Neelin grads urged to keep learning

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This article was published 28/06/2016 (2857 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

École secondaire Neelin High School graduated 83 students into its alumni ranks at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium on Tuesday afternoon in a ceremony that celebrated the cohesive, collaborative nature of the Class of 2016 and urged the graduates to keep learning as they leave high school.

In his address to students, Neelin principal Michael Adamski encouraged his students to strive to “continue to grow as individuals in mind, spirit and body.”

“Each of you need to continue to challenge yourselves each and every day to continue to grow as young individuals and contributing members of your community,” he said.

“Build on your experiences and learn from those mistakes that you will surely make along the way.”

It’sAdamski’s eighth and final ceremony as principal of Neelin — he’ll trade his green in for purple when he takes over as principal of Vincent Massey High School in the fall.

Adamski said this year’s grad class, which included 20 honours students, is defined by its involvement in a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

He added that much of this year’s grad class was involved in the school’s production of “The Little Mermaid,” performed at the WMCA in April, and noted several of the class of 2016 were members of the Spartans 2015 Winnipeg High School Football League Tier 4 championship football team.

“Neelin being a small school, we’re a tight-knit group, a family, and a big chunk of that family leaves today, we say goodbye,” he added.

Ellie Duncan took the afternoon’s top scholastic honours, winning Neelin’s General Proficiency Award and the Governor General’s Medal — which has been awarded annually since 1873 to the graduate with the highest overall average in Grades 11 and 12.

“I was looking forward to (the ceremony), but I can hardly remember it now. It’s just so much to concentrate on,” she said afterwards.

Both Ellie and her twin sister Carlyn are staying in town next fall, and will study science at Brandon University.

“It’s really nice to have a sister at the school, taking the same courses. That helped us out a lot,”Carlyn said.

The Duncans are one of two sets of graduating twins. The other is Brett and Ryan Chrest, sons of Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest, who is himself a Neelin grad.

Noah Bursey was awarded theNeelin Shield of Involvement by last year’s recipient, Rikki Bergen. English teacher Lindsay Kendall was presented the Aboriginal Star Blanket by Jordan Lavoie, whichhonours a teacher who goes out of his or her way to help graduating students.

Desiree Braconniercame to watch her boyfriend Justin Mulvaney cross the stage.

She graduates next year, so was planning on scouting out the dress choices made by this year’s grads. So far, she’s thinking about a big, poufy dress for her own walk across the stage.

Another person who has more graduation ceremonies in his future is Kit Dauphinais, who watched the eldest of his seven grandchildren graduate.

He said his grandson, Dylan Foster, isn’t completely sure what he’s going to do next year, but that’s fine by him.

“Too many of ’em go to university right off the bat, and then they go for a year and that’s it,” he said.

Neelin’s was the second graduation ceremony in as many days for Jake and Margret Harms, who came in from Lowe Farm, west of Morris, to watch their granddaughter Berrigan Miller Harms receive her diploma.

“It’s awesome,” Jake raved.

“It’s so exciting, every time,” added Margret. When she graduated 60 years ago, it was as part of a grad class of six students.

Simple Green, a Neelin choir, joined with some of the grads in singing “I Lived” by Ryan Tedder and Noel Zancanella after the diplomas were awarded. After tossing theirmortarboard caps, the grads climbed the stairs of the auditorium to Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph.”

Ellie Duncan said the kindness of her peers will stick with her. ‘Everybody is so nice and it was really drama-free. We just had a lot of fun and helped each other out,” she said.

Class valedictorian Dylan Peyachew, who’ll depart his hometown to begin a zoology degree at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, picked up on his principal’s observations by recognizing how his class used their unique gifts to share with others.

“We’ve challenged each other to be better, supported one another, shared moments only we will understand. With the countless hours of study, time spent on and off the court, sitting in the stands cheering in rain and sometimes snow, late-night Slurpee runs and rehearsals, I can confidently say we wouldn’t be the passionate people we are without each other and for this, I’m truly grateful,” he said from the podium.

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