Elk Valley Graduatin 2021

Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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Thursday, June 17, 2021 Page B1

Congratulations

Class of 2021

Graduation Keepsake A special supplement to The Free Press

Student Awards – since 2011 EKC has awarded $111,000 to 130 students

Student Awards

CONGRATULATIONS!

TO THE GRADUATION CLASSES OF THE ELK VALLEY  EKC Student Awards will be announced later this month

EKCCU.COM CR ANBROOK • ELKFORD • FERNIE • SPARWOOD

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Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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Congratulations, Graduates!

Elkford Secondary School Principal’s Message

O

n behalf of Elkford Secondary School, staff and students, I wish to extend my congratulations to the Class of 2021.

High School Graduation is about celebrating what has been achieved, however even more about sharing in the excitement of what is to come. The Grad Class of 2021 has worked hard to become the leaders of tomorrow. In these unusual times, the Grad Class of 2021 has shown remarkable patience and resilience, two traits that will serve them well in the future. As you view the pictures of these graduates, understand they have faced unique challenges, overcome many obstacles, and learned what it will take to succeed and lead in the 21st century.

It is my hope that the Grads of 2021 will move forward with intention, an intention to fulfill their dreams and make a difference in the world. Grads as you continue on your life path, please remember that there is always room for kindness, craftsmanship, determination, and creativity. Carry these ideas Congrats to the Grads of 2021, Mike Kelly, Principal, Elkford Secondary School along with you on your path and you will find success.

Hunter Bourgeois

Jaida Clarkson

Machela Coetzee

Leo Cronin-Barrow

Sierra Culver

Alexa Davis

Hats off to the Class of 2021 for a job well done!

We wish you all the best as you begin the next chapter and work toward your future goals.

STEEL LTD. Sparwood • 250-425-7738

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Celebrate Your Success!

Domenic Durban

Cody Griffin

Austin Haggar

Tavin Hansom

Harmoni Harry Heather

Ramoen Heyboer

Hayley Kniert

Cameron-Francis Kowalyk

Christopher Lowen

Emily Martin

Congratulations to the Class of 2021 From all of us at Teck, a heartfelt congratulations for the hard work and dedication that brought you to this important milestone.

Although grad looks different this year, the resilience and creativity that you learn now will serve you for the rest of your life.

We look forward to sharing your future endeavours. www.teck.com

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Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

Onward & Upward

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Congratulations 2021 Graduates May your graduation be the Congratulations 2020 Graduates beginning of many more May your graduation be the beginning of achievements to come. many more achievements to come.

Tom Shypitka | Kootenay East MLA 302 - 535 Victoria Ave. Cranbrook tom.shypitka@leg.bc.ca 1-877-417-6022 • Tom.shypitka.mla@leg.bc.ca

Tianna Mosiondz

Liam Murray

Evan Payne-Smuin

Haylee Reed

Levi Rice

Brayden Sorensen

Blake Tanner

Phillisa Tracey

Brandon Wiese

Jordan Wilson

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS

Congratulations Graduates!

It’s time to celebrate your achievements.

Wishing you the - H E N RY DAV I D Tall HOR E AUbest wherever your – ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

dreams may take you.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

cotr.ca

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Fernie Secondary School Principal’s Message

O

n behalf of Fernie Secondary School and our staff, I extend our sincere congratulations to the Class of 2021.

I am so proud of our graduating class this year.

They have demonstrated several of the hallmarks for success: resilience, teamwork, collaboration and perseverance.

It has been my privilege to work with this class and support them through a year of challenges.

They have demonstrated a collective resiliency that I admire. They have come together as a team to collaborate for a common goal. True teamwork and collaboration requires skill and patience. I have seen amazing examples of teamwork from this class as they depend on one another’s contributions to create successful outcomes and collaborate to solve authentic problems affecting their lives. When we started this school year it was a whole new set of rules… for everything. It wasn’t smooth or perfect, or anything close to what we were all accustomed to. However, these students persevered, challenged decisions and worked together to improve the circumstances we were in – even if it started with simply changing the COVID schedule for accessing the washrooms!

When we pause from this busy season and take a moment to view the bright, talented, creative and athletic young men and women who make up this year’s class, I hope that you share the optimism and best wishes for the incredible futures that await each of our graduates. As their principal, I have appreciated getting to know each of our graduates this year. In a school system, it truly takes a village to get to this moment. I know that each teacher from Kindergarten until today are honoured to have contributed in some small way to the accomplishments of our students.

This year’s graduates have experienced a year unlike any other in our lives.

They have overcome challenges and have demonstrated the perseverance necessary to continue toward achieving success. They have arrived at this

graduation as a skilled and determined group who are ready to tackle the next step towards entering the workforce or post-secondary training or education. They have successfully navigated this pandemic and made the best of what we had to work with this year.

To our graduates: As you move forward beyond high school into a time of change, uncertainty and opportunity, I encourage you to trust yourself.

Trust yourself to make difficult decisions and to persevere. You are strong and you are resilient. Go out into the world, find your place and make a difference. Be proud of your accomplishments and remember: you are just getting started!

The Commencement ceremony for this year’s students will be limited to the graduates only and those who are directly organizing the event. We would like to thank our local community for the generous scholarships, bursaries and awards you have provided our students. Your generosity will go a long way towards helping our students get off to a good start.

Thank-you to the Class of 2021 for your leadership and contributions to the Fernie Secondary School Community. You have made all of us proud.

Congratulations and we wish you all well in your future. Have a safe and fun graduation!

Erin Hay, Principal, Fernie Secondary School

Eden Amundsen

Makayla Anderson

Jayda Anselmo

Rosalie Arcoite

Riley Barr

Nikola Bell

Erika Blackburn

Elliott Burt

Samila Carr

Kyra Corrigan

Brooke Demmings

Jenna Dies

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Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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Hats Off to the Class of 2021 CONGRATULATONS

2021

We wish you all the best in your future!

Box 1648 1301 Railway Avenue, Fernie V0B 1M0

Well Done Grads!

Best of luck, and best wishes from Dr. Soetaert & staff at the

Leroux Clinic

250.423.3416 Fax: 250.423.3517 tjsautobody@shawcable.com

You’ve shown you have what it takes to make your dreams come true, so go for it!

Good luck, graduates.

Dawn Dimayacyac

Laura Dykhuizen

Austin Ellerby

Chase Erickson

Sydney Fahselt

Kai Fait

Easton Fieldhouse

Alistair Fyfe

Brooklyn Graham

Brooke Greenwood

Isabella Gulyas

Braeden Helgren

Congratulations 2021 Grads We wish you every success in your future endeavours!

300 MANITOU ROAD •

FERNIE • 250-423-4694

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Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

The Best is Yet to Come

Thursday, June 17, 2021 Page B7

Ella Hofer

Jayden Holm-Richards

Indika Howse

Justin Hula

Bo Hutchinson

Cole Hutchinson

Emerson Impey

Ashley Jones

Holly Kichler

Tatum Kipnik

Dasrin Larkin

Autumn Lightburn

Happy Graduation

Hats off to the hardworking Class of 2021!

Brendan Atkin University of Alberta Engineering

Kai Fait University of Victoria Political Science

Congratulations Class of 2021 MAXAM EXPLOSIVES INC. 652 Sparwood Dr. Unit B, Sparwood BC 250.410.1088 I www.maxam.net

250-423-6444

Marymay Howse University of Art & Design

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Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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Be Proud of Yourself You’ve worked hard to get here, overWishing all graduates coming many challenges, especially recently.

We wish you happiness happiness and and success as you step into your future!

Congratulations to the Class of 2021 Graduates!

success in the future!

Fernie Mountain Lodge Each Best Western hotel is independently owned and operated

1622-7th Avenue, Fernie BC 250-423-5500 • Toll Free: 1-866-423-5566 www.bestwesternfernie.com

FERNIE I BLAIRMORE I ELKFORD

Nesta Malcolm

Cianna McCall

Ethan McRae

Annaliese Nelson

Mikah Neufeld

Alexandra Pereverzoff

Zachary Perreault

Mac Piney

Sierra Pomerantz

Owen Rankin

Jayden Rumpel

Gabi Rybar

Best Wishes for a Bright Future We’re celebrating the Class of 2021 and all their amazing accomplishments. We wish every one of our local grads much happiness and success.

Special congratulations to Zachary Perreault, we are so very proud of you!

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The Sky is the Limit Liam Samycia

Dillian Sarabun

Declin Shaw

Lauryn Sims

Bailey Smith

Holly Stevens

Clara Traverse

Cameron Wall

Aurora Wannamaker

Kale Wenzlawe

Connor Will

Andorra Wright

Erika Blackburn

Ella Hofer

Brooke Greenwood

Ashley Jones

Tatum Kipnik

We wish you much success in your future endeavours, and we hope you find great happiness along the way.

Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

Cianna McCall

Ethan McRae

Sequoia Nanninga

Bailey Smith

FERNIE: 792 2nd Avenue, Fernie Open 7 Days a Week, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Page B10 Thursday, June 17, 2021

Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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Wishing You All the Best

The Fernie Academy

Message from the Head of School

T

hrough the convocation of our eleventh group of graduates, we recognize how together they have learned, experimented, travelled and played as they forged their way to this celebration of graduation. They have been steadfast in their undertaking of a senior year restricted by COVID safety guidelines.

We prepare our graduates for the future and encourage lifelong learning by asking our community of students, their families and our faculty to work together. We have built a strong liberal educational experience emphasizing academics, athletics and arts – most of our busy graduates leave us with over 150 credits, exceeding the 80 required by the BC Ministry of Education. Academy students are challenged to learn and develop in venues beyond their regular classroom through public speaking, science fairs, debates of topical issues, international travel, local field trips and community involvement, athletic and academic competitions, school plays, volunteering and raising awareness about those less fortunate.

Despite the challenges of the past 15 months, our graduates have been able to undertake most of our usual senior programming in some variation.

Our determined team of faculty are committed to the complete education of every student. Their care and attention has laid the foundation for the future success of our graduates. I would like to thank and recognize all members of our team for their tireless efforts and dedication to each individual student.

Brendan Atkin

Tyler Palmer

Luka Cigler

Aislinn Dressler

Dawson Peebles

We have worked as a community to ensure that our graduates have learnt the values of hard work, flexibility and empathy. We trust that they feel confident and are well prepared to succeed in their chosen fields. We have challenged, nurtured and respected these individuals and have enjoyed watching them grow. We wish all the graduates of 2021, a happy, healthy and prosperous future.

While this may not be the celebration our students were anticipating, this will not be the last time they will be celebrated! Our TFA graduates are resilient and strong young people, with plans, goals and a bountiful future ahead. Our graduates are ready to face what is ahead, their character will guide them.

Make good choices, stay safe.

Jocelyn Sombrowski, Head of School TFA Mission Statement: Through active learning experiences, in partnership with the family and community, each student is encouraged to achieve their full potential in academics, arts and athletics.

Marymay Howse

Holly Soetaert

Kyrsten Johnson

Ellie Stothert

Fisher Marchand

Brock Tomlinson

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Thursday, June 17, 2021 Page B11

Sparwood Secondary School Principal’s Message

I

t seems like we were just starting the year and here we are getting ready to celebrate Sparwood Secondary School’s class of 2021 Commencement. Our entire world changed in March of 2020, now even more than a year later, we celebrate the Graduates of 2021 in a different way. The Covid 19 Pandemic, social distancing and not be able to have large gatherings has resulted in many changes to this Graduating class. They have had to make drastic changes to the way they learn.

We now work in smaller learning groups that are separated from the other school learning groups and some have even had to learn remotely. Thank you to all the grads and the staff at Sparwood Secondary for being so resilient during these uncertain times.

This year our ceremony will take place on June 12, 2021 at 3:00 pm in the Sparwood Secondary School parking lot. It will be a Drive-In style ceremony where Grads and their immediate families (5 person limit from the same household) will drive in to a specific parking spot and remain in their vehicles.

Grads will be honoured individually and called to the stage to receive their diploma. The entire ceremony will be broadcast via live streaming for the community to celebrate remotely with us. We are sad that the ceremony cannot be open to the public as grad has always been a community event, but in celebration with and for the community Grad Banners complete with a photo of each grad will be hanging from street lanterns throughout the community to commemorate each grad.

Jason Beaubien

Jonah Beauchamp

Mackenzie Benoit

Best Wishes to the Class of 2021

Congratulations, you have made your community and loved ones proud!

The class of 2021 is a versatile group of students. They are academically inclined, artistically inclined and athletically inclined, (even though school sports did not exist in their final year). At Sparwood Secondary we believe in lifelong learning, and every year our graduation class leaves with the knowledge that they have not only graduated but they are prepared to deal with change in this ever changing world.

Class of 2021 you have made us proud.

Your future experiences will be filled new choices, but I ask you to remember your roots. Be proud of where you came from. Keep the memory of your graduation ceremony with you always.

On behalf of the administration and staff of Sparwood Secondary School, as well as, all the other teachers (both Elementary and Secondary) who have contributed to your education, I would like to offer the Sparwood Secondary Class of 2021 our congratulations!

REMEMBER PLEASE HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE GRADUATION!!

Frank Sopko, Principal, Sparwood Secondary School

Drycen Beranek

McKenzie Bowen

Kally Campbell

Way to Go! Dream big, graduates, and enjoy your special day. The best is yet to come!

Congratulations 561A Hwy #3, Fernie Phone:250.423.4644 Toll Free: 1.888.870-9064 royallepagefernie@ekrealty.com www.ekrealty.com

Page B12 Thursday, June 17, 2021

Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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A World of Adventure Awaits Congratulations

The future is yours, graduate!

to the Class of 2021

We wish you health, happiness and success today and always.

Special wishes to our long time volunteer Dawson Peebles on graduating from the Fernie Academy.

Dr. Jensen, Drs. Kahane Dr. Tkach & Staff

250-423-4222 1791 9th Ave Fernie, BC canadiantire.ca

From the staff at the Sparwood Public Library

292 - 2nd Ave Fernie (250) 423-6838 dentist@kahane.ca www.kahane.ca

Store HourS MoN-FrI 9am-6pm SAt 9am-5:30pm SuN 9am-5pm

Kayla Chramosta

Sydney Cook

Lyric Dominick-Turpin

Brady Drake

Devon Fraser

Katie Heuer

Caeden Hillier

Kourtney Holberton

Hunter Hutchinson

Mackenzie Jackson

Jadin Johnston

Skyler Ketter

The Next Chapter Awaits… and we hope it holds adventure, opportunity and great experiences for you! We wish you much success and a very bright future.

Aiden Latka

Alisa MacNaughton

Branden MacNaughton

Congratulations Class of 2021!

141A Aspen Drive • 250-425-2423

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Cheers to the Class of 2021

Photo unavailable for Kiya Day, Cody Graham, and Alex Wright.

Kaleb Kilford

Aiden Latka

Ethan Luke

Alisa MacNaughton

Branden MacNaughton

Kade McCartney

Tyler Mitchell

Kylee Robins

Jesse Staples

Abry Storey

Liam Ward

Heide Wilson

Causeway Bay Congrats to all the graduates on your accomplishments!

Special congratulations to Tyler Palmer, we are very proud of you!

Best Wishes to the

Class of 2021

H E R E ’ S TO A H A P P Y G R A D UAT I O N A N D A B R IG HT FUTU R E!

We’re proud of you, and we wish you the best of luck today and always.

Vi s i t o u r We b s i t e : w w w. c a u s e w a y b a y h o t e l s p a r w o o d . c a Fo l l o w U s O n F a c e b o o k & I n s t a g r a m Facebook: Causeway Bay Hotel & Conference Centre Instagram: causewaybayhotelandrestaurant1

Sparwood, B.C.

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Never Stop Learning On this, your graduation day all stand and give cheer to honour you for all the work you’ve done to get you here.

As we rise and give applause be sure you don’t forget that learning is not over as your future plans are met.

May you always be a listener and learn from all you meet always keep a student’s spirit and your life will be complete.

Congratulations to our grads!

We wish you health, happiness and success today and always.

Congratulations Graduates!

Sparwood - 2-101 Red Cedar Dr. 250-425-6489

Caeden Hillier

Branden MacNaughton

Jesse Staples

Abryanna Storey

Liam Ward

Heidi Wilson

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! s t a r g n co

TO OUR 2021 GRADUATES

Best Wishes! Today is your day.

Wherever the road takes you after graduation, may the next chapter be filled with happiness and success.

You’re the one who will decide where you go.

The Free Press

Grad 2021 Graduation Keepsake — The Free Press

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Congratulations Congratulations to to the the class class of of 2021!

2021!

Despite Despite the the many many challenges challenges in in aa year year unlike unlike any any other, other, you you kept kept going, going, and and should should be be proud achieved. proud of of what what you’ve you’ve achieved.

Our very best wishes for a successful future!

A message from your members of A message fromteachers, your teachers, the Fernie Teachers' Association members of theDistrict Kimberley Teachers’ Association

Photos: iStock.com/Prostock-Studio

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