The 2019 Churchill Community High School graduates. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

New Beginning

CCHS honours biggest graduating class ever

Jun 22, 2019 | 4:59 PM

The 2019 graduating class of La Ronge’s Churchill Community High School is ready for the challenges the future will bring.

In all, 57 graduates received diplomas Saturday, marking the end of a pivotal chapter in their lives. There were many dignitaries in attendance to provide celebratory remarks including Vice-Principal Kristianna Merasty, Lac La Ronge Indian Band Coun. Gerald McKenzie and Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette. In her speech to the graduates, Merasty stated life will not work out how they have planned it out and they should not dismiss opportunities because they did not plan them.

“I was much like you. Twenty-one years ago I sat on this very stage, in this very building, graduating from the exact same school,” she said. “If you would have told me then I would be here today, giving you this speech as vice-principal, I would have laughed and thought you were crazy because this was not part of my plan.”

Many of the graduates at the ceremony were also honoured with an award including Chase Vancoughnett-Lafleur for academic proficiency, Sky Nelson for perfect attendance and Eric Choquette for Graduate of the Year. The Governor General’s Award for last year’s graduating class went to Seamus Lim-Heley, while Reagan Charles-Isbister delivered the 2019 valedictorian’s address. She said graduates are leaving behind a journey they started 12-years-ago and embarking on a new one.

Charles-Isbister stated the new chapter will include their first steps into independence and adulthood, noting nobody will be there to tell them what to do. She added some graduates know what they are going to do, while others still don’t know what the future holds.

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“There is no manual for the next part in our lives,” Charles-Isbister said. “Life is just funny that way. We can plan step-by-step and life will simply go on. Those plans can fall apart. They can change.”

Churchill Community High School graduates during the ceremony. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Reagan Charles-Isbister was the 2019 CCHS valedictorian. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

The Churchill Community High School graduating class of 2019 is Terry Adam-Lafond, Alex Bell, Madison Bird, Ilene Booth, Darcy Charles, Keestin Charles, Regan Charles-Isbister, Eric Choquette, Jesse Cook, Frithz Culig, Madison Deschambeault, Cassidy Dreaver-McDonald, Vivika Dussion, Eric Fedje, Brandt Fiske, Solomon Groves, Liam Hallett, Taylor Harrington, Luke Hepworth, Kiera Jerome, Shynelle King-Keighley, Kayden Kyplain, Morgan Layton, Allison MacAuley, Shan Matagus, Jordan McDonald, Margaret McDonald and Gladys McKay (list continues next paragraph).

Graduates include Grant McKenzie, Justin McKerracher, Heidi Merriman, Donavon Michelle, Vaeinriche Montilla, Justin Claire Nasic, Sky Nelson, Hayden Penney, Hannah Preikschat, Kennidy Proulx, Amy Ratt, Skye Ratt, Sandra Roberts, Carly Robinson, Brandon Sanderson, Hayley Sanderson, Savannah Santana, Brooklyn Shaw, Donovan Sibanda, Miriam Sprowl, Alex Thomas, Megan Thompson, Shelby Tiedeman, Madisen Tinker, Lita Tsannie, Aaron Ulriksen, Chase Vancoughnett-Lafleur, Aimee Varga and Timothy Zelensky.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno