The graduating class of St. Augustine’s will be a family affair as the students celebrate their commencement activities.
“Our school is like another home. Everyone is just so connected and all the kids are all friends,” said graduating student Katie Cire. “It’s coming so fast. It’s overwhelming and surreal.”
Cire is looking forward to the events and next year she will be off to Red Deer College for a two-year social work program. For Cire her school home has always been St.A’s.
Katherine Bergum, is graduating this year and will be back next year to upgrade concurs that the school is her home.
“It’s like another family. You can just go and talk to the teachers about everything,” said Bergum.
Principal Kevin Prediger says that the students are getting excited but that the events are not being overdone. He says that a lot of hard work has been put in and they are expecting over 250 people for the banquet. Prediger has been able to watch many of the students grow and mature over time.
“It’s hard to let them go. Now that we have Grade 12 at the school it’s nice to see them leave as young adults compared to before when they left St.A’s at Grade 9,” said Prediger. “It’s the equivalent of watching a child go off to college every year. You’re happy to watch them grow but sad to let them go,”
This year the grad theme song is ‘Forever Young’ by Rod Stewart and the Youth Group, which was voted on by the class. The commencement events will start on May 22 at 7 p.m. with the cap and gown ceremony at the St. A’s secondary gym. On May 23 at 12 p.m. there will be a Mass at St.Augustine Catholic Church.
“It would be awkward not to have it. It makes us special as well because it is a grad mass,” said Cire.
The banquet will be held on May 23 at 5 5:30 p.m. followed by the grand march and family dance from 7 to 11:30 p.m.
During the cap and gown ceremony the graduating class will present their Last Will and Testament where they leave something to the school. Both girls agree that it is something special for the class.
“I think it involves everyone in the school. When you leave something it means that the next generation has to live up to it,” said Cire.
“There will be some tears, I’m sure of it during the ceremony so it will be nice to add some laughter to it,” said Bergum.
The grad class is organizing the events including a lot of help from Pamela Radchenko, Kelly Shimp and Nicole Josephison
Prediger is also continuing a special tradition that he started last year. The graduates will all receive a handmade stained glass cross, made by Prediger. He says that he wants to carry on with it as long as he can make them and he says that there is a lifetime warranty as long as he is still alive. He feels that it is like them taking a piece of the school with them.
Over the years Predier has tried to instill some great wisdom into his students. “Anytime I talk to our kids it’s not about what job you do, it’s about being happy and successful in what you want to do,” said Prediger. “I talk to them a lot about being involved in the community and going beyond their own circle and serving the community. I am confident that they have learned that.”