress induced illnesses, and overwhelming workloads.
But, thanks to everyone who has supported me, I have made it through this year.
I have had so many teachers who have helped me through my years at Maple Ridge secondary and also in my transition into my future life.
I would like to thank Mme. Burns for tolerating all of our teasing and messing around every lunch hour, and Mrs. Jamison for showing me where to find the cheapest patterns from clothing stores that are too expensive for me.
Thanks to Mme. Beaudet’s support and encouragement, I managed to make it through my final year in the French Immersion program.
I appreciate Mr. Xavier’s aid in my ceramic pursuits as I have continued to play with mud throughout all of high school.
Thank you to Mrs. Aitken for teaching me how to read and write and helping me with all my applications this year. I’m so glad that I had the emotional support of Mr. McKimmon and Mme. Wiebe, who were always ready to help me tease my dad and put him in his place.
Of course, I have to thank my family for all of their help. Thanks ma and pa for always supporting me and telling me that I should take it easy sometimes.
“You don’t have top do every assignment for school, Bronte.”
Thank you to my cousins, Granny, uncle Kenny and aunt Bella for always being there to cheer me up, and to my brother for breaking in our parents for me.
Over the years, I have had the support of many individuals, coaches, counsellors, friends, but these two years volunteering for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News have been especially important to me.
Writing for this newspaper has helped me to realize the importance of connecting with your community. National and international issues can often be broken down to the municipal level and I now believe that acting within your community is the best approach to solving large scale problems and bettering the world as a whole.
This is why I am so thankful to have had the chance to connect with my city in this way. I truly believe that the death of local press would be an enormous loss to society because information is the first step towards getting others involved in the community.
I wish that more opportunities, like this column that I write, were offered to students; having the option to experiment with a career in journalism has really helped me in figuring out the direction I want to take in my life.
Although this year has been challenging, thanks to the support of my family, friends and teachers, not only did I make it through, but I think that experiences like writing for this paper and enduring all obstacles thrown at me have helped me to better myself.
Thank you to all who have supported me and taken the time to read my monthly musings.
I wish you all the best in the future.
Bronte Miner is a student at Maple Ridge secondary.