Podunk Below the Masthead (Wednesday, June 2, 2010)

The Grads of PRSS celebrate their achievements, Enbridge moves the pipeline process further along and less time to recycle on Saturday's, some of the items of interest for Wednesday.

Prince Rupert Daily News, front page, headline story
PRSS GRADS GET AN ARMLOAD OF INFORMATION ON GRAD NIGHT-- A look back at last weekends Graduation ceremonies for the class of 2010 at Prince Rupert Secondary School.

While protesters may not be enthused, Enbridge Incorporated has moved forward with its plans for a pipeline across Northern British Columbia and an oil shipment terminal at Kitimat, filing their Environmental Assessment application with the National Energy Board.

Long time environmental advocate Jean Martin was right after all, the Recycling Centre in the Industrial Park is set to reduce its hours of operation on the weekends, Wednesday's paper outlines the background on the plan.

The Sports section featured a look at Dragon boat practice sessions as well as a look at the debate between choosing the BCJHL or WHL and a profile of local player Devin Oakes as he weighs his hockey playing options for the future.

(Daily News Archives for Wednesday, June 2, 2010)

PRSS Grads get an armload of Information on Grad Night
Enbridge files its EA application
SQCRD depot hours get recycled
Prince Rupert manager wins BC SPCA Staff Excellence Award
The go-to man for student employment

The Northern View
Buy a coffee, help send a child to camp-- A look at Tim Horton's Camp Day activities at the local coffee shop (see article here)

CFTK TV 7 News
No Prince Rupert items were posted to the CFTK TV website for Wednesday

CBC News Norther BC, Daybreak North
Daybreak North is only posting selected items on their website now. 

The most recently posted items can be found on the archive page for Daybreak North click here 

Daily News, front page, headline story 
PRSS Grads get an armload of information on Grad night 
By Monica Lamb-Yorski
Staff Writer 
Prince Rupert Daily News
Wednesday, June 2, 2010

 A crockpot, flashlight, package of black socks, duct tape, a toilet brush and the globe. All were part of a list the 78 PRSS graduates were told are essential to making the transition from home to being on their own.

It was a list provided by teacher Tulani Ackerman during her address to the graduates at Friday night’s ceremony. Ackerman taught at PRSS in 2008-2009, organized ballroom dancing events and coached soccer.

Colleague Alison O’Toole, assuming a ‘Vanna White’ mode, displayed each item on the list to the students, amid laughter from the students and audience.

 “The crockpot is the difference between a pot roast and Kraft Dinner. All you need is water, vegetables and some spices and your friends will think you’re Martha Stewart,” Ackerman suggested.

 A flashlight, she said, will be necessary for those who don’t think bills are a priority. “When you are standing there dumbfounded, knowing you left the front porch light on, and at that moment recall the big bold disconnection notice. You try to find the lock on the door, but it’s too dark. You will be stumbling when you recall my voice whispering, ‘flashlight’.” While O’Toole waved around duct tape, Ackerman recounted its multipurpose virtues. It can be used to cover cracks in walls, rips in pants, tape holes where mice are getting in, or used as a decorative bracelet, she commented.

Reigning fourth in the list was a package of black socks. “Who knows where you will be living and whether you will have laundry facilities?” she said. “You can wear black socks for weeks on end.”

The last useful item was the toilet brush. “There’s nothing more disgusting than a grungy toilet,” Ackerman told the students.

“Toilets must be cleaned once a week, not once a year. Socks may come in black, but toilets are generally white.” 

Ackerman’s last piece of advice was for the students to realize they have contributions to make to the world, symbolized by a globe that she held up high.

“The world is waiting for all of you,” she said. The students selected the theme “Dream, Achieve and Inspire” for the grad and Ackerman encouraged them to live up to it.

 “If someone is standing in the way of your dreams, you have to ask them to step aside. I’ve learned if you don’t, you become cynical and old. It’s our brightest lights, not our darkness that frightens us. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond belief.”

“Your dreams are too powerful to sacrifice. Allow others to doubt yourselves, not you. Write your dreams in pen so that you can’t change them.”

Waving the globe, she concluded. “Go show the world what you have to offer. It’s yours. Take care of it, love it, live it, go get it.”

Principal Sheila Wells described the class as talented, carefree and loving to text. “They are definitely the new generation, live and let live. They have excelled into a variety of disciplines.”

Trustee Bart Kuntz told the graduates that attending the grad ceremonies is one of the best parts of being a trustee. 

“The theme you’ve chosen shows that you are well on your way,” he said.

Superintendent Lynn Hauptman, also a graduate from PRSS, compared the Lester Centre of the Arts as a superior venue to the school gym, where her commencement took place.

 “It was decorated with hundreds and hundreds of paper flowers,” she recalled. “Yours is a little classier.” ]

In 1997 when the 2010 grads entered kindergarten, Hauptman recounted, Jean Chretien was prime minister, Bill Clinton was in the Whitehouse, the U.S. began its exploration of Mars, the movie Titanic crashed into theatres, the Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings and Elvis Stojko won the Figure Skating World Championships. Mother Teresa and Lady Diana died and the first Harry Potter book was published that year.

 “What do those people have in common with you? They all had dreams,” Hauptman said.

 Reading from a message written by North Coast MLA Gary Coons, Vice Principal Kevin Leach congratulated the students, reminding them, “The tassel is worth the hassle.”

Teacher Anna Ashley, in her role as City Councillor, brought greetings from the City.

Quoting from American author Mark Twain, Ashley said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you did not do than by the ones that you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

By the end of the evening, over $72,000 worth of scholarships and bursaries were presented to the graduates by 76 different organizations and businesses.

“The community continues to be supportive and generous,” said Wells.

In return, graduates Sarah Robin and Jake Rochon presented the SPCA with a gift of $1000 in recognition of the support the facility provides to the community.