ESTEVAN - The Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast College's Estevan campus celebrated graduates from its various programs and scholarship recipients during ceremonies on June 5.
More than 60 students earned degrees through the college's various high school and post-secondary programs. There were 11 grads from the Grade 12 adult basic education, six from essential skills for the workplace, 17 from continuing care assistant, four through the electrician applied certificate, six through heavy equipment truck and transport technician, 13 through heavy equipment operator, four through the industrial mechanic applied certificate, and four through the welding applied certificate.
Graduates in the adult basic education Grade 12 program were Shayla Arnold, Kyle Gallardo, Chelsey Jensen, Payton Hart, Imari Ludwig, Rodencio Magumcia, Melissa Minnick, Trevor Obey, Yana Ponomarenkio, Jennifer Rivas and Ma Rita Sarah Velasquez.
Essential skills for the workplace grads were Brody Kennedy, Vilma Satkauskas, Desirae Shiels Tiana (TJ) Stang, Pelay Wah and Leanne Whiteman.
Shiels was the valedictorian for adult basic education and essential skills classes. She told the crowd she never imagined she would have been in this spot a year ago.
"My goal was to come back to school and try my best. I wanted to focus on myself to ensure that I tried," said Shiels.
She said she always tries to help others and is looking forward to starting her career in psychiatric nursing. With the help of her teachers, she has been able to enrol for post-secondary courses for the next school year.
"This school has given me so much," said Shiels. "My teachers helped me excel, and I couldn't thank them enough for all they have done for me. They have helped me prepare and grow, especially with my interpersonal skills."
Among the post-secondary grads, the largest group was continuing care assistant. Grads were Rhegan Badley, Chantel Boutin, Jenelyn Davis, John Diaz, Gay Ebol, Geraldine Gorme-Gargabite, Ekaterina Ivanova, Desiree Kautz, Megan LaCoste, Christy Layocan, Lorimer Lumindas II, Cerina Manbination, Myrish Moral, Irish Penano, Chrystal Pickard, Samantha Sandhoff and Shirlyn Talidtid.
Grads from electrician applied certificate were Sarah Cossette, Ma Paulla David, Zami Dulag and Vaughn Shepherd. Meanwhile, Francois Adaya, Jacob Berg, Rhett Karpa, Ashton Kenney, Raksamer Loyola and Nathan Malowany graduated from heavy equipment truck and transport technician.
Daniel Aforki, Hunter Boulding, Corey Clark, Matthew Dauk-Law, Reid Dunbar, Damon Johnson, Dylan Lawrence, Melissa Minnick, Marshall Pachiorka, Joshua Prebushewski, Brandy Lee Slager, Cole Stevenson and Ezren Yanke graduated from heavy equipment operator.
Zacharay Barath, Nathan Francis, Landon Hydaman and Kayden Piller graduated from industrial mechanic applied certificate, and Sinay Halbgewachs, Seth Peters, Roger Enns-Reimer and Havanna White have their welding applied certificate.
Talidtid was the valedictorian for post-secondary education courses. She said each of the students came from different backgrounds, but they all worked hard to get their diplomas.
"We emerged as confident, professional workers, and will [each] be a productive member of our society," said Talidtid. "Our journey to this moment has been marked with education, hard work and determination. We have invested thousands of hours in the classroom."
At one point in her speech, Talidtid asked the instructors to stand so the graduates could applaud them. Then she asked family and friends in attendance to do the same for more cheers from the grads.
Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast College president and CEO Dr. Vicky Roy said the students showed courage and resilience to study at the college.
"Courage is not just about facing fear, it's about how you're going to learn to go towards the boldest challenges and move forward," said Roy.
No matter where the students go, she urged them never to forget their time at the college.
Scholarship and bursary award recipients were:
•City of Estevan Bursary: Rhett Karpa and Lortimer Lumindas II;
•Conquest Equipment Bursary: Karpa and Raksamer Loyola;
•Estevan Oilwomen's Scholarship: Jenelyn Davis, Cerina Mabination, Samantha Sandhoff and Havanna White;
•Government of Saskatchewan Opportunity Scholarship: Seth Peters;
•Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast College Governors' Bursary: Trevor Obey;
•Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast College Post-secondary Saskatchewan Opportunity Scholarship: Francois Adaya, Sarah Cossette, Landon Hydaman, Samantha Sandoff and Havanna White;
•Steel Reef Enhancing the Energy Community Bursary: Ashton Kenney, Nathan Malowany and Sinay Halbgewachs;
•Vermillion Energy Bursary: Kayden Piller;
Redhead Equipment Heavy Equipment Truck and Transport Technician Scholarship: Jacob Berg;
Â鶹´«Ã½AVeast College Student Recognition Awards went to Chantel Boutin (board of governors) and Landon Hydaman and Samantha Sandhoff (president's award).
Dean Loberg, the college's vice-president of academic, teaching and learning, was the master of ceremonies for the event. He noted the college had $27,250 in bursaries and scholarships for students in the Estevan area, thanks to donors, fundraising and more.
The Dakota Travellers drummers performed ceremonial music while the graduates entered and exited. Margaret Bruce, an elder from the Ocean Man First Nations, provided the blessing for the ceremony. Sheena Onrait, who is the college's vice-president of communications and strategic enrolment, read a message from Colleen Young, the minister of advanced education, who applauded the education offered at the college. College board chairman John Williams also spoke.
