Class of 2004 graduates from Riverview

Ken Johnston

About 100 people gathered in the gymnasium at Riverview Elementary School Friday to watch a dozen kids graduate from grade 8.
Peter Atkinson, Tyler Brown, Jordan Jenson, Adrianne McLean, Mark Clifford, Kalan Ewald, Travis Mykytyn, Mark Singleton, Jordan Gustafson, Meaghan Jasper, Daniel Usiski, Jr. and Joshua Wilson comprised the class of 2004. Following the procession Rainy River District School Board Trustee Ron McAlister offered congratulatory remarks to the class. “It is exciting to be on the threshold of high school.”
Teacher Greg Wilson then spoke to the class that he taught and quoted from words of advice spoken by Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates:
-Life is not fair
-The world does not care about your esteem
-You won’t make big money right out of school
-Teachers not as rough as your boss at work
-Flipping burgers is not beneath anyone
-If you mess up it is not your parents fault
-Before you were born your parents were not as boring as you think
-Life is not divided into semesters and you don’t get the entire summer off
-Television is not real life
-Be nice to nerds. Chances are you may end up working for one
Wilson then asked each member of the class to stand up and reach under their seats and find an envelope. They opened the envelope and found a dollar. Wilson said, “The moral of this is that you have to get up off your butt to make a buck.”
The class valedictorian was Josh Wilson. He said that he and his classmates had a great year and that Riverview has prepared them for the future. “The foundation of our knowledge started here. They were the first steps towards being successful.” He thanked their teachers.
Following a slide show on the grads Riverview Principal Bob Derkson offered the grads congratulations and advice for the future. “Think of all you have learned and hone those skills. Build on what you have learned. The choices you make will have an impact on you for a very long, long time.”
Diplomas were then presented to each of the students and with that the serious part of the evening ended.
Greg Wilson then proceeded with tongue in cheek to roast each of the grads. After some laughs everyone was treated to cake to cap the evening off.