“Don’t Stop Being You”: Graduation Remarks from the Class of 2026

Nathan and Clio served as the 2025/2026 Head Prefects and graduated in June 2026. This is a transcript of the speech that they gave at graduation.

Clio

Good evening families, friends, and of course, fellow graduates. As we were trying to write this speech, I was taken back to reminiscing about some of our earlier moments at the school. And in particular, I remembered when I first met Nathan on the set for that year’s play: The Farnsworth Invention. I seem to recall a very blond and very hyper 14 year old, obsessed with fantasy soccer, and about yea high. So in many respects, not much has changed…I’m kidding. Kind of. While we may have retained our core attributes, each and every one of us has evolved and developed into better people during our time here. The friends and classes we chose have shaped each one of our distinct identities, forming a class of people unlike any other. And I mean unlike any other. Because this is the only Class of 2026 that GNS will ever have. While we have roamed the halls watched over by the grads of 1995, 2010 and whichever year Ms. Easton graduated, soon new students will take our place, under the watch of our own portrait. So, grads, be proud of the impact you have made here.

Nathan

Speaking from my personal experiences from The Beach, I remember going into the tea house and getting freezies with people who I would later realize would be with me all through Middle and High School. Getting soakers, trading clay for sea glass, and putting crabs in buckets, before getting yelled at to put them back. Through all of these experiences, the class became closer or farther, depending on whether you caught myself and Duncan stealing your sea glass. 

In Middle School, my most fond memory was during Greek Day, when the strongest person competition came around, and a towering Justin Lan looked down at 4’11 me and said “You Got That.” I proceeded to haul a big foam mat and get dead last. We learned the difference between togas and chitons, and probably surprised the neighbours with our athletic prowess. We took what we had learned from The Beach and continued to grow, we grew stronger (or many did) and more confident but more importantly we also grew closer together. 

Clio

For others, like myself, GNS was a later addition to our life’s story. While I was not here for the mandatory Grade 6 Mandarin, or to run around the field wearing bedsheets, I remember my Middle School years fondly and with slight embarrassment. Without the looming spectre of the IB presiding over my day to day, my rose tinted glasses conveniently pass over all the terrible haircuts that inevitably accompany your tweens. I seem to remember a particular quasi-bowl-cut incident, which absolutely does not haunt my waking hours. But while reminiscences about Middle School might not be everyone’s favourite, we must be thankful for them all the same. Those years helped to pave our way into the GNS community, finding our respective group in sports, arts, co-curriculars or academics. 

Nathan

And of course, the rest is history. Sorry, the speech isn’t over yet though. Speaking of, we must acknowledge that speeches are not everyone’s favourite. They’re difficult to write, difficult to read, and – while we may think it’s very funny – we also feel closer to our parents when their jokes don’t always land. But hopefully, the mists of nostalgia will keep you going while we take a walk through high school. The Senior School was where we all eventually ended up. Whether we liked it or not, the Senior School challenged us in ways that we could never have imagine: for some it meant pushing through sports battles, or academic challenges in Mr. Giommi’s math class (whether I passed we’ll never know)

Clio

…Mr. G? I think we know…

Nathan

…or submitting law assignments in Ms. Easton’s class. But I’m sure you all noticed how, year by year, writing got easier, friendships got stronger, the class slowly but surely got closer, and Yamato won more basketball awards…how did that one end up there? Nevertheless, through the trials and tribulations, laughs and tears, successes and failures, we made it through. I hope that, as each and every one of you sits here now, you can appreciate all of the work you have done to get you here: back to the gym, the site of badminton wins, tug of war, and Just Dance, but most importantly, your final destination at GNS, where we finish this journey together.

Clio

It’s hard to believe that we now need to look ahead. So what do we hope for your future? We hope that you keep that wonder that you learned at The Beach and have the same excitement you did when bartering sea glass. That you have the strength that many of us built in Middle School, crash mats and all, and that you keep the memories of senior school and the friendships you made. And now for the best part: charging into new memories and experiences, going forward with the knowledge that we can do it. Thirteen years will, at some point, feel like a blip, but we know that the memories, as your official GNS merch would say, will last a lifetime. 

Nathan

Clio and I are incredibly proud to have been entrusted with this role, and we have enjoyed getting to know you all. We encourage you to reach out to us at any point in the future and keep in touch! As a wise man would say, “let’s chat”. So don’t be shy to reach out and stay in contact over the next four years and beyond. But we have another piece of wisdom which might seem more relevant to you right now, and from none other than our own Mr. Devin Gallery. Aside from fascinating history lessons, and keeping me off of Slow Roads and on my I&S projects, we remember these words above all: “Don’t stop being you when you leave these walls, I know you won’t.” And so do we. As each of us journeys forth to become a Nobel Prize winner, physiotherapist or athlete, we carry our experiences at GNS along with us. So thank you, Class of 2026, for being a part of who we all are. And until we see you next…

Clio and Nathan

…happy grad!