WCHS grads celebrating accomplishments

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on June 27, 2023.

Herald file photo Steven Yang has been named valedictorian for this year's graduating class at Winston Churchill High School.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Winston Churchill High School students will have the opportunity to celebrate their graduation Wednesday after four years of what vice-principal calls a very challenging high school career.

WCHS vice-principal Aaron Fitchett said this particular class has gone through a lot since they had to go through the COVID-19 pandemic when starting high school and had to endure the different changes and challenges that came with it.

“Grad 2023 is a celebration of the hard work of our students over the last four years here at Winston Churchill. They have overcome many obstacles toward achieving their goals, and we’re so excited to celebrate them,” said Fitchett.

He said the pandemic started when they were in Grade 9 and that meant going from at-home learning, to a blend of at home and in-person learning, and then fully in-person learning.

 “This is a group that’s gone through many quarantines, and they have come out successful, and they’ve had wonderful accomplishments this year. From being part of Fine Arts presentations including plays and visual arts, band and choir performances, to sports and athletics, they’ve had major accomplishments,” said Fitchett.

He said this class went as far as going to provincial competitions despite all their setbacks.

“They have accomplished great things, more than we would hope they could achieve during a high school career, and they’ve done it positively and they certainly represent our school very well in the community,” said Fitchett.

 He said they live the school’s mission, vision and values deeply into their core, and that is why they are considered to be an incredible group of students.

One student who accomplished a lot, including being named a Loran Scholar earlier this year, creating a math club, starting an environmental initiative to recycle cigarette butts in downtown Lethbridge, creating statistics for the School’s basketball team and becoming this year’s valedictorian is Steven Yang, who not only will be receiving an Alberta High School diploma, but also an International Baccalaureate diploma, which is recognized world-wide.

“I’m just super grateful, to my parents, teachers and my friends. The only reason why I’m here is because of the support and love that they’ve shown me, so I just feel grateful right now,” said Yang.

He said he was not aware of his GPA or his school grades, as he did not focus on that. He said he focuses on doing his best and whatever happens, happens.

“I try to not think about the results or anything, I just try to focus on what really matters to me, which is hanging out with friends right now and during the last two months in Lethbridge before I move to Waterloo to study programming,” said Yang.

He said even though he is pursuing an engineering degree, he wants to keep his options open and explore other possibilities as well, which is something he will try to relate to his fellow students during his speech.

“Always be open to new opportunities, be open to meeting new people, because you can always walk out of the door, but you always have to walk in first to see what’s there,” said Yang.

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