If you had asked Calvin Tedesco a couple of years ago about his chances of finishing high school -- with honours, no less -- his response would not have been optimistic.
Locked up in the Prince George Youth Containment Centre, he liked school and wanted to stick with it, but had doubts he'd ever join his teenaged peers on stage to receive his diploma. In fact, he had no desire to be part of any such ceremony.
That day came Wednesday of this week, however, and Tedesco had a prominent role as he joined 80 other student graduates from the Centre for Learning Alternatives. Not only did he receive his Dogwood diploma but he was called back to receive a $1,000 Rotary Club of Prince George academic scholarship and the Transitional Alternative Program Secondary (TAPS) senior academic award. Tedesco also teamed up with TAPS student Kristi Thompson to deliver the valedictorian address to the crowd at the CNC gym.
"I always stayed enrolled in school but I didn't always show up but I know it was something that I wanted -- all my family has graduated high school," Tedesco said. "I didn't know how exactly I was going to do it, but the will was there."
A year-and-a-half ago, Tedesco was released from the youth jail and started attending the TAPS program, based at CNC. TAPS is an academically-focused program open to students aged 17-19 who are considered at risk of not completing high school. When he enrolled, Tedesco's high school future was doubtful . By the time he was 16, the native of Surrey had been confined in jail for aggravated assault and robbery convictions that resulted in separate sentences of 11 months and five months.
"I guess I was a victim of circumstance, I had a lot of energy I had to direct somewhere and I was directing it in the wrong places and wanted to get better at the wrong things," he said. "All those kids were kind of in the same boat as me. They were having a hard time at home and I was having a hard time at home, so that made it easier to hang out with those people when I was getting into trouble on the street."
Having been part of the mainstream school system in Surrey, it was obvious to Tedesco he didn't fit into a regular classroom. He was transferred to Prince George when he was 16 and after his release from jail he lived several months in a Healthy Action With Kids (HAWK) group home. He then signed a youth agreement and for the past year has been living on his own while attending school at TAPS.
"I preferred to be in school in the detention centres because I like the structured environment and TAPS was able to replicate all the things I liked about the jail school, and how the teachers were all working with us," he said. "It was a real nice environment there at the alternate school. The kids all had a lot in common. We've all made mistakes. I didn't enjoy school back when I lived in Surrey but I enjoyed this school. I enjoy learning and being around people who are encouraging me to do that."
Tedesco competed his Grade 12 courses with high marks in biology, social studies, English and math and already has a first-year college biology course under his belt. As an aspiring certified personal trainer, he especially liked the phys-ed class TAPS offered.
"It was unlike any other class I'd been in, they really focused on personal fitness as well as sports," he said.
When asked to be a valedictorian Tedesco was at first reluctant, but is glad he accepted the chance to speak for his peers.
"By graduating, we've proven that we can accomplish great things and there's no reason to stop now," Tedesco said. "We should continue on our path to greater future achievements."
Tedesco plans to use his Rotary scholarship and the two years of free tuition the province will provide so he can attend university in Halifax.
"My parents are very proud of me," Tedesco said. "I feel like all the things I want to do are in reach because I don't have anybody controlling me or telling me what I can or can't do, and all the things I want to do are good things."
