St. Pat's valedictorian feels community's love
Andrey Balasanyan builds his own podium to deliver speech at Saturday's grad
Joseph Tunney
Northern News Services
Friday, May 27, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
St. Patrick High School's Andrey Balasanyan is not only stepping up to the mic to give his valedictorian speech tomorrow, he is building the podium he will deliver it from.
St. Patrick High School valedictorian Andrey Balasanyan stands beside a podium he crafted in shop class and from which he will give his graduation speech Saturday. - Joseph Tunney/NNSL photo |
He even carved the school's name on it.
St. Pat's is a special place, the 18 year old says. The school is a community full of support and he wants people to know that during his speech.
"We're a pretty small school compared to others," said Balasanyan. "My physics and calculus teachers, they both not only see their classes as students, they see them as their own children."
Balasanyan is a bit of a renaissance man: he's on the honour roll, has been captain of many of the sports teams, including soccer, and was a student leader at several school retreats.
It's quite apparent he has a methodical, scientific mind.
His favorite class is calculus.
He plans on going to either the University of Calgary or the University of Alberta for engineering in the fall.
But science and math are not what's weighing on his mind these days. It's the community he has grown up with and the students he has gone to school with the past four years.
"When you think about people in a community, you think of ants," he said, referencing a portion of his speech.
"When you put a group of ants together on water, they float. They support each other."
Balasanyan's speech, which will be delivered in front of the student body and the parents, will be approximately 10 minutes long.
To become the valedictorian students must be on the honour roll ,with an 85 per cent or higher grade average and win school faculty over with a compelling presentation.
Balasanyan chose to give his presentation on the meaning of community.
While the speech is an important part of graduation for him, Balasanyan said he feels the grand march when students enter the prom dressed in their best is the most important event of the week.
That's because he and his friends will do it all together.
"The thought of seeing all my friends and family, seeing me and my grad date walking," Balasanyan said.
"I think that's the most important.
"The walk is the most important because it's their time to shine."
The grand march takes place tonight at 8 p.m., followed by a dance. Saturday starting at 2 p.m. at St. Patrick High School is when the actual graduation ceremony takes place where Balasanyan will speak.
Assistant principal Todd Stewart is helping to organize this week's events.
He said more than 70 students are graduating this year.
"There's tremendous pride," said Stewart. "A lot of hard work went into this."
