CARLYLE - The Carlyle Sports Arena was filled with students, school staff and family members as 25 graduates from Gordon F. Kells High School celebrated their completion of Grade 12.
The program, titled Class of 2023 Wild and Free, was handed out. Balloons of white, black, gold and yellow gracefully decorated the arena and classical music quietly played, setting the ambience for the packed arena.
The afternoon opened with vice-principal Darcy Howe acknowledging the grads and guests. He also gave the land acknowledgement.
Howe pointed out the advice table set up by the grads, where jars are to accumulate written messages of congratulations, wisdom and advice. Howe also congratulated the students for “getting through the easiest part of life” but reminded them that now the “adulting” kicks in.
Chelsea Altwasser, Lynda Briggs and Colin Wilson introduced the grads while principal Maurice Saltel presented certificates of graduation.
It’s a GFK tradition for the students to write their own introduction and their advisory group leader added a little remembrance for each.
After the singing of O Canada, speeches began, with Kerri Lachapelle thanking the staff.
Lachapelle thanked the entire school staff for sharing their dedication and knowledge, for having a positive influence, for teaching patience, for their never-ending support amid personal and school issues, and for teaching students to work as a team.
Lynda Briggs replied by thanking Lachapelle for the kind words, and thanking the students for the privilege of watching them grow into young adults.
Students Vashti Wardrope and Mitch Himmelspach provided the thank you speech to the parents, who were praised for helping the students get to their sporting events, musicals, drama classes. They were also thanked for math help, being personal chauffeurs, making sure that kids were fed, they wore matching socks, they had clean laundry and that their parents were strong advocates and present in their academics.
Wardrope and Himmelspach finished with a genuine ”we couldn't have done it without you”.
Parents Patricia Himmelspach and Ron Wardrope responded with an acknowledgement of the students hard work and a best wish that they will continue to be good human beings in life, respecting themselves and others.
Students Halle Schultz and Lainey Levesque followed with a thank you to the community for being part of their lives, for the grad banners put up around town, for their sponsorships, for the Fit for Life Fitness program, for providing a building for drama, and for the volunteering and fundraising that was done to support the school and their grad.
Mayor Jenn Sedor congratulated the students on the completion of their journey. She saluted them for their resiliency, and their dedication. She noted they are on a threshold of a new chapter, and the values that they have learned will guide them through life.
Sedor encouraged the students to donate time and to do volunteer work, and she talked about the importance of staying connected to their community. She encouraged students to hold onto their sense of empathy and compassion and to understand challenges and hope.
“Community always cultivates a sense of connection,” she said, and students should share their wide range of talents, their art, their sports and their leadership.
Sedor finished by encouraging the students to expand their horizon and to always have empathy for people from different backgrounds.
“A single act of kindness can cause a chain reaction,” she said.
Tanya Littlechief, mother of one of the graduates, and Michael Lonechild acknowledged the grads and all who gathered. Littlechief thanked the school for not giving up on students, and Lonechild gave an important message to the students: “Your phone is always in your hand; when your parents message you, always message back.”
They gifted Shelaine Littlechief-Pinacie with a starblanket. A starblanket in Indigenous culture symbolizes comfort, protection and an acknowledgment of what has been accomplished.
Saltel congratulated all the grads on behalf of the staff. Saltel talked about the interesting times we live in, specifically an app now has artificial intelligence and can answer questions.
"Grads, you can decide who to listen to now," he said.
Saltel finished by wishing all the grads the best of luck and encouraged them to find their success.
The Governor General’s Award, honour roll awards bursaries and scholarships were handed out to the deserving recipients. Honour roll awards were presented to students who maintain an overall average of at least 80 per cent.
The salutation address was given by Tyrell Dixon and Ashley Foster. Having spent 13 years together there were lots of jokes and laughs.
Student Darcy Rae introduced former teacher Sarah Campell, who taught the students for four years and described the students as unique, special, kind, athletic and hard working; they were encouraged to never give and to get involved in things that make them happy.
Campell wanted to thank the students for what they taught her: the importance of saying hi and waving. It’s sometimes better to be the strong silent type and sit back and listen. It’s okay to move on and start fresh because you can always come back home. Sometimes there are dark days but there is always something to laugh about. Friendly competition is okay, and last but not least, sometimes it works best to look at a problem upside down.
Campell finished with encouraging the “class of 2023, always stay wild and free”.
Valedictorian Paris Rutten thanked everyone for coming, including all the parents, the teachers and the community for supporting them. In Grade 7, it felt like forever to get to Grade 12. Rutten noted the lessons taught will help each of them on their journey, moving forward with greatness and goodness.
The graduation ceremony closed with the parent-student first dance.
