Skip to content

ECS students ready to move into next phase of their lives

The Grade 12 students from the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) will enter the next chapter of their lives on Friday during the school’s annual graduation ceremony at Affinity Place.
ECS grads
Grad is an important event for Estevan Comprehensive School students and the community. The grad photo, like this one in 2018, kicks off grad festivities each year. File photo

The Grade 12 students from the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) will enter the next chapter of their lives on Friday during the school’s annual graduation ceremony at Affinity Place.

There will be 153 grads this year, and the theme will be Night of a Thousand Lights. Colours are navy blue, gold and silver.

Grads will gather in front of the Estevan Court House at 3 p.m. in their formal attire for the annual class photo. If the weather is not co-operative, then the photo will be taken at Affinity Place.

Before and after the photo, they will have pictures taken with family members and friends.

Then they will meet in the multipurpose room at Affinity Place at 5:30 p.m. to get ready for the cap and gown celebration. Meanwhile, doors to Affinity Place will open at 5 p.m. for people to get seated.

The ceremony will start at 6:30 p.m. and is expected to wrap up at 8 p.m.

Lori Meyer, who is the ECS spokesperson for this year’s ceremony, said it will start an hour later than previous years.

“They’re trying to ensure that people eat before they come,” said Meyer. “We just found it was tough for people to get from work to Affinity if we started at 5:30 or even 6 p.m., so that’s why we moved it to 6:30.”

The ceremony will feature several speeches. Tyler Knibbs and Shaun Montebon will give a speech as the class representatives. They were selected by their peers.

Also delivering a tribute to the teachers will be Levi Stepp and Nathan Littlefield, who were the co-presidents of the student representative council.

Ruth Pecson is the valedictorian, and she will also give an address.

Principal Pat Jeannot will be the MC for the evening, and he will give a brief address to the grads.

The diplomas will be handed out to the graduates by Jeannot and vice-principals Nathan Johnson and Brian Wright.

“We’re trying to shorten things up so people don’t have to sit so long, and they can get onto the grand march,” said Meyer.

Once the ceremony is finished, a light snack will be served to those in attendance. The grand march will begin an hour after the ceremony is finished, likely around 9 p.m.

The chem free after grad will run from 10 p.m.-2 a.m.  Students will play games of chance using play money that can be used to purchase prizes at the end of the night.

The pieces are falling into place for grad, Meyer said. The kids are excited for the big day, but they are also nervous.

Meyer believes grad is not only a great night for the school, but it’s a chance for the community to celebrate the graduates’ accomplishments.

“We are very proud of our young men and women entering the next phase of their lives,” said Meyer.