Class of 2007 celebrated in print (east side edition)

With computer malfunctions out of the way and all information retrieved, (see comments on yesterday’s west side edition story) the Daily News provided the full details on Friday’s farewell to Charles Hays Secondary School for the Graduating class of 2007.

Good news for east side carriers, who can now resume their duties back in the good books of grad parents east of McBride.

‘AWESOME’ CHSS CLASS IS TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
School’s principal says students are set to become ‘great citizens’
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Pages one and three

Ninety-one Grade 12 students from Charles Hays Secondary School left their grade school days behind them Friday night during their Commencement Ceremony at the Lester Centre.

Sandra Jones, principal, said the school is proud of the 2007 grads as they move forward into the next stage of their lives

“It’s an awesome class, they are a really super group of kids,” said Jones.

“They came in all shapes and sizes and have chosen all different career paths but they are the kind of kids you would want to be your own kids. They are good people and going to be great citizens.”

This year’s grad class includes the school’s first three students to go through the ACE IT trades program and they will all be going into welding, as well as many students going on to college and university.

“They are pretty focused. They seem to know what they want,” said Jones.

The students also spoke on their own behalf with Nicci Wright and Patrick Byrne offering student vignettes and Sunni Fahlman and Alexander Volney providing the valedictory address.

The address to the commencement class came from Hondo Arendt, a Northwest Community College instructor, who encouraged the students to rebel in the good sense.

“The rebellion of every generation is needed because they have good values, admirable values and despite the fact every generation looks down on the one coming up, things look better in the past, there is much to be admired in this generation’s values,” said Arendt.

“They are perhaps less greedy, much better educated and much more tolerant than any generation before, so they must rebel and ensure their values become embraced.”

As students walked onto the stage to collect their diplomas, numerous presenters passed a total of $60,000 in scholarships and bursaries from 66 different organizations.

The same amount was also handed out to the graduates of Prince Rupert Secondary School at its commencement ceremony earlier in the day.

“It blows me away, our community can put forward $120.000 along with everything else they do,” said Jones.

City councillor Kathy Bedard was also impressed with the send-off for the graduates.

“It was just amazing how our community supports our graduates,” said Bedard. She noted two students from the city, one from each school have received full guaranteed scholarships to the University of Northern British Columbia.

Brandon Haldane of Charles hays Secondary and Patrick Law of Prince Rupert Secondary were each awarded $6,000 or $1,500 per year to cover four years of schooling at UNBC. They are among three students to receive the award in its first year of inception.

Each is planning to attend UNBC in September in pursuit of Bachelor’s degrees.