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Born in the small community of Trail, British Columbia, Celine lived there until she chose to move to Edmonton at 15. Today, Celine serves on the Graduation Committee at Queen Elizabeth School and regularly looks for ways to foster a sense of community at her school in any way she can. Celine also works as an administrator at a martial arts studio, and regularly trains in a variety of martial arts classes, such as Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu. Celine has been accepted into the University of Alberta’s Computing Science program and hopes to specialize in Artificial Intelligence. She aspires to contribute to the development of AI technology, and advocate for ethical AI use as we move to integrate it into our daily lives.

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Commencement address:

I think some of the most important stories aren’t from the likes of heroes such as Tony Stark or Harry Potter, but instead, from those around us. As a matter of fact, it was my Biology teacher who shared a thought with me that changed my perspective on my future.

He said: “You don’t need to get paid much money when you look forward to the start of your day”. When he said this, it was in the middle of a conversation I’ve long since forgotten, and honestly, he might be sitting offstage wondering when he even said it.

Nevertheless, it stuck with me, and it offered a different perspective for me on what I should pursue in my adult life. Graduands, whatever your current prospects seem to be, I hope that in the future you do something that you love so much you don’t need to get paid to love it – because whether we like it or not, we are the future.

Your story is far from over. You will continue on with stories upon stories intertwining with yours – so far-reaching that you probably won’t even remember the first story that came up. You’ll be introduced to new names, you might even forget old ones. But, you will remember yours. So say it. Introduce yourself when others don’t. Pursue what you love. Try new things – in fact, scream your name, your story, out loud to the world, because it deserves to be heard. You might not be a Captain America, a Master Chief, or a Han Solo, but you will have more of an impact on someone than those characters ever will. And that person will have an impact on someone else. You are part of a vast and ever-spreading ripple effect. When I’m 80, and in a nursing home, I want to pick up this thing called a newspaper and see your name.

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I want to have your book on my bookshelf. I want to live in the facility you were part of building. I want to shop at your business. I want your art to be hung on my wall. I want your story to influence mine because you deserve to be heard. Small things have a significant impact.

What is your favourite thing about Edmonton?

My favourite thing about Edmonton has to be the vastness of opportunity and community within it. Whether your aspirations involve the fine arts, trades, academia, or something involved with the outdoors, Edmonton has it all. There’s truly something for everyone in Edmonton, and I think it’s absolutely breathtaking that anyone can find a sense of belonging here.

Who is your hero?

Admittedly, it would be very easy for me to reply to this question with something generic like a family member or fictional character. However, I believe that the qualities of what constitutes a hero are much more abstract than what we as a society attribute them to be. A hero is someone who cares enough to act. A hero is someone who gets out of bed in the morning and gives their day an honest effort. If you just give it your best, you are my hero.

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What is your favourite quote or expression?

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller

What one word best describes your graduating class?

Auspicious!

We often hear that, as a society, we are more divided than in the past. How can young leaders work to bridge differences between groups?

The core issue behind this issue of division is not the differences between groups. Part of what makes humanity so incredible is the vast and complex spectrum of ideas, hopes, and identities found within it. Rather, the issue we are facing is the breakdown of common respect. It’s easy to feel like you’ve lost respect for an individual because they have an opinion or ideology in conflict with yours, but to live a happy and fulfilling life, and promote a happy and fulfilling society as a whole, you must do everything in your power to retain a basic level of respect and consideration for all. The place of young leaders in this issue is to advocate for common respect and understanding among everyone, even if we may not agree on everything.

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