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LTCHS valedictorian found the right balance

Grade 12 student Ben House hopes to become a doctor
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For Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School valedictorian Ben House, finding a balance in life was key to success.

“I’m very proud of myself because I put in a lot of hours and a lot of work to get here,” said the Grade 12 student who finished with a 99.2 per cent average.

“It’s an honour. It’s a dream come true. In Grade 9 when I found out that valedictorian is something that was achievable, it was my goal. Learning that I was named valedictorian was surreal and I remember my legs were shaking when the admin team told me.”

House said although he had to apply himself throughout his high school years, having balance in his life was equally important.

“I’m pulled in a lot of different directions. I play a lot of sports. I do cross-country running, volleyball and handball currently,” he said. “Having that balance and a way to deal with the stress that I have is really important.

“Physical activity is huge and I can go for a run or to volleyball practice and it helps take my mind off the stress and refocus.”

Looking back on his high school career, House has many fond memories.

“I’ve loved high school and I’ve loved Lindsay Thurber. It’s a great school to be at,” he said. “One of my favourite things had to be when we won our volleyball zones when I played in Grade 10. Another highlight was coming back to in-person learning in the fall of Grade 11.

“That was really awesome because I hadn’t seen a lot of my friends in a long time.”

As he heads into his graduation, House is looking forward to celebrating all of his accomplishments.

“I am looking forward to grad day itself. I’m excited to spend time with all my friends and have one last hurrah and cherish that memory before we all go in different directions,” he said.

“It will be a day to feel accomplished. It’s also a little scary because we’re moving on and it’s a big thing to think about.”

As valedictorian, Ben will have the opportunity to address his fellow classmates during graduation.

“I am really looking forward to giving my speech. I am going to talk about no matter what obstacles we face, we can achieve our goals with determination and desire,” he said. “We’ve all done that as we’ve gotten through high school together, despite the rollercoaster that we’ve been on.”

Next fall, Ben is heading to Red Deer Polytechnic in his pursuit to become a doctor. He will also join the post-secondary institution’s cross-country running team.

“I love helping people, I always have. And I’m really interested in the human body and how it works,” he said, adding he doesn’t yet know what he will specialize in. “It’s really interesting and I’m excited about that.”

LTCHS will hold their graduation ceremonies on May 27 at the school.



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