As presented at our year end Webinar as, schools was closed due to a heat wave at the end of June. Pivoting from a Cohort in-person year end celebration to the next best thing.
    
    Hi my name is Kaitlin Honda, and I have been at Talmey since kindergarten. Talmey has been my second home and I have spent so much time here learning, growing, making connections with others, and having fun. When I first arrived here eight years ago I barely knew my letters apart from one another and now my brain is full of so much knowledge. Learning at Talmey has become so fun for me and I am excited to learn something new everyday when coming to school.

    In the past year and a half learning has become very different, I know that from experience it wasn’t the easiest to convert to online school and even how the school is being done now. During online school and starting in September 2020 I have felt extra thankful for how kind the Talmey community has been and my teachers Ms. Feng and Mr. Snyder have been very patient and helpful. In the past year and a half, my mind has not only grown academically but my mindset has also changed, especially in the way I view the world around me. I learned that I need to be more patient with myself and to not be so hard on myself for not being able to do everything I feel like I need to do or perfectly. I am only human so I can’t be so hard on myself. I learned not to focus so much on what I can’t do or what mistakes I have made, and more on what I am able to do, what I have accomplished, and how I have grown.

    From the start of this year I haven’t been feeling my very best and I am beyond grateful with how much support I have had from my family, friends, teachers, and others who have been helping me through my hard times whether they knew it or not. Thank you to my mom for everything you have done for me; my time at Talmey wouldn’t have been the best without you,  my dad for always helping me with homework, my sister for being so understanding, and my grandparents for always being at my school events to support me. My family has always been so helpful throughout my time at Talmey. My friends that I have made over the years deserve a big thank you; my friends are the reason why I smile everyday at school. We have done, been through, and spent so much together. Thank you for the endless amounts of love, laughs, and happiness you have given me. My two close friends Riana and Marley, who I have known for a while, have been so understanding, fun, and helpful, I am so lucky to have them. I have really enjoyed being in their class this year, so I want to thank them for making these hard times easier for me.

    Thank you to every teacher that I have had at Talmey for helping me grow and always teaching me new things,  Mr. Zarchikoff for making my Talmey experience so fun, being so friendly, and for teaching me how to be a Talmey STAR. Thank you Ms. Yang for being such a fun science teacher, Mr. Snyder for being helpful, and fun, Mr. Albas for making our class laugh and for being a huge help, and thank you Ms. Feng for all the guidance you have given me. These are just a couple staff but I could thank so many more. I have known many of my classmates since kindergarten and it has been so incredible seeing everyone grow into their own human being. I can’t believe how much we have grown and I owe a big thank you to my classmates over the years, for helping me be who I am today. I know that next year when we will be moving too high school some people won’t be attending the same high school as me, I wish the best for everyone moving forward into the future of their lives, I believe that you will be able to do many great things and thank you for the amazing memories you have help me make. I will never forget the bonds and friendships I have made at Talmey.  

    Someone who has been a positive influence on me is my teacher since grade 6, Ms. Feng. She has not just cared for me as a student but also as a human being, has helped me through my ups and downs, was always there to help me during online school, and has been so understanding. Ms. Feng has taught me many life lessons and has helped me understand that not being perfect is ok. The things that she has taught me will stick with me for the rest of life and has helped me grow into who I am today. Thank you Ms. Feng for all you have done for me, there are no words to describe how grateful I am to have had you as a teacher and a role model.

    One of my favourite memories at Talmey was when I went to science world in grade 5. This field trip was full of laughs and I remember some people got lost in the mirror maze. We also got to explore so many different types of exhibits. A highlight from this school year was when Mikes Critters came to visit division one and my class. We learned about and got to touch so many different animals and it was a really fun experience, thank you to the teachers who organized it for us. Another highlight from is this year is when the new playground opened, people looked so happy and it was so fun playing on the new playground! The highlights from this year brought me back to old times when we were able to go on a field trip, and when we would play on the old playground and the games that we would play on it over the years.

    Some advice that I would like to give to next years grads or the future grads to come, is to be yourself. Your version of yourself doesn’t have to be perfect because we all have places to grow, since we are human, we are imperfectly perfect. Remember that many people care about you, and you may have helped someone a lot more than you think you have. Don’t let the mean words of others define you because you know yourself more than anyone else does. Please also be kind and patient with others, this could make a large impact in someones life because you never know what some is going through. Make sure to respect others and your teachers, especially the ones who help you be the best version of yourself. My last tip of advice is just to have fun. It felt like a flash from kindergarten to now, so enjoy the time you have in elementary school and spend time with the friends you have made.

    There are still so things I could mention on why my time at Talmey has been so amazing and the people who have made it so enjoyable. I will miss walking through the Talmey halls everyday and seeing the  friendly familiar faces of the Talmey community. I am also sad that my time at this school is coming to an end; from when I was five, to now almost a teenager. But, thanks to the Talmey community I feel more ready to move forward in my life and into high school. Once again thank you to everyone who has help me get where I am today, helped me through my struggles, been so kind, and has grown along with side me. Finally, just like how all Talmey announcements come to an end, thank you for listening and have an amazing day.