COCHRANE— Embracing positivity and resiliency, the St. Timothy High School Class of 2021 valedictorian is looking forward to a bright future for her and her peers.
Isabelle Goosney, 18, was named St. Timothy High School valedictorian at the end of March.
As valedictorian, Goosney said, she has been focussed on embracing and encouraging resiliency in herself and her peers due to the adversity they have overcome during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Over the past year and in a bit, we’ve all become comfortable with compromising, with letting things slide and accepting that we’re missing things. When this is all over, we all have to go out into the world and learn to say no and to not just let go of things and fight for what we want,” Goosney said. “We can move forward and move away from it [COVID-19].”
The past year has been a surreal experience due to the global health crisis, she said, and graduation came up very fast for herself and her peers.
“You were preparing thinking you would go through all these milestones and eventually graduate, but some of those got cut out. It’s been a speed run in a sort of way,” Goosney said.
Goosney described her Grade 12 year as a unique experience and she is grateful the school was able to host some band and drum performances that she was able to participate in.
She is a busy student, along with band Goosney also serves as the student liaison with parent council.
“The year overall has been slightly, I would say, disappointing, just with COVID and sort of missing all those milestones— But for the most part, I think that our community as a whole really did do our best to make the most out of it.”
Goosney is originally from Calgary but has called Cochrane home for the past three years. She has been attending St. Timothy Junior Senior High School for six years.
She is excited to begin her post-secondary studies and has been accepted to the forensic science program at Trent University in Peterborough, Ont.
“I’ve always loved science. I’ve always really enjoyed chemistry, biology and physics. They were definitely my favourite courses,” Goosney said. She added she has always had an interest in forensics, true crime and cold cases and the role science plays in helping solve cases.
She explored different programs and fell in love with the courses offered at the Trent University.
Her first year at the institution will mark her first time visiting a province outside of Alberta, British Columbia or Saskatchewan, she said with a laugh.
Goosney said she considers herself lucky because as of now all her classes will be in-person in the fall semester.
The Trent University is an exciting opportunity, she said, and she is looking forward to branching out and having new experiences after attending St. Timothy’s for six years.
“I’m really excited to meet a lot of new people, in a new community and discover new things,” Goosney said.
