Dressed in glittering gowns, pressed tuxedoes, corsages, high heels, high tops and even a couple of cowboy hats, the Maidstone High School Class of 2011 celebrated their graduation Saturday.
Graduates showed off their fancy attire at Pine Island Lodge before gathering for group photographs at the arena and Victoria-Delfrari Park. They shared a meal complete with speeches and then headed to the arena for their graduation ceremonies.
Katie Nicolson and Troy Smith were MCs and Renee Kenyon opened the event with the singing of the national anthem.
A slide show prepared by several of the students featured pictures from their days at MHS as well as baby pictures and Grade 12 portraits of each graduating student. Tributes were made to the boys by Jessica Schmidt and Jonita Peel while Tyrel Ross and Greg Mercer praised and poked fun at their female classmates.
The future plans of the students include continuing education in engineering, education, carpentry, social work, horseshoeing and blacksmithing, cosmetology, lab and x-ray technology, radiation therapy, kinesiology leading to medical school and piercing. Several of the students plan to go straight to work with some hoping to continue their educations after a year.
Cole Sutherland, selected as class valedictorian, used wisdom and humour to address his classmates and those who have supported them on their journey to this point.
"Yes, yes we did it! Finally all these years of schooling are paying off. I don't know if this sounds like a big deal to you, but it should," he said before expressing gratitude to parents, teachers and coaches.
Awards were presented to several of the graduates recognizing academic achievement, athletic talent, school leadership and community involvement. This year three new awards were added - the Swift Custom Spraying Agricultural Bursary, the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation Healthcare Scholarship and the Jack Bullock Bursary created to commemorate the 100th birthday celebrated by Bullock in February.
Bullock was in attendance at the graduation and was introduced and congratulated during the awards. Bullock's son Bob Bullock explained the award was based on extra-curricular and volunteer activity as he stressed the importance of volunteers to a community.
Jim Mitchell Scholarships have been presented to a male and female student each year for 28 years and although Mitchell passed away in November he left instructions in his will to continue to provide for the scholarship for approximately 20 more years showing a generous contribution to the community and the education of its young people.
Sydney Franks was awarded the MHS Staff Scholarship, the Sandy Snell Memorial Bursary, an Allen Craig Scholarship, the MHS SADD Bursary, the Synergy Credit Union Bursary and the SCC Bursary.
Cassie Seguin earned the Access Cable Communication Scholarship, a Jim Mitchell Scholarship, the Jack Bullock Bursary and the Chick Kennedy Award.
Dakota Hinks was the winner of the Eidsness Scholarship, the Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary Bursary and the Maidstone Oilmen's Golf Association Bursary.
Rylea Eggeson was awarded the Maidstone and District Agriculture Society Scholarship and the Swift Custom Spraying Agricultural Bursary.
Ryan Donovan received a Jim Mitchell Scholarship and the Wayne Marlatt Award.
Jay Boggust was honoured with the Tracy Taylor Memorial Bursary and Jessica Schempp was presented with the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation Healthcare Scholarship.
Principal Brennan Becotte spoke briefly to the students encouraging them to remember the lessons learned and to continue to be a source of pride. He quoted the phrase "it takes a community to raise a child" breaking it down into four parts of a strong support network made up of the school staff, the community of Maidstone, the parents and families and the students themselves.
Becotte presented each student with their scroll before they processed out to get ready for the grand march.
"Life's a dance, you learn as you go," was the theme selected by the class of 2011 and as they dance into their future this group of 25 is set to learn and grow as they move into the next phase of their young lives.
