Fr. David May, priests and deacons, members of the Board of Directors and of the Academic Senate, faculty, staff, family, friends and my fellow students,

I would first like to say how truly honoured and humbled I am to be able to speak to you today. I can’t believe I get to represent such an amazing group of people. Please bear with me as I try and put all of my thoughts into coherent words.

Stephanie Hartwick delivering her valedictorian address

My three years at OLSWA have really been life-changing. For that I would like to thank our beloved faculty. How many people would go through years of higher education and then come and teach in Barry’s Bay, all for the sake of Catholic liberal arts? You are great examples of sacrificial love and probably teach us as much through the way you live as you do in the classroom. To all priests and deacons, especially Fr. Burchat our chaplain, and Fr. Tomasz and Fr. Shalla, thank you for making the spiritual life at the Academy as rich as the academic life. I would also like to thank the hard-working staff members. You are always behind the scenes, making everything run smoothly for the rest of us and I don’t think we appreciate it nearly as much as we should. And, of course, we cannot forget our families. Without your love and support (monetary and otherwise) we never would have made it through these years. Lastly, to my classmates and friends, thank you. I am so blessed to have met such an amazing faith-filled group of people. I am so happy we’ve been able to share this unique Academy experience together. It is your friendship that continually inspires me to be a better person.

My fellow third years and I could tell you that there have been many changes over the past three years. We outdate Dr. Warner, Dr. Freeburn, Mr. Ashenbach, and Mr….ahem…Dr. Kerr, not to mention St. Mary’s Hall and St. Paul’s Residence. We were here when girls still lived upstairs in St. Joseph’s Hall, there was a kitchen where the study lounge is and we ate in the pool room. Recently, when I described all of these changes to a first year student, he lovingly exclaimed: “You’re a dinosaur!”

We’ve lived through some of the growing pains, last year being especially difficult, though it is safe to hope that we now have two beautiful souls in heaven, Paul and Janine, praying for the Academy. It has also sometimes been difficult for us to watch our little Academy “growing up,” but change is good and necessary, and learning to let go seems to be such a big part of life. Ultimately, I am so proud of how this little school’s visions are becoming realities and I am so thankful that I could be a part of it.

However, as much as outward appearances have changed, I think the Academy has remained essentially the same. For me, the Academy has been characterised by a sense of safety. We sometimes call it the “Academy bubble” and joke about how it’s separate from the real world. I know that I have, in a sense, taken refuge here. It has been a place where I could really be myself, where I could trust my teachers and friends. A refuge can be so necessary to grow and learn and prepare for “real life,” and I hope the Academy will continue to be a sanctuary of Catholic culture and a resting-place for the tired soldiers of Christ.

But, with all this talk of “real life” we must not forget something essential that we’ve all been taught here: evil is only a lack of a good that should be there. If evil is the lack of a good, then this “real world” must be full of holes. Where goodness is concerned, the Academy is much more real than the real world. Our job is then to take everything we’ve learned and use it to fill in the holes. I would like to end this school year, which has taken place in the year of St. Paul, with a few words from him: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom 12:2). St. Paul reminds us that there is another world, more real than this one, more real than the Academy, towards which we are working.

I just have one final thought to share with you. I’ve always said that you have to be at least a little bit crazy to come to this school. In that case, we must really be crazy to have come here for three years. I want to thank my fellow third years for being so crazy with me. We’ve been through so much together and you truly have become my best friends. I wish you well in all your future endeavours and until we meet again, God Bless and may Mary keep you. You’ll be in my prayers.