It was a time for celebration as 107 Grade 12 students from Summerland Secondary School received their diplomas on June 24 at the Summerland Arena.
Alan Stel, principal of the high school, said the students will now prepare for a different future.
“Our graduates stand at the precipice of chaos — or change,” he said. “Whatever you become, flap your wings, make a difference, transform your world.”
Adam Eneas, hereditary chief of the Penticton Indian Band, also talked about the changes that lie ahead for the class of 2024.
“As graduates, you’re now ready to go out on your own,” he said.
Valedictorians Viktoria Quindt and Brendan Becker recalled their time in school, especially during the shutdowns and restrictions during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by the restrictions when they were able to be back in the classroom.
Now, at graduation, Quindt and Becker said there are new experiences awaiting them and their classmates.
“We also look forward to the next steps in life,” Becker said.
“We are so excited to see where life after high school leads all of us,” Quindt said. “We are walking out ready to face the world.”
This year’s graduating students also received bursaries and scholarships during the graduation ceremony. The value of the bursaries and scholarships was more than $115,000, Stel said.
The school’s highest honour, the Verrier Award and Matsu Memorial Scholarship, was presented to Fiona Girard.
Presenting the award, Meghan Tiessen, recipient of the award in 2023, said Girard was an all-A student who has also been active in sports and volunteer work.
Stel said the graduating students have received an education that will prepare them for whatever follows.
No matter where life takes you, you will always have a home here in Summerland,” he said.