After four years walking the same halls and taking classes with the same people, graduating students at L.V. Rogers are nearing the end of their high school years.
This weekend the Class of 2012 will celebrate their accomplishment with a formal graduation ceremony on Friday and opportunities to show off their finest suits and gowns with the grand march, cavalcade and prom on Saturday.
“It’s going to be tough saying goodbye to this school and all the teachers and our coaches,” said Taryn Scarff, co-president of the grad planning committee. “There’s a lot I’m going to miss.”
This year’s grads were the first cohort to start Grade 9 at LVR, as a result of Trafalgar changing from a junior high school to a middle school. Meaning they’ve spent longer at LVR than any of the graduating classes before them.
“You get really attached,” Scarff said. “Some of our teachers followed us here from Trafalgar, so we’ve known them since Grade 7.”
Class valedictorian Mikaiya Austin agrees it’s hard to imagine leaving high school, but said the school gave her a good idea of what she might want to do with the rest of her life.
“You get so many options to try different things, between your classes and extracurricular activities,” Austin said. “I think it helps you really figure out what you like and know what you want to do after high school.”
Both Scarff and Austin plan to begin university-transfer classes at Selkirk College next September, and they say a majority of their classmates will either do the same or get local jobs and save money for travelling.
“Most of us don’t want to leave Nelson right away,” Scarff said. “It makes it easier knowing most of my friends will still be here next year.”
Scarff and the rest of the grad planning committee have been organizing and fundraising since September to make sure this weekend will be a memorable one for the grads. The theme they chose for prom is “stairway to heaven,” which will include decorating the ballroom at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in gold and silver with Greek gods hanging from the walls.
“Everyone really pulled together, especially in the last month,” Scarff said. “The reality of everything, that we’re really graduating, it doesn’t really set in until you get close to the end.”
After graduation, the students still have school until the end of the month. The final day of classes is June 20, and exams end June 28.
Grad Weekend Events
Cap and gown ceremony
Friday, June 8, 6:45 p.m., at the Nelson District Community Complex
The formal graduation ceremony where graduates will receive their diploma and awards.
Grand march
Saturday, June 9, 1:30 p.m., at Nelson District Community Complex
The first chance for graduates to show off their formal ware as they march through NDCC in their suits and gowns.
Cavalcade
Saturday, June 9, 4 p.m., streets of downtown Nelson
The great Nelson tradition of parading grads through the streets of downtown in flashy cars, giving the whole community a chance to recognize and cheer on the graduating class.
Prom
Saturday, June 9, 7:30 p.m., Prestige Lakeside Resort
A chance for grads to have one last memorable night together dancing into the night. This year’s theme is “stairway to heaven” and will feature gold and silver decorations and Greek gods.