Years of hard work and study have paid off for this year’s graduating class at Frontier Collegiate Institute.
The Cranberry Portage-based high school’s Class of 2016 was celebrated at a ceremony last Friday, June 24.
Thirty-five grads strode into the school’s gymnasium, clad in cap and gown. It was one of the largest graduating classes in FCI’s history, coming one year after the largest-ever grad class of 37 people.
School officials and community leaders each took a turn at the microphone to heap praise on this year’s graduates, including school principal Dodie Johnston.
Valedictorian William Taylor gave a quick and concise speech to a packed house. He shared wisdom and cracked jokes with family and peers, and spoke about the importance of pursuing goals.
Taylor was also the day’s biggest award and bursary winner. Out of the 23 honours up for grabs, he accepted 10.
During the ceremony, each student was introduced to the crowd by student emcees Reanna Colomb and Jaiden Moise, and received their diploma from Johnston.
The graduates hailed from communities across northern Manitoba, including Pukatawagan, Brochet, St. Theresa Point and Cranberry Portage itself, among others.
Representatives and officials from several of the students’ home communities attended the ceremony, presenting awards to their community’s graduates.
Following the ceremony, graduates and their families were treated to a social gathering and banquet, followed in the evening by a safe grad for students who hadn’t left for home.
See this Friday’s Reminder for our Frontier Collegiate Institute graduation special section, including photos of the graduates and a list of award and bursary recipients.
