MIDALE - The Grade 12 class from the Midale Central School entered the next phase of their lives on June 10 during the school’s graduation ceremony, and they did it in front of family and friends.
“Grad was exceptional this year,” said principal Cathy Harvey. “And I think it was such a great time because we were finally able to have our grad in our school for the first time in a few years.”
Ten kids graduated this year, which is above average for Midale. Last year they had just three.
There was a great turnout for the ceremony, with about 200-250 in attendance.
“It was really nice to see families back in the building and the happiness that we could all share together for the kids that have made it this far, and it was very well supported, not just by the families but by the community,” said Harvey.
The ceremony started with congratulations from the South East Cornerstone Public School Division and others. The school collected stories from parents, staff and grads.
“For each of our grads, we were able to share stories about them growing up and some of the funny moments that have happened throughout their school career while they’ve been at Midale, and then we also shared their plans for the future,” said Harvey.
Diplomas and scholarships were then presented to the students. A barbecue that was served by the parents at the curling rink concluded the festivities.
Dylan Slastukin was this year’s valedictorian. The principal noted Slastukin is planning on becoming a computer programmer and is looking at courses at Southeast College. He has spent some time in the college’s work experience program already.
“He’s a really nice kid, a really good representative of the students and the class. He’s well-spoken and hardworking, and he did a great job,” said Harvey.
It’s been a difficult couple of years for the Class of 2022 and any of the other students in the building who have gone through the pandemic. Until halfway through this school year, many of the school’s students hadn’t experienced a normal school or high school setting.
“They had to be able to switch on a dime to ensure the safety and well-being of everybody in the building, and that’s by government orders. They’ve still been able to be successful and graduate. There are a lot of things that we’ve had to do differently that we’ve discovered that work well for kids as well.”
The kids and their families have been flexible in the way in which they have handled things, she said.
