PRINCE ALBERT — It was a unique situation as the Class of 2025 crossed the stage for the Prince Albert Collegiate Institute (PACI) graduation at the EA Rawlinson Centre on Thursday.
There were three valedictorians in the PACI graduating class: Nesslin McDonald, Simone Cote and Kayleigh Burns. All three liked the idea of having a triple-valedictorian.
"I think it's really good,” Cote said. “We all worked really hard and we're all really smart and I think it's a great opportunity.”
McDonald said the decision is something that should be celebrated, especially since it’s with Cote and Burns.
"We've all been here for such a long time, just working constantly and putting in hours, just getting everything just perfect and just right and helping each other along the way,” McDonald said. “It's just so important that everyone gets recognised for their capability and their encouragement of one another.”
“I think it's empowering,” Burns added. “Instead of competing with each other, we are all working together.”
McDonald said that being named a valedictorian was also a relief.
"I've put in all this effort. I've done all of this work and now, finally, I'm getting recognized for something as well as my two other co-valedictorians, who are also now getting recognized for all the effort that we put in,” she explained.
“It feels fulfilling to finally reach the end of school,” Burns added.
“I know we've all worked really hard. We've all put everything into being great and it all paid off and we're able to share with other people. I think having our goals met is really good.”
McDonald said her best memories were of all the work in extracurricular; she was a co-director for PACI’s drama production earlier this year, among others.
“Mine would definitely be my roles with my extracurricular activities, such as drama club or the sports teams that I've had,” McDonald said. “It's just so amazing to work as a team with all these amazing students here at PACI …. (It) really spreads the school identity and just carries on the school legacy.”
Burns liked seeing the relationships grow in the PACI community.
"(I liked) being able to grow as a community and watch my peers grow and mostly just like connect with my teachers and see how as the years go by. I am definitely not going to cry at Grad, that’s my one goal,” Burns said. Cote will remember the teachers at PACI the most.
“I really liked a lot of the teachers that I've met,” she said. “Even though some come and go, I really liked the connection I was able to have with teachers. Many of them are very passionate and they help me achieve. I'm very passionate in my learning and I like that they support me in that.”
Cote attended PACI the past two years and was homeschooled before attending the school and McDonald and Burns have attended since Grade 9.
McDonald said the people make PACI special.
“It's a rare opportunity to have a school so small and interconnected. You see Carlton and St. Mary's and they always are talking about all their big events. But here we really have a down-to-Earth feeling that we share between the entire school community, between all of the people and all the different grades of the school,” McDonald said.
“People really care about your mental health here,” Burns added. “If you're having a bad day, you can just go to your teacher and talk to them.”
“I think we are all seen as individuals and all of our needs are met in the way we need to be and they give us the focus that we deserve,” Cote said.
Speaking as three was a challenge ahead of the speech on Thursday. Weeks before the ceremony, they had not begun to work on it but were still trying to figure out a balance.
“We’re trying not to stress about it until after exams,” Burns said.
“The biggest thing is trying to like connect and intertwine our ideas into one because we want to make our speech memorable. We all want to have our own little say, but not have it too long,” she added.
“The entire point of the valedictorian speech is to represent the student population, so it's very important that within our speech, we make sure that we represent every student at PACI and in our graduating class, not just the ones who are completely succeeding, but the ones who also have struggled and fought to get to graduation,” McDonald said. Cote’s sister, Sheilina Cote, was the Valedictorian for PACI in 2023.
The graduates entered to the Iron Whistle drum group and Elder Pearl Morin said the elder’s prayer.
The salute to the parents was done by Suzie Carle and the response was from graduate Theron Carle. The salute to the staff was done by Daniel Hazelwood and the response was from Ryan Hughes. Hughes left two years ago for Ecole Arthur Pechey School and was happy to come back and speak. Hughes read a poem incorporating all of the graduates' names, including some he had not met.
The Grade 12 graduation awards were presented by principal Dave Lokinger and vice-principal Jodi Honch, who also presented the scrolls.
McDonald, Burns and Cote were also multiple award winners. McDonald was the Governor General’s Award winner in what was a three-way contest between the Valedictorians. McDonald also won the PACI Alumni Award, Rotary Club of Prince Albert Award, PACI School Community Council Leadership Award, Kim Tade Leadership Award and PACI Class of ‘53 Participation Award. Cote was awarded one of the Aaron Family Awards, Bonnie and Garth Hryniuk Resilency Award and PAATA Award. Meanwhile, Burns was awarded the Optimist Club of Prince Albert Outstanding Achievement Award and Most St. Joseph Foundation Values Scholarship.
The CFUW University Women’s Club Award was presented to Mik Moreau, the other Aaron Family Award was presented to Michael Bear Burant and the Prince Albert Elks Grit Award was presented to Daniel Hazelwood and Bo Robin.
The emcees were Josh Garrett and Mason Sawatzky.
Before the traditional hat toss, there was the principal’s address by Lokinger.
Shane Bird brought greetings on behalf of the PACI School Community Council, Superintendent Jennifer Hingley brought greetings on behalf of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division.
The grand march followed on Thursday evening at the Rawlinson Centre.
