After 12 years in school, and two years of extra stress amid a global pandemic, the end is in sight for 22 Gus Wetter School students.
For the first time since 2019, students, staff, parents and community supporters were able to gather together to celebrate the graduating class without healthcare restrictions.
Many delegates were on hand to well-wish the graduating class of 2022, including Clearview Public Schools board chair Guy Nietz, who gave the land acknowledgement and prayer, Gus Wetter Principal Wendy Coppock, and Clearview superintendent Brenda MacDonald.
Sarah Standing brought a farewell message to the grads on behalf of Theresetta Catholic School, where many of them went to school pre-Grade 10.
Castor’s new doctor, Dr. Jamie Marquart, himself an alumni of Gus Wetter School back in the late 2000s, was a special guest for the ceremony. While he did suggest the advice he give be taken with a grain of salt, Marquart passed on some insights he learned while on a surgical rotation in medical school.
“You’ve gotta find your socks,” said Marquart, before explaining that on a 26-hour shift something as simple as a change of socks could give you a stamina boost to get you through.
“Learn about yourselves. Find things to fill your cup.”
Grad Rae Weber pulled double duty during the ceremony. Herself and Landon Slemp gave the farewell address to the graduates, then she performed the song Piano Man on the piano for the assembly.
As is tradition, a grad produced video/slideshow was shown with photos of the grads growing up. This year the video was produced by Aime Rowland.
The theme for the Grad class of 2022 is “don’t wait for opportunity, create it.”
“We tend to wait for the right moments, and they never come,” said MacDonald during her farewell address to grads, and commenting on the theme.
At the close of the ceremony, each grad presented a gift to their parents as they exited the gymnasium.
After all the grads had exited, the chairs were moved and a parent/grad dance was held.
