For Belmont Secondary School valedictorians Adam Ali and Torqel Baker, high school has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride.
But as they bid farewell to Belmont and set their sights on the next chapter, both are coming to the same realization: the ride is far from over – in fact, it’s only just begun.
Part of the generation of students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic – adjusting to online learning in Grade 7 and weathering a “panicky” Grade 8 – by the time Grade 9 came around, Ali says it felt like he was taking “a leap of faith off a cliff” into the first “normal” school year.
“It felt so fresh,” said Ali. “It was so uncertain, but once I got comfortable with the surroundings, I just started opening myself up to new things.”
Among those, there was a renewed passion for sports that had been put on hold during the pandemic. The 17-year-old threw himself into both basketball and football, working his way up to football captain in Grade 12.
Ali now plans to study business administration at Camosun College, while also playing for the Westshore Rebels football team.
As well as navigating the practical challenges of COVID, 18-year-old Baker also faced his own health struggles, causing him to miss three years of school.
He jumped back into school life in Grade 10, worried he was on the back foot compared to his peers. But his selection as valedictorian, representing the school’s indigenous community, has shown the student he is capable of more than he realizes.
“It's very humbling,” he says. “It just goes to show that even with major setbacks, you can push through it and you can achieve what you want to do.”
During his time at Belmont, Baker says he has been on a journey of self-discovery – not only learning he has Metis heritage, but also embracing his individuality.
“There's always this pressure that you have to fit in,” he says, describing his personality as “not awkward” but “unique.”
“I learned through just being myself and not masking myself or worrying about all the school politics,” he adds. “I've learned that you grow to care about yourself more and appreciate yourself as an individual.”
Looking ahead, Baker hopes to pursue a career in the film industry and grow his YouTube channel, which has given him a platform to showcase his passion for professional wrestling.
Though their high school experiences differ, both valedictorians want to leave their peers with a message of resilience.
Rallying “against all odds,” will be at the heart of Ali’s message.
“We’ve been thrown all these curveballs in life, but we're still here, we've all still managed to make it to this point and it's just the start,” said Ali.
“The leap from high school to post-secondary, whether it's college, university, travelling or military, I think that's an even bigger leap and what our journey the last five-six years has done for us, is just prepare us for that.”
For Baker, the message is one of belief and inclusion.
“No matter who you are, no matter where you're from, no matter what colour, race or ancestry you come from, you'll always be able to achieve something if you put your mind into it 100 per cent of the time.”
