Community celebrates KCS graduating class of 2018

Clarion Staff

The Class of 2018 from Kindersley Composite School (KCS) has celebrated its achievements and graduates are moving on to the next chapters of their lives.

The formal graduation exercises were held at the Co-op Arena on June 28. A total of 64 graduates shared the stage to wrap up their final formal task together before leaving their high school years behind.

Tami Reichert performed the master of ceremonies role for the 2018 graduation exercises. Jacob Evoy, a KCS student, sang O Canada to get the exercises started. There were speeches and presentations, along with the usual toasts to the parents, staff and graduating class.

Graduate Damon McKenzie gave a toast to the parents and his father Roger gave the reply from the parents. Graduate Sean Cey gave a toast to the staff, and Colleen Oscar-Swan and Adina Coles gave the reply from the KCS staff. Colton Leismeister gave the final toast of the exercises to his fellow graduates.

Ruth Griffith, the school board trustee for Subdivision 9, delivered greetings and congratulations to 2018 graduates on behalf of the Sun West School Division board. The next order of business was the presentation of scholarships.

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A large scholarship was awarded to graduate Erica Triffo, who received a $20,000 scholarship from the University of Regina. A full list of scholarships is at the end of this article. The school thanks all of the groups, businesses and organizations that donated scholarships.

Kelsea Glencross, a Grade 8 teacher at Elizabeth Middle School who taught several of the graduates, was asked by the graduation Class to be the guest speaker at their exercises. Glencross joked that she was both honoured and terrified to be the guest speaker.

She noted that all of the work graduates put in over their first 18 years is meant to prepare them for their future endeavours, and high school graduation marks a unique time in their lives and their school story started in Kindergarten.

The graduates started in kindergarten with the simple task of learning the alphabet and the early concepts of learning to share and play fair are important to maintain into adulthood, she said. She encouraged the graduates to learn from the bumps in the road and to overcome future challenges. She commended the class on its achievements.

“I am so proud to look over and see all the accomplishments these young individuals have already contributed to society,” Glencross said. “Although your journey is just beginning, you have made your initial footprint and I cannot wait to see where your journey takes you.”

Glencross spoke about how the traits graduates have picked up through the years will help them in the future and she encouraged the graduates to be the navigator of their lives. There are several similar destinations, but the journey is what they make of it, she said.

She noted that the students should not put limitations on their journey, but they will have to work to achieve their future goals on the way. The guest speaker encouraged graduates to make a positive impact on the people around them, to work hard to open doors in life and to make the most of their personal adventures.

After the guest speaker congratulated the graduates, KCS principal Blain Hilbig gave his parting message to the Class of 2018. The principal decided to share several qualities of what makes a good and decent person.

Hilbig encouraged the graduates to be happy, confident, respectful, easy going, open, disciplined and compassionate. He also encouraged the graduates to take pride in themselves and to have a sense of humour in life. The principal gave his congratulations to the class.

Valedictorian Kevin Pinno gave his address after the scrolls were presented to each member of the graduating class. He said he was thankful to be chosen as valedictorian and he pointed out that all of his fellow graduates look “absolutely stunning.”

He noted that even though the speech is prepared, he meant every part of what he was about to say. Pinno said he looked back at valedictory addresses from previous years and one common theme was highlighting elementary school years. He said while he spent his elementary school years in Coleville, he and other members of the graduating class in a similar situation all found a way to fit in with the class.

Pinno highlighted a couple of his classmates’ memories from their days at Westberry and Elizabeth schools. He said it was nice to see most of the graduates have all been together since they started high school in Kindersley. He mentioned several of the pressures that come with being in school and how the graduates will no longer have to worry about catching up on any distance classes, getting caught playing with phones in band class or getting caught parking in the teachers’ parking lot.

The valedictorian said the graduates could stop thinking about any of the negative things that happened along the way and think back to the positive things instead. He shared memories from his time at KCS and he gave one final word of encouragement.

“If there’s one thing to take away from this speech, it’s to enjoy yourself,” Pinno said, adding a Kobras football rules at the end. “Do everything you do with a passion and look back and realize what you accomplished as a person that came out of rural Saskatchewan. Be proud of where you came from.”

Scholarship winners:

Eastern Star, Queen Alexandra Chapter – Tessa Sautner

Catholic Women’s League & Knights of Columbus – Madison Kosolofski

Masons Bursary – Shayla Olafson

Jim & Wilda Gardner – Shayla Olafson

Kindersley Rotary Club – Jillian McArthur, Shayla Olafson, Tessa Sautner

Kindersley Co-op – Sean Cey, Tessa Sautner

Synergy Credit Union – Madison McBain, Emily Sproule

Haubrich Memorial – Jordan Friesen

Access Communications – Shaunesy Diemert, Shayla Olafson

Student Leadership Council – Jillian McArthur, Shayla Olafson

Inter Pipeline Discovery Award – Madison Kosolofski

Kindersley Minor Sports – Blair Gilmour, Jillian McArthur, Tori Stevens

KCS Perserverance and Character Award – Brett Hanna

University of Regina – Erica Triffo

MC College – Jasmine Goddard

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