ACTUAL I TÉ • NEWS
Hockey academy marks new milestones
“That shows true dedication to hockey,” he said, “living and breathing it for all of high school.” CIHA founder Robert Bourdeau de- scribed the day as a great occasion for the academy. He also noted that the members of the Class of 2015 earned all their honours and achievements through more than just natural talent. “Just as in hockey, you will never make it on talent alone,” Bourdeau said. “Effort, perseverance, and determination will get you to your goals. There are no elevators to success. You will always have to take the stairs. You have worked hard to get where you are now, and I know you will keep work- ing hard.” Guest speaker Glen McCurdie, Hockey Canada vice-president, also congratulated the grads on their success, noting that they could never have achieved either their aca- demic or their hockey goals without dedica- tion and a willingness to work hard. He urged them to continue to strive for their dreams but also tomake sure they enjoy what they do in life after graduation, whether it be playing for a professional hockey team or following some other career path, and that they also remember to have fun. «Success does not come without sacri- fice,»McCurdie said, «without perseverance, without focus. But, remember, it’s easy to live the length of life. I would highly recommend that you also live the width of life.»
CIHA Headmaster Stevenson had some final words for the Class of 2015 following presentation of all the bursaries and diplo- mas. «Educationwill always be the great equal- izer,» he said, «and will help to open doors for you.» CIHA Awards and Bursaries Top Graduating Scholar: Céline Tessier (Chapleau, ON) Top Female andMale Graduate Athletics: Evra Levèsque (Wawa, ON) and Jacob Rat- cliffe (Christchurch, New Zealand) Staff Award: Evra Levèsque (Wawa, ON) Student Success Bursary: Alex Sawyer (Kaministiquia, ON) Character Always Award: Justin Geigel (L’Orignal, ON) Alumni Award for Perseverance: Ruslan Bashirov (Bashkortostan, Russia) Ontario’s Principal’s Plaque: Autumn MacDougall (Cole Harbour, NS) Founder’s Scholarship for Academic Excellence: Kate Devries (Dollard-des-Or- meaux, QC), Justin Geigel (L’Orignal, ON), Riley Holden (Nashville, Tennessee), Taylor Huot (South Porcupine, ON), Edie Levèsque (Wawa, ON), Evra Levèsque (Wawa, ON), Autumn MacDougall (Cole Harbour, NS), Jacob Ratcliffe (Christchurch, New Zea- land), Alex Sawyer (Kaministiquia, ON), Alex Sokoloski (Lively, ON), Céline Tessier (Chapleau, ON)
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
reputation for producing high-quality gradu- ates to help fill the ranks of collegiate and entry-level semi-professional hockey clubs is growing. «We always say, ‘We’re in the game’,» Ste- venson said, adding that now, when he or other CIHA staff attend conferences along with coaches and scouts from colleges, universities, and hockey clubs, no one says “What?” or “Where?” anymore when Rock- land’s hockey academy is mentioned. «We’re reaping the rewards of recognition.» This year’s valedictorian, Alex Sokoloski, noted in his address to his fellow grads that the Class of 2015 also marked the start of a new era for the academy, with three of his fellow classmates and graduates completing their entire high school education as CIHA students.
They are the best, the brightest and the big- gest graduating class of all for the Canadian International Hockey Academy. Four years after opening its doors, the Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) in Rockland marked several new milestones during its June 5 graduation cer- emony for the Class of 2015. The 21 graduates, ranging fromall across Canada and fromcountries near and far like the United States and Russia, are part of the largest graduating class since the hockey school began. The academy also has a new alumni as- sociation, and headmaster Randy Stevenson noted during his speech that the academy’s
F L OWE R S | S H R U B S | T R E E S
S O I L | S AND | S TON E | MU L CH b y t h e BUC K E T • GRAND CHOIX DE PANIERS DE FLEURS • PLANTS DE LÉGUMES DÉJÀ DISPONIBLES HEURES D OUVERTURE • MAI - JUIN Lundi à vendredi : 7 h à 20h Samed : 7h à 6h | Dimanche : 8h à 5h
BERGERON GREENHOUSES
Wal-Mart
Laurier
O.P.P.
Route 174
Ottawa River / Rivière des Outaouais
Made with FlippingBook HTML5