MYRNAM – Families and friends celebrated the achievements of New Myrnam School and Myrnam Outreach and Homeschool Centre’s Class of 2024 on Saturday, May 25 at their graduation ceremony.
Entering the school’s auditorium in the Grand March, the grads took their places on a stage decorated with tropical plants after each was introduced by the mistress of ceremonies, Alyssa Kalynchuk.
Words of praise and congratulation came from School Board Trustee Jan Rajoo, Superintendent of Schools Peter Barron and Principal Danielle Erikson, with Kalynchuk reading messages from Member of Parliament Shannon Stubbs and MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk. Reeve Murray Phillips brought greetings from the County of Two Hills and Leslee Morrison from the Village of Myrnam.
Nelly Boese thanked the teachers on behalf of her classmates, with a reply by Cody Riley before Lynyra Crossan gave the valedictorian’s address. Louise Chomlak was this year’s guest speaker. Marshall Willier paid tribute to the parents, with a reply by Wanda Willier, before the grad class showed they were “forever grateful” by presenting parents and other important individuals with roses before they left the auditorium during the slide show, returning one by one and clad in caps and gowns to receive their diplomas as from Principal Erikson they took their places on the stage. Along with his diploma, Marshall Willier received a ceremonial eagle feather, presented by Elder Laverne Faithful.
Shortly after the conclusion of the ceremony, the grads lined up on the hill north of the school to toss their mortarboards skyward in celebration of their success.
At the banquet in the Elks Hall that followed, Marshall Willier and Hellen Briggs followed a longstanding tradition as they passed the school’s torch on to next year’s grad class members Lukas Myshaniuk and Ava Machney.
