LAC LA BICHE – While many high school graduation classes often only have one valedictorian, this year two students at JA Williams (JAWS) High School in Lac La Biche - Layne Cadieux and Brooke Pruden – were chosen to represent their class.
For Cadieux and Pruden, who both spoke at the JAWS graduation ceremony on June 14, having the privilege of being this year’s valedictorians is very special.
“It feels good to be recognized for the work I put in and I am glad to be moving on to post-secondary now,” Cadieux said.
“It’s truly an honour . . . I have worked extremely hard for this,” Pruden noted. “I’ve always wanted to strive for greatness in everything I do.”
As far as the future is concerned, Cadieux will be working towards getting a bachelor of secondary education while Pruden is heading to Grant MacEwan University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in political science.
“I’m hoping to go into law one day,” Pruden said.
When asked what message they would be relaying to their fellow graduates, Cadieux replied by saying: “We have come a long way together, good luck in whatever comes next."
“I want to congratulate them on all their achievements and the hard work that they’ve put in throughout and years, and I want to wish them the best in their future endeavours,” Pruden said.
When choosing this year’s valedictorian, Pruden explained that her marks and those of Cadieux were very close, and therefore, it was decided that both students were deserving of the title.
“We’ve always been competitive with each other,” Pruden said.
Looking back over her high school years, Pruden said while there were some tough moments, overall, it was a very rewarding experience. Some of the best memories, she explained, involved going on school trips for sports.
Graduating from high school brings a feeling of excitement for her.
“I’m very excited . . . I want to move onto the next chapter of my life,” Pruden said.
