Shelby Comox Valley Grad 2021

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 - 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐲

I have been watching her on stage at Pantuso Dance since she was nine and she blossomed into this incredibly talented and passionate dancer who is an artist and an athlete. I have also had the chance to photograph her with her family in the past - but this was all Shelby and what an incredible night of climbing over things, getting some love from mosquitoes, watching nature give us a cloud show and creating these photos. Shelby, as you go off to university I will be here cheering you on and excitedly watching the dance videos you post. As a fellow artist, I am inspired by your choice to fight for your passion and as well as adoring you as a performer, your honesty, humour, vulnerability and strength are something to marvel at!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬?

I honestly just think that I'm proud that we made it. We barely passed online classes through a pandemic, survived a few too many grad parking lot car crashes, made way too many bad decisions, and then eventually by the end of it, we all somehow ended up with diplomas in our hands and those awkward caps on our heads. For me, that's all that matters. I just feel lucky to get to enjoy the little wins in life alongside my best friends and classmates that I have grown up with.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨?

I am most looking forward to moving away from home and experiencing so many new things on my own. I am moving to Toronto to pursue dance, and I can't wait to experience the city lifestyle that is the exact opposite of what I grew up with on Vancouver Island. I am so eager to take the next steps towards the career I have always dreamt of. It feels quite surreal because pursuing dance has always felt like an impossible dream, but I'm finally starting to fight to make this crazy dream come true. I am so so excited for dance to be my entire focus for the coming four years in Toronto, and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫?

I think I can speak for quite a few grads when I say, surprisingly enough, the quarter system was probably one of the most stressful and exhausting things I have ever experienced in my high school career. On a more emotional note, the thought of moving away and being on my own has been something that I've struggled with all year, especially as the day I leave BC gets closer I am really going to miss the place I grew up in, and have started appreciating the ocean, the sand, the forests and the mountains a whole lot more. I've had to realize that I have been taking the beauty of home for granted, so this past year I feel like I've fallen in love with everything there is on this island all over again. Not to mention, I am still in denial about the fact that it's already time for me and all my friends and classmates to learn how to be somewhat fully functioning adults, but I'm sure ill figure out how to do my taxes someday.