Dr. Robert Evans

Chairman of Rundle College Board of Directors

Grade 12 Graduation Address

Rundle College Society

THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE

Ladies and Gentlemen, as you know, Mr. Rogers succeeded Mr. Hauk this year as Headmaster.  Both are great leaders, but they have different styles.  When I delivered my first graduation message about ten years ago, I met Mr. Hauk backstage.  “Bob,” he said, “keep it short.”  That’s my friend Mr. Hauk – direct and to the point.  In contrast, when I met Mr. Rogers backstage today, he said, “Dr. Evans, I know how much you like memorable quotes”; and Mr. Rogers handed me this very attractive Rundle card with a handwritten note and a quote from comedian George Burns.  It reads: “The secret of a good (speech) is to have a good beginning and a good ending…and to have the two as close together as possible.”  So maybe Mr. Hauk and Mr. Rogers aren’t that different after all.

To the Rundle College Class of 2015 – “These will be the best years of your life.”  Have you ever wondered why people use this phrase to describe the ages from roughly 18 to 22?  You probably have more studying, more exams or a full-time job in your future.  Why would these prospects lead anyone to consider these the “best years of your life”? 

These are likely to be your “best years,” because you are on a collision course with three important life trends that will probably never be collectively stronger than they are right now and in the next few years. What are these three life trends? The answer concerns a Chinese philosopher, Teflon, a famous perfume, a renowned architect and a Canadian astronaut. 

                                                                          

First, you have acquired the confidence of education – that “I can do anything and take on the world” feeling.  Until this year, you attended school with older students who probably knew more and were more experienced than you.  But as Grade 12s, you are now the oldest and wisest. Your education has created greater confidence within you; and that confidence, in turn, has spawned a fresh optimism about your future and all of its possibilities.  In the fifth century BC, Confucius declared: “Education breeds confidence.  Confidence breeds hope.  Hope breeds peace.”  The key to sustaining that fresh optimism and the confidence of education is to make learning an enjoyable experience throughout your life.  I hope you decide to do that. 

The second important life trend is the thrill of discovery.  When you were very young, you experienced the thrill of discovery as you learned to walk and run, memorized the alphabet and began to read or perhaps play a musical instrument.  After a while, you found that new discoveries did not come as easily until you began to master the basics of a subject.  But as you embark on your post-secondary years, you will re-experience the thrill of discovery.  You will be able to pick your university courses or select your first full-time job.  You may have the opportunity to live in a residence hall or an apartment.  You will embrace a more prominent and independent role in your education and in life itself. 

The thrill of discovery sometimes happens unexpectedly.  Consider chemist Bill Gore who quit his job at Dupont in 1958 to start a company in his basement. Gore was exploring the commercial possibilities of Teflon when his son Bob developed a new polymer that would change the company forever. The chemical name is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene – better known as Gore-Tex.  And you know the rest of the story. 

So as you graduate today, you are celebrating the confidence of education.  You are poised to re-experience the thrill of discovery.  And finally, you are embarking on the pursuit of purpose.  You are now seriously considering career options and having the satisfaction and fun of determining what you want to do in life – after all, Canadians are now expected to live to age 80; and that leaves plenty of life in which to pursue many worthy purposes.   

Some people can sustain the pursuit of purpose throughout their lives.  They keep reinventing themselves.  Coco Chanel, fashionista and creator of Chanel No. 5 perfume, once remarked: “If you want to be irreplaceable, then you must always be changing.”  And Chanel was a person who remained engaged with the pursuit of purpose throughout her 87-year life.  Winston Churchill, the most important leader of the 20^th century, did not become Prime Minister of Great Britain until he was 65 years old; and Michelangelo became the architect of St. Peter’s Basilica when he was 74.

If you want to maximize the possibility of reinventing yourself to enjoy the pursuit of purpose throughout your life, then become a Renaissance person by embracing a broad course of study.  In recent history, it would be difficult to find a more prominent example of someone who reinvents himself than Steve Jobs of Apple.  Jobs was an engineer; but he was also a skilled businessman, a self-described artist and philosopher and a consummate actor.  If you become a Renaissance person like Steve Jobs, then you stand the best chance of acquiring and reacquiring the pursuit of purpose throughout your life. 

So here you are – armed with the confidence of education, poised to re-acquire the thrill of discovery and ready to embark on the pursuit of purpose. And the exhilarating optimism created by these life trends is why all of us here today hope and trust that these will be “the best years of your life.” 

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, a superb role model by any standard, uses six words to describe how to make the most of these next years and beyond.  Hadfield says: “Be ready.  Work hard.  Enjoy it.”

Your family, your friends, your teachers and all of us at Rundle are proud of your accomplishments.  We are even more proud of the splendid people that you have become; and we wish you the very best on the next part of life’s journey. 

May God bless you and all of your efforts.  Thank you, and congratulations. 

Rundle College Grade 12 Graduation · 2 Jun

Sam Maclennan

Rundle College Valedictorian Address

Grade 12 Graduation

Hello everyone! Students, faculty, family members, parents - Hi Mom and Dad! Friends, honoured guests, and of course, my fellow graduates-- it is my distinct privilege to be representing the Rundle College graduating class of 2015 as your Valedictorian.

Just a quick disclaimer: I have a minor concussion so if this speech starts to flop I’m probably going to fake falling into a coma-- that way I avoid making a fool of myself, and I get to fulfill one of my lifelong goals-- make a scene at an important event!

First off, I would just like to congratulate my fellow classmates for making it to graduation! I hope you are enjoying the festivities and the thought of all the classes we will be missing this week!

Now, I notice that every year, this year being no exception, Dr. Evans always takes several unrelated, seemingly random things and relates them to abstract concepts surrounding grad! I am always so impressed with his creativity and ingenuity that I thought I might try it myself. So graduates, today I will be talking about a Sandra Bullock movie, questionable rubber footwear, and an epic vampire-romance tween fiction novel.

Now, lets get started! I want everyone to stop and picture this. And I really want you to concentrate on this ok?! Grade 4’s tune in (snaps). You are the noble, beautiful, courageous Sandra Bullock, floating through space alone in a shuttle. Every 90 minutes you are assaulted by a storm of deadly space junk orbiting the Earth. As you are confronted with obstacle after obstacle in your attempt to return to Earth safely, you begin to give up, and your oxygen tank has been at critical levels for an obscene amount of time. However, a hallucination of the handsome George Clooney convinces you with his trademark boyish charm to keep trying. Finally, you manage to make it home safe to Earth. I’m sure you’re all thinking “Sam I hate you please stop for the love of god stop talking! Others may be thinking “what does this long, boring, reference to the award-winning movie Gravity have to do with the Rundle College graduating class of 2015?!”

Well I have absolutely no idea! But I’m going to take a wild guess here! The graduates sitting before me are the radiant and glowing Sandra Bullocks, constantly faced with challenges on your path to achieve your goals. The space junk is the frustrating, recurring obstacles in our lives, particularly diplomas that keep coming back every semester! Heartthrob George Clooney is your family, friends, teachers, and administration, that keep you motivated and on track despite an overwhelming and constant sense of imminent doom! And finally, space is really representative of our lives, because it is empty and dark and devoid of any meaning!!

I’m just kidding! I know we’re all getting a little exhausted, perhaps cynical, and frustrated as the school year comes to a close, with all the deadlines and exams and the stress of grad events. For example, sometimes in the oppressive silence heard during a calculus test, you can hear Jackson Coles begin to whisper softly at first, but then with increasing volume and passion-until you realize he is voicing the thoughts of our entire class by muttering colourful profanities! Sometimes, there are moments like these where we all feel this frustration at some point. School has been a marathon--it’s very rewarding to complete and there are moments along the way where you really feel proud of yourself, but it also is a gruelling test of endurance that pushes you to your absolute physical limits. I speak for most of the graduating class I think when I say that long-distance running is not our forte maybe with the exception of Noah, Cal, and Carina.

Despite our occasional frustrations, school at Rundle has been an absolute pleasure and an unforgettable experience. We are so privileged to go to a school where the staff care so much about the students and making sure we have every possible opportunity to be successful in our studies, as well as extracurriculars. It is so comforting to walk down the halls everyday and see friendly and familiar faces. Throughout the years, we have had the opportunity to attend graduation and see our friends in grade 12 graduate. I have attended Rundle since preschool, and it seems surreal today that I am graduating today with my classmates.

It is significant times like these, graduations namely, where we are expected to reflect on how much things change. As our Rundle family grows up together, like any other family, there are moments of tension, love, drama, reconciliation, and sometimes no reconciliation! Some aspects of our changing identity are more superficial-- fashion choices, haircuts- particularly the Justin Bieber hair fad of 2008 that I unfortunately fell victim to. Other things that change are more significant-- friendships, values, beliefs, and our perspective. Some of these changes are conscious, for example, when you get viciously shamed for publicly wearing crocs, the questionable rubber shoes, you choose to give them up-- except for you Meg! Way to be yourself no matter the horrible social implications! So many other students in the graduating class are a little quirky too-- Elise has a shy chinchilla named Cornelius, Kathryn can fly an airplane, and Robyn is the undisputed master of Chess and the disputed master of the Rubix Cube. But more often than not, we are unaware of the minute changes in our identity that occur constantly as we experience new things. Today, I challenge you to find yourself, become aware of your changing identity and be honest about who you are.

This concept of being true to yourself is disgustingly cliched and prevalent in pop culture so much so that talking about it makes me vaguely nauseous. But it’s not enough to stop me!

First, to be true to yourself, you have to know who you are! What are your core values and beliefs! Who are you, who do you like, what do you think is important, and what is right and wrong. This can be the hardest part about being true to yourself-- finding yourself. Sometimes one might have an identity crisis even much later in life. Did you notice all the flashy cars in the parking lot... can someone say mid-life crisis? But you know, some people do find themselves later in life. My twin sister Ellie has only recently rediscovered her passion for the Twilight Saga books, in which the heroine is constantly torn between choosing two equally beautiful and moody men, one a werewolf, the other a vampire. It’s just a timeless epic love story with so many parallels to our lives!

So first you have to figure out who you are. Next, you have to be willing to stand up for your identity, even if you face societal pressure to change, just like Meg and her crocs, or Ellie and her interesting choice in literature! People may not agree with or particularly like you for it, but eventually you will find a group of people with common interests and beliefs. The world is a big ol’ place, there are plenty of fish in the sea to befriend!

Finally, I just want to point out that “being yourself” is not an excuse to be rude or cruel or lazy. We should not allow ourselves to use our inherent inabilities as a reason to give up or stop trying. We should strive to be better, be kind and be non-judgmental to other people!

In every generation, there are trailblazers who push the limits of what is acceptable when choosing to carve out their path authentically. I think of artists such as Picasso, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles, and the backlash they faced for their individual expression. More recently, I think of Caitlyn Jenner as another example of a bold individual choosing to live their life the way that makes them happy. I hope the graduating class finds what makes them happy, and fights for their right to express themselves authentically.

And now, for some other thank you’s. I would like to thank the teachers and administration for your tireless work all year to ensure we succeed and have some fun at school; thank you to parents, family, and friends for your support, your time, and for loving us despite our many flaws. Thank you to my parents who have kept me grounded-- my mom has been crying continuously throughout every significant event in my life, and today is no exception. Thanks for being my rock, Mum! I’d like to thank Ms. Kim for ensuring some of the more “edgy” jokes were removed from this speech and for maintaining a calm facade as grad approached rapidly and I had not finished. Finally, I’d also like to thank Ellie, my twin, for helping me write this, for putting up with my general irritability and crankiness, and for correcting me in that vampires are beautiful, not hot. I wouldn’t want to embarrass myself in front of everyone like that.

It has been an absolute honour to get to know every graduate sitting in front of me. I wish you all the best, and I hope we find the courage to be ourselves! Congratulations again, and thank you.

Tyler Turnbull

Guest Speaker

Rundle College Graduation 2015

Good afternoon everyone.

I’d like to begin by saying thank you to the Rundle Alumni Committee for inviting me to speak with you. It is a true honour to be here with you all today.

To say that I was surprised to have been asked to speak would be a gross understatement.

In fact, my first reaction was that my close friend and fellow Rundle graduate Dave Wares – was simply playing a prank on me.

But no – it was in fact for real and I’m so excited to be here.  

I’d also say thank you all for taking the time to listen and, being from Generation Z, please feel free to Snapshat, Text, Instagram and digitally talk amongst yourselves. I won’t take it personally.

Over the next few minutes, I’m going to tell you about my own journey and some of the things that helped shape me into who I am today – you can decide later whether that’s a good thing or not.

Finding Rundle

When I was finishing elementary school here in Calgary, it had been a pretty rough journey – mostly for my parents.  

I’d been very close to failing Grade 2.

How do you fail grade 2, you ask? I don’t really know either – maybe that was the problem.

Beyond Grade 2, the challenges continued - My grades weren’t good, I was struggling and instead of focusing on my academics and performance, I prioritized other things like watching TV, hanging out with friends and doing everything I could do to avoid mentally-challenging work.

My parents went to great pains to find out exactly what was wrong with me. I took IQ tests, met with councillors and specialists, had my health assessed and more.

At the conclusion of this intensive evaluation period, the team across all disciplines shared the same diagnosis – Tyler is lazy.

And so, I was quickly enrolled in a new school called Rundle College.

FIRST DAYS

I remember my first day on campus – mostly the uniform. Grey ties and maroon blazers. My public school friends loved my newfound attire. I wasn’t so sure.

I also remember suddenly having nowhere to hide – 12 kids in a class.

In my old school the sheer volume of 30-40 kids per class made it really easy to be forgotten and to do whatever I wanted.

No such luck at Rundle.

I was in the open – the questions would come flying at me and if I wasn’t paying attention, look out.

But as time started to pass, things got better in really unexpected ways.

I started to enjoy going to school. I met new friends who became core to who I am today. Teachers started to look out for me, they challenged me and made me think differently. And I started to get involved in extra curricular activities like sports.

The years passed and I found myself wanting to do more – get more involved, try different things, meet new people and challenge myself.

And when I look back on my time at Rundle and combine it with the 14 years since I graduated, there are a few key lessons that I wanted to share with you today.

LESSON 1 – Don’t Hide

It’s hard to hide at Rundle. But it’s easy to hide in the world.

Many of you will be going to College and University and will experience what it’s like to be on campus with thousands, not hundreds, of other people.

And it will be really tempting to stick with what makes you comfortable – same friends, same routine, same patterns.

Don’t.

When I went to University in Ontario, I really only knew one person – my best friend from Rundle. Together, we knew about 2 other people and while daunting, it was amazing looking back because it forced us to get out there – to try things and experiences that we wouldn’t have done normally.

And we are all the better for it.

So if you find yourself saying, ‘I’m going to stay in or skip that activity. Don’t.’

LESSON 2 – Be Relentless

I can’t understate how hard things can be out there.

But what differentiates people is their drive to achieve their goals – sounds cliché but it really isn’t.

My wife, Jennifer, is the polar opposite of me. For her entire life, she knew exactly what she wanted to do – be a family doctor.

She got great grades at High School, got great grades at University, got great marks on the MCAT and did everything she was supposed to do to become a doctor.

But when she tried to get into med school, she wasn’t accepted.

So she took another degree and spent a year trying to get better for the next round of applications. She got better marks, better MCAT scores, better everything. And applied again. But the same thing happened – she wasn’t excepted into any Canadian schools.

Most people at this point would have given up and tried something else. That would have been the easy thing to do.

But she didn’t. She kept going. And decided that if she couldn’t get trained in Canada, she’d move to England and train there.

And so she moved. And it was hard –5 years in a foreign country. But she persevered despite it all. And in a few months will be completing her residency in Toronto. It took 12 years and she made it.

The point is – you are going to get thrown curveballs. Things will not go as planned. But don’t let that stop you.

LESSON 3 – Treat Everyone Well

I’ve had the privilege of working around the world. And it’s hard to describe how connected everything is.

All the time, I meet people from Canada, from Calgary, from everywhere. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone talks and everyone remembers.

I can’t understate how much it matters to treat everyone with respect  - at our agency, how you greet our receptionist is substantially more important than what you’ve written on your resume.

Be polite. Say thank you – you can start with your family. Then your teachers. Then your friends.

And try to help as many people as you can – they won’t forget and they will help you back – sometimes in the most wonderful and unexpected ways.

LESSON 4 – Start something

When I was in 11^th grade, two of our teachers – Mr. Buchannan and Mr. Foreman – had a wild idea. Start a Rugby team.

It’s hard to imagine – starting a team from scratch that requires 15 people on the field. We needed almost everyone in our class to participate and most of us had never even seen a rugby game, let alone played one.

But we started the team, And trained. Those first practices were pretty intense and so were the first games. But the experience was amazing and it led to something bigger.

The years passed, the team got better and now the program is what it is today.

But it had to start somewhere. The point is, you never know what starting something could lead to so don’t be afraid to make something if it doesn’t exist yet.

FINAL LESSON

I’d like to close with one final thought.

When I had the privilege of standing on this stage 14 years ago, I told a story from that year that still sticks with me today.

The graduating class had been on a trip to Costa Rica and my close friend, Peter Newman, and I were sitting in a hot spring with the rest of our group.

We were about half-way through our trip, reflecting on the great experiences we’d had and getting excited about the remainder of the visit.

It was a perfect evening and, as we caught up, I said – “Wow, I really don’t want this to end. Sucks that we have to head back in a few days.”

Peter said something to me then that has stuck with me ever since. He said simply – “Ty, Don’t wish it away”.

“Don’t wish it away”.

"Design Your Dream School"
2051 Project - Student Panel

March 5, 2015

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend a 'think tank' session with two of our student leaders.  Our students joined the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) Board of Directors to discuss a new initiative: The 2051 Project.

The 2051 Project is the brainchild of CAIS's Executive Director, Anne-Marie Kee.  The name of the project is derived from George Orwell's masterpiece 1984.  

What people do not know about this book is that it was written in 1948 and Orwell opted to switch the last two numbers to come up with the futuristic time for the plot to develop.  Ms. Kee's project, which is starting in 2015 and is titled 2051 not only follows the same naming convention but has every bit of potential it would need to become it's own masterpiece.

In the coming months the students, teachers, leaders and the CAIS Board are attempting to answer the question, what should schools look like in 2051.  Yesterday was an opportunity for 8 students from Calgary (two from Rundle College & Academy) to answer this very question.

Ms. Key and the CAIS Board of Directors posed a few questions to the students and had them answer in an open forum.  The questions included items on technology, on learning and on design.  To me, the most fascinating prompt was: 

"If you could design your 'dream school' - what would it look like?"

As an adult and administrator, I know there are a lot of things that go into a school.  There is the culture, the community, the vision, the values and the physical plant, to name a few.  However, I wrongly assumed that if students were asked this question they would respond with answers like a great media lab, a big fitness facility, a playing field or a performing arts center.  

Needless to say, I was shocked, surprised and inspired by the answers of the students on the panel.  

They answered:

• small class sizes
• personalized relationships with my teachers
• experiential learning
• opportunity to ask and answer questions of the best teachers
• applied learning opportunities
• brain friendly approaches to learning
• a culture of excellence

Wow!  Not a single answer about a physical building.  Every answer was about relationship, character, community and learning.  I was amazed and inspired.  After all, is this not where our CAIS schools really excel and differentiate themselves?

Wherever education ends up in 2051, I believe the next generation is in great hands as these student leaders step into a more prominent role in our society.

All the best,

Jason B. Rogers

"Heads Up -  Headmaster Update:  The Rundle Experience" March 3, 2015 Dear parents, February was an incredible month in our Rundle Schools. I hope this update can capture some of the experience! Coming Up: Rundle College is Hosting the Senior Varsity Girls Basketball Provincials This event is coming up quick.  If you have a moment, have a look at the excellent webpage that has been set up to highlight the event. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Laurel Adolphe at adolphe@rundle.ab.ca. Spring Break Travel Before this month is over, Rundle College & Academy students will set foot on 4 different continents, will have explored dozens of cities, and will have offered hundreds of hours in volunteer work.  We hope they all 'take pictures, leave footprints and make memories' while they are away! TEDx Event Our very own TED certified teacher, Karen Goepen-Wee, applied to host a TEDx event and her application has been accepted.  The date of the event is June 6th, it will be held at Rundle Academy, and the theme is Diversity=Us.  Stay posted for more details on the event! Uniform Store Goes Online We are still on track to have our online uniform store up and running for April 6th!  If you have any questions about the upcoming uniform store sale or the launch of the online store, please contact Mrs. Lisa Hansen (hansen@rundle.ab.ca). Gone By: In the coming months, I will frame this section with the key components of the 'Rundle Experience': Character, Arts, Athletics & Academics' Character Family Skate - A big thank you goes out to all Primary staff, parents, and students who took part in our family skate.  It was inspiring to see students having such a great time with one another on and off of the ice.  Another shout out goes to Rundle Academy's Kids Helping Kids who were sharing the experience with our youngest Rundle students!

Arts Mardi Gras 2015 - talk about a once in a lifetime experience!  This past month our Senior High Marching Band performed in New Orleans during Mardi Gras!  A highlight of the trip had to be marching in the Mardi Gras parade!  Congratulations goes out to all the staff who assisted in this spectacular event.

Athletics Summit Series - Teachers vs. Students - The annual event was held at the Westside Rec rink and did not disappoint.   It was great to see the student support from the stands and to see the comradery between the students and the staff on the ice.  This year's game ended in a lopsided victory: 17-5.  (I have intentionally left out who lost to save a little face.)

On a slightly indulgent note, I would like to send a big congratulations to the Rundle Academy 6/7/8 Boys Basketball Team who won their first banner last week.  I had the honour of coaching many of these boys two years ago and all I'll say is that they have come a long way together under the direction of their coach, Sheldon Locking.  Congratulations team, we are all very proud of your accomplishment.

Academics Diploma Exams, Science Fair, Reach for the Top & Women of Engineering - As you can see, I have struggled to keep this section to just one event.  We have had a spectacular month of academic achievement. Congratulations goes out to all our Academy and College teachers who helped our students prepare for their diploma exams.  As the results trickle in, we are left with the assurance that our academic program remains at the top of its game.

Beyond these standardized exams, we have had several authentic learning opportunities in our community - Science Fair, Reach for the Top and Women of Engineering to name a few.  I think the picture below says it all.  This is a shot of a student's notes upon the completion of a Reach for the Top tournament in High River.

Heads Up - Experience Rundle ​This past month I had two transformative learning experiences.  I was able to read Paul Tough's book, "How Children Succeed"  and I traveled to Boston and saw Sarah Lewis and Sunni Brown speak.  You will see an example of a 'doodle' note that was taken at the conference I attended this week.

I am not going to belabor either topic in this post because I suspect you will be hearing elements of both in upcoming speeches and blog posts. If  you want to learn a little more about the book, I do have two copies to give away.  I will put the copies in the mail to the first two parents who respond via e-mail. I'm looking forward to another great month of 'Rundle Experiences.' Sincerely, Jason B. Rogers