Tennyson Verwey, a Grade 12 student at Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI), has been named the 2025 valedictorian, an honour he describes as both exciting and deeply meaningful.
"I was pretty excited," Verwey said. "It was a long process to get voted in. There were a lot of other candidates, so it meant a lot that my classmates gave me the honor to present the speech at graduation."
The selection process was extensive, involving multiple rounds of voting. Initially, students submitted nominations via Google Classroom. The top five nominees moved on to the next round, and eventually, the final three were voted on in the third week and Verwey emerged as the winner.
Throughout his high school years, Verwey has been a well-rounded student, participating in a variety of extracurricular activities.
"I love being a part of sports teams at school," he said. "I've done volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, badminton, track and field, and cross-country. I was also involved in Enviros, where you compete on your knowledge of the environment."
He also competed in the Judo Nationals this year in Calgary, Alberta. Taking home a bronze medal.
Academically, one of his biggest challenges was pre-calculus math.
"It's not my strong suit," he admitted. "But I worked hard to keep my grades up in the 80s. That was definitely a challenge."
Verwey credits his support system for helping him through, especially his mother.
"She's always there when I'm having a tough time, giving me kind words, telling me to keep going. I'd say, 'Thank you, Mom,' for being there all these years."
He also mentioned the influence of multiple teachers over the years, including Ms. Tessier, Mr. Kasper, and Ms. Horning, especially during the pandemic.
Looking ahead, Verwey plans to study kinesiology at the University of British Columbia this fall and take a much-anticipated trip to visit a friend.
"I'm super nervous, but excited," he said. "I just booked flights to visit my exchange student friend in Belgium too, so I'm really looking forward to that."
In his valedictorian speech, Verwey hopes to leave his classmates with a message of reassurance and optimism.
"A lot of kids are scared about leaving high school," he said. "I hope I can give them peace of mind, that everyone's going to find their own path eventually. Just enjoy the moment and don't worry too much."
His advice to younger students coming into high school is simple,
"Join everything. Make new friends. Try everything you can. Especially in Grade 12, make it memorable. You won't get another chance."
As he prepares to deliver his valedictory address on June 25th, Tennyson Verwey leaves his classmates with a heartfelt reminder to stay connected, even as they head in different directions.
"Something I've been meaning to say is that if you haven't already, every Grade 12 should follow me on Instagram," he said with a laugh. "I want to see what you guys are up to once we've all moved on. I just want to be able to talk to everyone, even if we're not seeing each other every day anymore."
With a mix of humor, sincerity, and optimism, Verwey's message to his fellow graduates is clear: cherish the memories, embrace the future, and don't forget to keep in touch.
