The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The graduating class of 2004 took their final stroll through the hallowed halls of J.H. Kerr School during the afternoon and evening of June 19th. The convocation ceremony was held at 4:00 p.m., and was followed by the supper, grand march, family social and safe grad. The class was a large one by Snow Lake's standards, boosting 23 grads. They were: Jill Assoignon, Kari Assoignon, Jacqueline Borchardt, Jenna Burton, Candice Cairns, Tyne Campbell, Kristyn Cheyne, Jade Dawson, Riley Eastman, Shay Finlay, Samara Foord, Miranda Healey, Ricki Henderson, Tyson Klyne, Sara Ladouceur, Ashton Lief, Danielle Pettipas, Lem Randall, Jason Samborski, Leslie Taylor, Victor Trudeau, Melissa Walker, and Nadine Walker. Following the presentation of the diplomas, there were a number of bursary and scholarship presentations. The awards and their recipients were: -The Snow Lake Lions Memorial Bursary ($550), Candice Cairns; -USWA Local #7106 Bursary ($500), Ricki Henderson; -J.H. Kerr Student Council Bursary ($250), Jade Dawson; -Catholic Women's League Bursary ($200), Jade Dawson; -Health Auxiliary Bursary ($500), Tyne Campbell; -Royal Canadian Legion Bursary ($500), Samara Foord; -Royal Canadian Legion Auxiliary Bursary ($500), Jade Dawson; -Elk's Lodge #461 Bursary ($600), Jade Dawson; -Royal Purple Bursary ($400), Candice Cairns; -Manitoba Teacher's Society Bursary ($250), Candice Cairns; Gary Malcolm Memorial Bursary ($300), Candice Cairns; -Aurora Borealis Arts Council Bursary (#350) Shay Finlay; -Northern Tykes Daycare Bursary ($250), Candice Cairns; -NOR-MAN RHA Bursary ($250), Tyne Campbell; -Association of Machinists Union Bursary ($500), Shay Finlay; -New Britannia Social Committee Scholarship ($1500), Tyne Campbell; -J.H. Kerr School Committee Scholarship (2 X $1,500), Jacqueline Borchardt and Sara Ladouceur; -HBMS Scholarship for the highest average ($8,000 over 4 years) Samara Foord. Samara also received the Governor General's Medal. Following this presentation, grads Riley Eastman and Kari Assoignon were called upon to deliver the Valedictory Address. They were in turn followed by the guest speaker for the afternoon, departing English teacher, Mr. John Kerr. Kerr spoke eloquently about both the class and the enjoyable time he had teaching them. He left them with an enormous amount of advice and his entire address was scattered with the obvious respect he holds for his students and the reciprocal nature of that respect. Kerr and wife, Phys Ed. teacher Christine Kerr, leave this year for Winnipeg. John will teach English at Balmoral Hall next year. Immediately after the Convocation ceremony, grads, teachers, family, and invited guests filed over to the Lawrie Marsh Community Hall for the Grad Supper. After a sumptuous buffet put together by the parents of the grade 11 class, grads teachers and parents took part in a series of toasts. It was then time for John Kerr to take the microphone one more time for his roast of the grads. With a very animated and perfectly timed delivery, Kerr more than made up to his students for any outstanding or late assignments he may have had to endure during the year. Following supper, the grand march played out, between rain showers, in the schoolyard, then everyone made their way back to the hall for the family social and safe grad. This proved to be one more momentous grad for the community of Snow Lake.
