By the end of June, about 130 students from five regional high schools across Lac La Biche County will have celebrated 12 years of hard work with time-honored and somewhat unique graduation ceremonies.
At J.A. Williams High School (JAWS) in Lac La Biche, students, their families, and the community will commemorate the occasion with the grad vehicle parade. The event was born out of the pandemic, when traditional celebrations were hampered by indoor capacity limits.
The JAWS parade commences at the Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes parking lot at 11:30 on Saturday, June 24, before heading up Beaver Hill Road towards the school, where a formal convocation ceremony will take place at the Bold Center fieldhouse.
“The parade has become a new tradition of sorts,” says JAWS assistant principal Kim Nashim. “Over the past three years, this event has garnered great support from local residents, who line up along the parade route to watch and event and cheer on our graduates.”
And these graduates make it a point to go out in style, rolling through town in fine suits, and beautiful grad dresses ready for the official convocation ceremony. And while they ride with style, sometimes their rides are also styling.
“During the parade, it isn’t uncommon for the kids to ride along on horses, in boats that are towed by vehicles, or even travelling together in pickup trucks and sports cars,” Nashim explained.
Following the parade, the graduating students from JAWS and the Lac La Biche Outreach School, their families, and friends will gather at the Bold Center to listen to the customary speeches before ascending to the stage to be awarded their graduation certificates.
With a Grad Class of about 90 students, the convocation is expected to draw about 500 people to the Bold Center.
Ecole Plamondon same day
The 26 graduates at Ecole Plamondon School will also be celebrating with family and friends on June 24.
Planning for the annual grad ceremony begins well in advance, often not long after the previous year’s celebrations have ended, says Lisa Maheden, the administrative assistant for Ecole Plamondon School.
For the 26 graduates at Ecole Plamondon School, regular graduation ceremonies are scheduled to go ahead as planned, with events kicking off at 2:30 p.m.
Planning for the annual grad ceremony begins well in advance, often not long after the previous year’s celebrations have ended, she stated, adding that graduates of the 2023 class will have mementos such as hoodies to take with them into the future.
“It’s been a busy year for sure,” Maheden said. “An advantage to our small class size is that we are better able to put on a larger event, one that contains an awards segment, as well as a banquet that includes speeches and toasts.”
The nine graduates from Ecole Beausejour School in Plamondon celebrated on Saturday, June 3, with festivities taking place at St. Isidore Church and the Plamondon Festival Centre. Light of Christ Catholic School in Lac La Biche held its graduation ceremonies on June 10, hosting its convocation ceremonies for three graduating students.
