It was the beginning of an era for six students. It was the end of an era for a school.
Gronlid Central School held its final graduation ceremony June 10. Next year, the school will only go up to Grade 8, with older grades moving to the Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate.
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Class of 2017
There were six students graduating at the ceremony.
听鈥淲e鈥檝e all grown up together, so we are a pretty close-knit group,鈥� said Quinn Sturby, the valedictorian. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a lot different next year, when we鈥檙e not all together every day. It鈥檚 great to graduate with them because we鈥檝e been together for so long.鈥�
Paige Piatt听agreed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like family: we have our ups and downs some days. Some days we鈥檙e grouchy to each other, but most days we鈥檙e always giggling, laughing and having fun.鈥�
Jace Schellenberg听said because the class was so small, they look out for each other.
鈥淚f they do fight, it鈥檚 playful. There鈥檚 no actual drama or anything. It鈥檚 pretty down low and easygoing. It鈥檚 nice.鈥�
Nicholas Chokan听said they have seen people come and go from his grade over the years, but he鈥檚 glad he ended up with the graduating class he did.
Jorden Peters said graduation meant that they were going out into the world, where they鈥檒l have to face both the good and the bad, with that said, he said it was special to graduate with friends.
鈥淚 hope this friendship never ends.鈥�
Jerimiah Burns听left the school for Grade 10, 11 and half of 12 so he could play football in Melfort, but he promised before he left he鈥檇 come back to be part of the grad class.
Cassandra Neufeld, the school鈥檚 principal, said she thought the class was a group of compassionate people.
鈥淭hey always volunteer and help the younger students,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e always laughing together and they are very different from one another but are great friends together.鈥�
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Class of 1960
The first graduating class was also invited to come to the ceremony. The class of 1960 has nine graduates.
Sarah Lokken, who now lives in Nipawin, was the only one that was able to attend.
鈥淲e had our graduation exercises in the hallway of the school because it was a new school and there was no auditorium at the time,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have room to invite too many people, so it was basically our parents that were allowed to come.鈥�
She said she enjoyed being invited to the graduation and that it was nice catching up with people she knew from the area. She was hoping that some of her schoolteachers would show up to the grad.
Lokken said she was sad this was the last grad.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of sad, but I know that鈥檚 the way the small schools are going. Everybody鈥檚 gravitating towards larger schools, so I guess it鈥檚 one of those things that鈥檚 going to keep happening.鈥�
Dennis Baragar听also graduated in 1960 at the school. He couldn鈥檛 make the ceremony, but he sent the six grads a letter.
鈥淚 was saddened to learn that this opportunity will no longer be available to the young people of your community after this year,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淐ongratulations to all six of you. Appreciate the experience of being able to complete this stage of your education in your home community. Feel a little sorrow for those following you.鈥�
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13 years of memories
The six grads also shared their favourite memories of the school.
听鈥淸Mine is] just growing up with the original guys since Grade 3 and having good memories since then,鈥� Burns said.
鈥淲hat I remember most is the small school atmosphere,鈥� Sturby said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty unique experience that not a lot of students get.鈥�
Chokan said his favourite memory was the amount of effort the school put into floor hockey.
鈥淚t would be set up in a way where we鈥檇 set teams and then we鈥檇 have a scoreboard and have the mike going for commentary. It was great.鈥�
Schellenberg said something that came to his mind was when somebody accidently got hit with a Frisbee.听 Peters said he remembers having an minor accident with his vehicle that听 had the students and staff teasing him about it afterward.
Piatt said she鈥檒l remember going into the computer lab and getting sass from the boys, calling her by her nicknames.
鈥淚t always puts me in a very good mood, every time. It鈥檚 incredible to have a bunch of great friends that care about each other when we鈥檙e upset.
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The final grads
Amy Hedin, the chair of the school community council, said she had mixed emotions about the final graduation.
鈥淚鈥檓 both sad and extremely proud of the kids that are graduating this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e ending it on a very good note. These kids are exceptional. They鈥檙e going to succeed, that鈥檚 for sure, the six grads that are coming out.鈥�
Schellenberg said he considered it an honour.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not first, but being last is pretty special.鈥�
Peters agreed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honour. I鈥檝e never felt this kind of feeling before.鈥�
Sturby, Burns and Piatt said they also felt it was an honour.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a great experience to be part of the last graduating class. I鈥檓 happy to be part of it,鈥� Burns said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really great feeling in a way, but it鈥檚 also a very upsetting moment because it鈥檚 hard to believe we鈥檙e the last class, of 2017,鈥� Piatt said.
Chokan said he felt sad he was part of the last grad.
鈥淲e鈥檝e had a pretty good group of people together and I think it鈥檚 good that we鈥檙e ending on a note like this.鈥�
Neufeld said it was bittersweet.
鈥淚鈥檓 so glad that this wonderful group of kids are taking us out, to be the last group. It鈥檚 a really special time. It鈥檚 an era that鈥檚 over. This is a really special way to celebrate that.鈥�
