Graduates of Institut Collegial St. Pierre celebrating this coming Thursday will have the freedom to invite all their guests.

“Because our class is under 20, they can actually have a convocation where they can all be together,” shares Principal Christopher Hicks, “but you can’t have a gym or cathedral full of people.”

The solution sees graduates remaining in one area while their guests are rotated in and out of a reserved viewing area. After their loved one receives their diploma, pictures can be taken before they return to their vehicle.

For valedictorian Natasha Vermette, the efforts are of some consolation as she awaits their grad supper later on this summer.

“We were supposed to be making memories, spending our last time together before moving on to the next chapter,” says Vermette, “and we kind of just got that taken away.”

Vermette expounds on the depth of her diverse friendships within the regional school. “Most of us have been together since kindergarten, so we’ve been super close for a really, long time.”

Hicks seems to second Vermette’s thoughts while also expressing his staff’s lofty expectations.

“They’re role models for us,” offers Hicks, “and we put a lot of responsibility on our grade 12 students to help set the tone of our school’s culture, values, and core beliefs.”