Elton Collegiate graduates will ‘go very far,’ valedictorian says

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This article was published 23/06/2018 (2921 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The sounds of applause and cheers filled the halls of the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium as 31 students from Elton Collegiate marked the completion of their high school careers on Friday.

Friends, family and school staff joined in the celebration as the graduating class of 2018 was recognized for their achievements this past year, from academic awards and scholarships to the handing out of diplomas.

Having built a reputation as a rowdy but curious class, valedictorian Sophia King said she was blessed to be with “the best group of people.”

“(I) know with the amount of personality we have in this class, I know we’ll go very far,” she said.

Of the dozens of awards handed out, several were received by 18-year-old Kristin Collard, who graduated from Elton Collegiate at the top of her class.

Collard received the Shepherd’s Machine Shop Award for Chemistry 40S, the Brockie-Donovan Award for Physics 40S, the Rapid City Royal Canadian Legion Ladies Auxiliary Award for Pre-Calculus 40S and the FYI Doctors Senior Science Award for achieving the highest average in math and two sciences.

She also received the Elton-Campbell Community Group Scholarship, the Elton Collegiate Jeans Day Scholarship, the Elton Grad Congeniality Award and

the Governor General’s Medallion for achieving the highest average in both grades 11 and 12.

Collard was also named to the 2017-18 Grade 12 Elton Honour Society and is both a basketball and a volleyball player.

Asked how she managed to accomplish so much, Collard said she didn’t really know.

“I guess I’m lucky … you could say,” she said. “I couldn’t have done it without my parents or my friends, especially my teachers, too.”

Collard plans to take a year off before studying to become a veterinary technologist. But as she moved on to the next stage of her life, she was particularly grateful to her life-long friends.

“If I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t have gotten here, that’s for sure,” Collard said. “But I have to thank Lexi Keyes the most for that. We’ve been friends since Grade 5, so she’s always been beside me and helping me through things.”

For 17-year-old Trey Dornn, life after high school has come with its own set of nerves, but also excitement for what the future may hold.

Like Collard, Dornn received a number of accolades, including the Farley, Kempthorne LLP Award for Psychology 40S, a High School Apprenticeship Program Award, the Forrest Special Projects Award, the Mecca Productions Award, the Rapid City and Area Lions Club Citizenship Award, RM of Cornwallis Scholarship and

the Edna, Ray and Murray Chapman Memorial Scholarship.

Dornn was also named to the Elton Honour Society alongside Collard and fellow graduates Lexi Keyes and Trista Morgan.

“Well I wasn’t expecting that for sure,” Dornn said about the numerous awards he received. “I mean, I got a call and so I was excited to at least get one, for sure, and I applied for as many scholarships as I could … but that was just huge and that made me so happy.”

Dornn has enrolled in the Outtatown discipleship program at Canadian Mennonite University, which will allow him to travel the country, and eventually Guatemala, doing mission work.

“I’m a Christian, so I’m passionate about that kind of thing, and I’ve done missions work before, and I just really enjoy helping people a lot and doing that kind of work,” he said. “So I’m hoping through that I can figure out what I want to do and just get a new experience and grow and challenge myself this year.”

Looking back on his years at Elton, Dornn said he will remember the great friendships he made.

“It’s something I’ll never forget, even if I’m far away.”

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