Elizabeth Goudman is this year’s valedictorian at Lamont High School.
The recent graduate began her high school career in 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person learning and other regular school activities.
“I don’t think you ever really get used to doing classes online, but I think, all things considered, it was better than what it could have been,” she said.
She described her high school experience as a lot of hard work, but she’s grateful to everyone within the school community.
“It’s a small town. You get a nice sense of community that I wonder if I would not have gotten if I had gone somewhere larger.”
Goudman was stunned when she found out she had been selected to be the valedictorian of the class. She immediately began working on her speech, which touched on the rebellious nature of her generation and how young people are a catalyst for change.
“I don’t think we should be doing things because it’s the way we’ve always done them. I think we should make sure that we’re doing them for a good reason.”
In her advice to new high school students, she suggests valuing time with those around you and figuring out which study methods are most effective for you.
She is very academic-focused with a love of physics and literature. She spent most of her downtime studying, and she tutored math in her spare time.
Goudman will major in physics at the University of Alberta this fall.
Thirty-six graduates from Lamont High walked the stage.