(Nicole Reis/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Nicole Reis

CARPENTER HIGH SCHOOL 2020 GRADUATION

Carpenter High School class of 2020 graduation ceremony goes virtual

May 29, 2020 | 5:00 PM

Carpenter High School’s 2020 graduation ceremony will look different than previous years due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The ministry of education announced May 7, classes will not resume for the remainder of the school year and indoor and outdoor public and private gatherings of more than 10 people have been prohibited. Northwest District School Board #203 along with parent groups and school staff plan to celebrate students’ important milestone virtually.

Principal Trevor Gerwing told meadowlakeNOW school staff and parent groups have decided to work together to produce a video tribute to the graduating class. The video will be released via Youtube on June 26, the day of celebration.

“We’re going to have a virtual ceremony and it’s going to be asynchronous so it will be pre-recorded with a professionally done video,” Gerwing said. “The public will be able to view the valedictory address, the principal’s address and various thank you’s.”

This year’s graduation ceremony encompasses over 100 students, and while there is not always an opportunity for students to have a voice at their ceremony, students have been asked to compose a short statement to be compiled in the video. Graduates can include favourite memories, moments, ambitions, or thank you messages in videos. Videos are vetted to ensure content is appropriate. Students have also been asked to submit a baby photo and a current photo wearing a cap and gown.

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Gerwing said while the current pandemic situation has been difficult for many people, he said missing graduation is not ideal and is thankful to parent groups and students for their positive and productive feedback.

“It won’t be hard to remember what year the students graduated in, they’ll be the COVID-19 class,” Gerwing said. “For our school, it’s a group of leaders we’re losing and I wish we could have seen them out the door in a normal way but I wish them the best.”

This year’s valedictorian is Emma Wilfing who is among six students to graduate from Carpenter High School’s first French Immersion program in the division. She told meadowlakeNOW students typically vote for their valedictorian but this year, teachers voted for her to address her fellow classmates.

“Obviously, this is not what any of us expected or imagined our grad to be, but we need to see the positive side of this situation as this makes us all stronger individuals,” she said. “Everything happens for a reason I’m not sure of the reasoning behind this, but we can be happy we got to spend the time together that we did.”

Wilfing has been accepted to the University of Alberta and plans to continue her French studies and will pursue a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education. She hopes to teach high school level math and sciences in a French Immersion setting.

The school’s scholarship committee will determine and announce winners as part of the video.

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nicole.reis@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @nicolereis7722