For Marco Pelchat, it was a celebration of the end of one adventure and the beginning of a new one.
Pelchat was this year’s graduating class at Zenon Park’s École Notre-Dame-Des-Vertus. The graduation ceremony – or collation des diplômes – was held at the school May 20.
The graduate, who’s the youngest of the Pelchat family, attended the school for 13 years.
“It feels like I completed it,” he said. “It’s the end of the line, yet still, the start of a new one. It’s exciting.”
Michel Pelletier, the principal, said the graduation was a great day for the school.
“It’s an honour for me and all of [the staff] of the school to celebrate this graduation and the most important thing: he’s a really good guy and he’s a really good ambassador for the school.”
Pelletier has been at the school for two years. He said Pelchat was considerate of all of the people at the school, from the primary grades up.
“He’s really a gentleman,” he said. “For his age, he’s a gentleman.”
Pelletier also taught Pelchat math.
“He’s an excellent student.”
Pelchat won a plaque for excellence in mathematics. He also received a plaque that honoured his community engagement.
The graduate said he enjoyed the small classes at Notre-Dame-Des-Vertus, adding it gave him the chance to get to know everyone. He plans to go to the University of Regina this fall for film production.
“I was always intrigued by films and how they’re made, so I wanted to really get into that.”
Pelchat said taking his schooling in French will help him in the years ahead.
“I think it’s going to have a positive effect because I’m fluent in French and English, so it gives me more opportunities later on for bilingual work.”
The graduate said he enjoyed the ceremony.
“It’s almost like a reunion of family and friends. That’s something that’s important to me: family and friends.”
As for Pelletier, he said he hopes that Pelchat will drop by the school every once in a while and share the positive moments with him.
