I started teaching way back in 1992—back when report cards were handwritten, overhead projectors were cutting-edge technology, and “Googling it” wasn’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eye. Since then, I’ve taught everything from wide-eyed Kindergarteners to high school students tackling Home Economics (and occasionally setting off the smoke alarm while doing so). A lot has changed over the years, but one thing has remained beautifully consistent: June graduations.
Whether it was Kindergarten, Grade 6, Grade 8 or High School – there was always a ceremony to plan. Songs were practiced—enthusiastically, if not always in tune—slideshows were lovingly put together, and cupcakes were consumed with great dedication. These moments marked important goodbyes, little milestones that felt quite big at the time. And truth be told, they were.
As a teacher, those ceremonies were some of my favourite days. Watching students walk across a stage (or a gym floor pretending very hard to be a stage), accept their diplomas, and then beam for family photos—it never got old. I may not remember every name all these years later, but I remember the feeling. Pride. Pure and simple. And hope—an enormous amount of hope—for every single one of them.
There’s a little secret that most students don’t realize: their teachers carry dreams for them. Big ones. Quiet ones. The kind that linger long after the classroom door closes for the last time in June. We see potential, resilience, kindness, and possibility—even on the days when students don’t quite see it in themselves.
And if you were ever a student of mine—whether in Kindergarten, Grade 6, high school, or anywhere in between—please know this: regardless of whether I was your teacher in a graduation year or not, I have always carried a deep sense of pride in you and an unwavering hope for where your journey would lead.
So to the graduates of 2026, wherever your path leads next—whether you’re moving on to a new grade, heading to a new school, continuing your studies, starting a job, travelling, or still figuring it all out—I wish you a future that is bright, fulfilling, and uniquely yours. May you find success in whatever you pursue, and may you always remember that there were teachers along the way who believed in you, cheered for you, and hoped the very best for your journey ahead.
That’s my story-what’s yours?
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