Note: SaskToday and the Carlyle Observer are proud to present our salutes to the Class of 2025. Congratulations to the graduates from the Carnduff Education Complex. We wish them all the best in the future.
CARNDUFF — The Carnduff Education Complex held a ceremony June 26 for 47 graduates.
Principal Ryan Nichols and vice-principal Michelle Wolf MCed the ceremony is front of a large audience that filled the school gymnasium, with many having to stand for the hour-long event. They were more than simply emcees – Nichols has a daughter and Wolf had a son among the grads on stage. That added to the emotions that an evening like this typically brings.
Once the graduates had been introduced and taken their seats onstage, one of the grads, Chrislie Marianne Avenido sang O Canada. It was a busy evening for her, as she was also this year’s valedictorian and an escort of another graduate.
Nichols and Wolf followed the anthem with a few opening remarks. They asked the assembled crowd to excuse the tears that were likely to come as they presented diplomas to their children later in the evening. They expressed the fact that what they had to say came with no help from the students or ChatGPT and that, as school administrators, they had the privilege of having front-row seats in watching the development of the graduates over the years.
They encouraged the class "to celebrate who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going."
They wrapped up their message by saying the evening was not a case of simply sending out students, but sending out the future and future food bills.
The students were then presented with their scrolls, scholarships and bursaries. Several students were the recipients of awards and a number of them received multiple awards.
The graduates and award-winners were introduced by Nichols and the scrolls and awards were handed out by Wolf, who received a hug from a number of the graduates, but she initiated an additional one when presenting the scroll to her son Taddeus. It also led her to fan herself with her hands and dip into the tissue box. Nichols, who had remained behind the podium throughout the presentations, did step away to hand out a hug of his own after introducing his daughter, Anesa.
Avendido was then called upon to deliver her valedictory address. She earned the right to be this year’s valedictorian with her 96 per cent average. Nichols noted that while others were busy putting the finishing touches in the week leading up to this year’s graduation ceremony, Avenido was going through the process to become a Canadian citizen.
Her speech included giving thanks to her parents, friends and teachers. She spoke about advice that one of her teachers, Kevin LaBelle gave her – "fill the space you’re given". As she brought her address to an end, she provided some advice of her own – "being the best is not the goal. Doing your best is".
Following her message, the graduates left the stage, the screen came down and a slide show took place. Each student was shown, along with a quote or a piece of advice.
The evening ended with each graduate being introduced one final time with their escort. They took part in the grand march, walking throughout the gym for several moments and receiving congratulations from the assembled crowd.
They then headed outdoors, where the graduates hopped up onto flatbeds for a parade to flaunt their achievement to the whole community.
