Kate Maxwell is an exemplary student who was chosen valedictorian for the Fundy High School graduating class of 2025.
“The biggest thing that Fundy taught me is that you can’t be perfect,” said Maxwell during her speech.
Maxwell invited her fellow graduates and the audience to look around the room and take in the faces around them–reminding them that while no one is perfect, each person is perfectly unique in their own way.
“The Cambridge Dictionary defines perfect as ‘complete and correct in every way, of the best possible type or without fault,’ ” she said.
Maxwell said that it took her a long time to realize that her speech, too, would never be perfect because it is a word that we use to describe excellence but also standards that often feel unreachable.
In the future, she will be attending the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton to pursue a Bachelor of Science, which will provide her with a broad selection of career paths.
Maxwell outlined how many students have multitudes of challenges that may be physical, mental, financial, or social. Her personal biggest challenge was overcoming perfectionism and accepting that being imperfect is part of the learning experience.
“I came to the understanding that it was good to fail every once and a while. That perfect is boring,” said Maxwell. “Our flaws and imperfections do not define us; rather they are a small factor in making us who we are.”
She stated society’s definition of perfect sets us up to fail every time, hinting that an individual will never succeed if your expectations for yourself are always to be perfect.
Maxwell then outlined the very different “perfect” days that many of her fellow students may have. From Isabella Cosman’s perfect day where she would get to see her kindergarten class at co-op, to Solveig’s perfect day of getting an iced coffee from Tim Hortons, or Koby who defines perfect as having time to go out and fish.
“Don’t let the rigid definition decide what ‘perfect’ means, because everyone has a different idea of what perfect really is,” said Maxwell.
These different definitions of perfect lead Maxwell to her final message, “Let’s not leave high school thinking we have to be perfect. Leave it and strive for excellence. Always remember your definition of perfection when making your life choices.”
“Class of 2025, enjoy this perfect day. I’m glad I get to spend it with you.”
