On September 12th 2006, our Grade 12 students proudly entered our gymnasium holding the hands of their school buddies, the Kindergarten students. Our grads of 2007 were introducing these small people to life at Mulgrave and were celebrating the fact that they were helping to launch the academic career of our 2019 graduating class.

On Saturday, June 9th 2007, I was thrilled to attend our 2007 graduates “commencement” as termed by guest speaker, Kevin Newman. We were delighted to welcome him.  We knew that the insight that Mr. Newman gains from his work as anchor man for Global News would be a memorable moment for our grads. We also knew that this event meant for personal involvement as Mr. and Mrs. Newman’s own daughter Erica, was receiving her Mulgrave graduation certificate.

This was Mulgrave’s fourth graduating ceremony, and I am proud to have witnessed a total of one hundred and thirty seven young men and woman graduate from our young school. The staff, parents and students have stood by each other through all the ups and downs associated with growing up. The adults have all been committed to ensuring that our young charges graduate and were as well prepared for life beyond school as best as we could.

At each graduation ceremony, we welcome back members of our young alumni and are heartened to hear what they have achieved since leaving Mulgrave; how they have succeeded in their own personal way. "Give me a child at an impressionable age." In the times of Miss Jean Brodie, that was age 7.  But impressions on a character continue for life, it does not stop at age 7.  On Saturday, I spoke with one of our 2006 grads. A tall young man hugged me and told me that he now knew that, "Mulgrave was not such a bad place after all!" It took him 2 years past graduating to feel that he had grown up and was going somewhere. He wanted to come back and celebrate in the achievem ents of our Grade 12 students. Another former student came to watch his younger brother graduate. He was proudly holding his 3 month old daughter, Julia. He told us that this was the best thing that had ever happened to him.  It was obvious that the birth of this baby had bonded this family. It was moving to see Julia’s grandfather tenderly kiss her on the forehead. 

In the short years that Mulgrave has been in existence, we have secured an environment where our kids, once in the chrysalis stage, have gone on to race and stumble onto significant paths; whether academically "successful" or "spiritually" fulfilled. We are thrilled that through Mulgrave's initiation, a number of our students and faculty have latched onto humanitarian causes, both locally and internationally. We know that raising awareness and engaging in philanthropic enterprises is driven by a connection - a cause to be associated with.  Many of our students are actively involved in Cuba, Costa Rica, Kenya, Ghana, India and Nepal. Others are raising awareness of poverty both on the North Shore and in Vancouver and are using their energy and optimism to try and turn things around. Kevin Newman informed the guests and grads that this generation is going to have to face significant challenges. But he celebrated in their ability and power to be able to drive through change, and he assured them of their success.

A tiny nugget of a dream thirteen years ago, we now celebrate in Mulgrave’s subsequent arrival as a “school of choice”. To thee, we entrust our most precious commodity, our children.

Lesley Tetiker
Director of Admissions