As graduations continue across southeastern Manitoba, it seems each school is trying to make this years’ celebration unique and special, as is the staff at the Ste. Anne Collegiate and Principal Laird Luluk couldn’t be more proud.

“What we did was create a calendar for the month of June called “21 days of Grad 21” filled with events and activities that could be done online. Things like, guess the baby picture or guess the grad photo. Then we gave away prizes including gift cards to Vicki’s (Ste. Anne Drive-in).”

Ste Anne Collegiate Principal Laird LulukPrincipal Luluk continues, “our staff also delivered lawn grad signs. We really wanted to show our grads that we were striving as a school to show them that they were worthy of all the hard work they were putting in. It wasn't the school year the students wanted necessarily, but I think that when they look back on it, they will remember that we were proud of them and that we were working really hard to show them that we appreciated all their hard work.”

The Ste Anne Collegiate graduating class of 2021 has 95 students. This being a large class, they’ve decided to spread the ceremony over 2 days, Thursday, June 24th and Friday, June 25th. Principal Luluk says, there will be tents set up on the back of the school property where they will be doing a drive-in style graduation, but it will be individualized.

“Each graduate will have 10 minutes. Based on the latest restrictions, they can come in vehicles from their households and there can be multiple vehicles for the one grad. The graduate will come up to a certain area, walk through their own individual graduation where we're going to play the music, announce them and all the different awards they've won. There will still be an opportunity to take pictures after which the grad will go over to another staff person and collect their little goodie bag including their awards. Parents are able to step out of the vehicle, make sure they're socially distanced from the other households and just making it a special event, a special day, a special 10 minutes.” Luluk continues, “I know it seems like it's not a lot, but for us, we're going to do 95 of those over 2 days. This means that potentially graduation at Ste. Anne Collegiate could begin at 8:50 in the morning and continue right through the day, till 5pm in the evening, on both days.”

That’s not all. Principal Luluk explains, “as a division, we’ve pre-recorded all the speeches from the valedictorian, the school trustee, myself and then we collect the pictures from that day and make a video keepsake that goes out to our graduates and parents later on in July.”

2021 Ste Anne Collegiate Valedictorian, Gavin Broesky says “I was surprised and I’m honoured that I was chosen to be the representative of our class this year.” Speaking honestly, he says it’s been more frustrating than other years, but at least “there’s no exams”.

When asked what his message would be to his fellow graduates he says, “ I think that the biggest thing I would say is, this quote I got from a friend of mine. ‘Look to the future. Remember the past and cherish the present.’ My wish for them is that I hope that they succeed and do something they enjoy.”

After high school Broesky plans to go to Bible College in the fall, after which he’s off to the U of M with his eye on a career in engineering.

Principal Laird Luluk commends all 95 students on keeping pushing towards the goals of the school and striving to accomplish these things and make it as normal a school year as possible. Luluk says,

2020 Zone 13 South JV Boys Basketball game

“With the students missing so many events and missing the energy that they all build off each other. Like a sports team, after a big basketball game win or loss, someone coming into school the next day feeling 'we lost, we blew it' and then everyone building that person back up or after a big win, yeah, that energy is just missing in the school. These kids do deserve it. This certainly is a worthy grad class that deserves our praise for all their hard work. This group has been through a year and a half of some really challenging times for families and for kids with the lack of connection, so we're quite proud of them.”

Principal Luluk continues with his words of encouragement for the grads,

“I would say honestly, the world is now ready for you. You’ve shown us at the school level that you're capable of taking that next step. You've been resilient. You've been loyal. You've been dedicated to all those things, your athletics, your academics, and one another, and we wish you all the best as you take the next step and wherever you’re going and we're proud of you. As I said, it's been a challenging year and a half in education. It's been difficult. For these kids to get through it and to complete all that stuff is really quite amazing.”

And to the Ste Anne Collegiate staff, he says, “You have done an amazing job. It has been a very challenging year for us through the different blended learning models of being remote. Being in person, we've asked more of our stuff than we ever have and they came through with flying colours. Connecting with the kids and making sure that they got the things that they needed. Just making sure that academics were a priority in pushing for all the goals we've always had. I'm extremely proud of the staff for everything that you do for the kids and for making this a great place to go to work.”

Principal Luluk closes with this. “ Thanks to everyone, all the staff, all the students, all the community members, all the parents. Everybody has had a challenging year and I think that it's really important that we always work together. It's always better when we work together as a team. I’m so proud of everybody.”