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Richmond's Valedictorians: McRoberts secondary

With the pandemic putting paid to large gatherings, including Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies, the Richmond News reached out to the school district’s Valedictorians for them to share their speeches with their families, friends and our readers.
McRoberts
McRoberts secondary co-Valedictorians Emily Gong and Chelsea Wang. Photo submitted

With the pandemic putting paid to large gatherings, including Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies, the Richmond News reached out to the school district’s Valedictorians for them to share their speeches with their families, friends and our readers.

This week, the News will be publishing their abbreviated versions online and in print as they come into our newsroom.

 

By Emily Gong and Chelsea Wang

Co-Valedictorians at McRoberts secondary

 

Movie endings can elicit an array of emotions, from tragic heartbreak to heartwarming satisfaction.

This is the best part of the movie, but the lights have suddenly turned on and the film has stopped rolling.

Our graduating class is faced with an enthralling cliff-hanger, a challenge for every one of us to surmount.

But we will undoubtedly overcome these obstacles with purpose, hope, and bravery.

Our reality is uncertain, but one thing is clear – our graduating class is the future of strong, hopeful, resilient visionaries the world has been waiting for.

No other graduating class will experience what we have. But we are the Class of 2020.

Courage and integrity and empathy and drive course through our veins. Our energy is palpable even through a screen.

Graduation is us and our power to brave the obstacles that seem to grow legs to seek us out, and our potential to fight the injustices that hold us back.

Our movie ending is one wrought with uncertainty and mystery. I know we’re hoping for that all-important ending where we are left both happy and a bit sad that it’s over.

But the director of our movie has given us something much more intimate than that.

The director has given us a blank script, with which we can design our own destinies.

It’s our movie now.

On this day, we become legendary. Everything we’ve dreamed of is waiting for us, because the world is ours now.

The reality of our world today may be uncertain and intimidating, but it is inspiring too.

This generation is now ours to shape – its problems ours to solve, and its successes ours to celebrate.

It is always darkest before dawn.

We are destined for great things, because we’re not just any class – we are the Class of 2020.