At last, the dreaded last day before we leave Shad Valley has arrived. I woke up with a wave of sadness washing over me, knowing the fact that everyone would depart their own separate ways back to their hometown soon.
To start off my day, we had our two last enriching Shad Speaks presented by staff members Luke Russell and Dan Horner in the Lecture Hall that we will surely miss. Then, we prepared for Open Day as we set up decorations and display boards. Everyone was assigned a different task and, for me, I was assigned to give presentations to parents and the media and showcase the major entrepreneurship project that my group, the Hot Pink House, has worked tediously on for the past month. Some Shads also got exciting interviews with the CBC!
As soon as Open Day ended, everyone quickly scrambled to clean up and change into formal clothes for the Banquet. When we arrived, we took amazing pictures with our friends and got settled down to eat scrumptious food. Later on at the Variety Show, various Shads performed a wide range of wonderful acts, such as awe-inspiring piano playing, cool rapping, deep poetry, sensational singing and graceful instrumental music, which made me realize how special and talented each of us is. We ended the night with our awesome Shad Song: a remix of “Teenage Dream”, which incorporated all the jokes and memories we’ve had over the past month.
Heading back to Prescott House, the closing ceremony commenced. It finished off with a trust ceremony in the Architecture Pit, and we also reflected on our Shad Valley experience in the Dunton Tower with deep emotions pouring out. Every Shad pulled an all-nighter in Prescott House as we reminisced and struggled to sign each other’s month books. Before we knew it, Shads began to leave for home one by one as we embraced each other with tearful eyes.
This brings us to the conclusion of the magnificent and life-changing program called Shad Valley 2012. All of us have changed as individuals and formed new life-long friends that we will never forget. It has truly been an amazing month where we have never been happier.
For all the 2012 Shads: You never really leave the friends you love, part of them you take with you, leaving a part of yourself behind. There comes a time when friends depart but that is only the start of a magical journey that each of us will embark on to achieve success. Thank you to all the Shads for making my month a memorable and unforgettable experience. Until we meet again!
Zhengguang Chen, Shad Valley Carleton 2012
