Graduation 2023

Congratulations Class

of 2023

Nicola Valley Teacher’s Union congratulates the Grads of 2023. You are the fruit of our labour. Your teachers wish you success in the future.

GRAD 2023

Good evening graduates, families, friends, educators, and community members. My name is Lily Thompson and I have the honor and privilege tonight to be valedictorian for the graduating class of 2023. Before I start, I would like to describe the group of teenagers I will be talking about tonight. They are fun, resilient, adaptive people that I am proud to call my friends. These kids are an exquisite representation of the quote “It always seems impossible until it’s done”.

Our stories all converge in the MSS gym on the first day of grade 8. We stood in the bleachers following Mrs. Thompson as she led us through Waddilliacha. The next day we were in 1 of 5 classrooms with a designated color as our homeroom. Red with Ms. Cardinal, Yellow with Mr. Finch, Green with Mr. Reynaud, Blue with Mrs. Thompson, and finally Purple with Ms. Shea. In these homerooms we learned, laughed, and became a new community. This was the beginning of our high school journey. We competed in battle of the grades with Nate singing a rendition of “Shake it off” and joined sports teams that took us away overnight for tournaments. We wrapped up grade 8 by heading off to Camp Tulahead dressing up in our cabin groups, dancing by the campfire, roasting marshmallows, and the teachers, and playing night games. This was us back in 2019.

From 2020 on, our school lives became a blur. We received an extended spring break that turned into optional classes you could attend online in bed. The next September the school opened, and we had our people again for 22-day classes. We started our grade 11 crossing our fingers hoping the school year would be normal. We made it until November when the triple atmospheric river sent us packing again. Thankfully NVIT welcomed

the grade 11s and 12s opening the building for our students and teachers. After Christmas break the school district provided us with 3 locations until we were all able to return to MSS in April. Once we were all back within the MSS walls, everything started to look up and soon after it brought us to our final year of high school as grade 12s.

As Seniors we began to make our final year count. We started by winning battle of the grades for the first time, giving us the victory, we longed for, for 4 years. Next was tubing at Harper Mountain, getting outside with friends for our last winter season together. Then we competed in the annual Hunger games, trying our best to survive and eliminate our competition. Most recently we attended the grad sleepover where we completed a scavenger hunt, made a chopped style dinner, answered trivia, played real life among us, and stayed up way too late enjoying the time with each other. This is who we have become in 2023.

Now this is where each of us continue our stories but have our own adventures. We diverge on our own paths making a life for ourselves while never forgetting where we came from and who got us here. We can take a gap year perhaps to travel, go to a university across the country, or stay close to home, regardless of distance we will still be connected by our years together and the friendships we have built.

What we must do now as our new adventures begin is show the world who we are. How incredibly strong, determined, and brilliant each of us can be no matter the circumstances and adversity we face. During our high school career each year seemed impossible to conquer and overcome but we persevered becoming those who can do the impossible. My friends and classmates, we have now graduated!

The Nicola Valley & District Metis Society would like to congratulate the 2023 Metis grads and all grads that received their graduating diplomas. Your Metis community shares your families’ pride in your hard work and accomplishment. WE KNOW YOU WILL MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.

May your future be bright and prosperous

GRAD 2023

May your graduation be the beginning of many more wonderful achievements

Congratulations from all of us at...

Covers up to $2,840 in tuition for the first year of full-time studies. Eligible to all 2023 Grade 12 graduates from School District 58, School District 74 Gold Trail, Logan Lake Secondary, Similkameen Elementary Secondary, Hope Secondary, and all Indigenous Grade 12 graduates across B C

Please contact us to find out more!

Campuses in Merritt & Vancouver

SCHOLARSHIP

GRAD 2023

AWARDED TO:

ABORIGINAL ADVISORY COUNCIL Brysen Pinyon, Maya Starrs, Greg Miller (CHERISH OPPENHEIM)

ALBERTA FRASER BURSARY Gabriel Bair, Hannah Hedrick

AMEN LALLI MEMORIAL AWARD Eva Galbraith

BAR S VENTURES

Mya Starrs (Rodeo), Aiden Dunsmore (Logging), Andee Walker (Logging)

BETA SIGMA PHI - MERRITT CHAPTER BURSARY Eva Galbraith

BC EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP Susanna Scholtens

CANADIAN LEGION Maya Starrs

CHARLES M. SUTTIE MEMORIAL BURSARY Hannah Marinusse

CHRISTINE PERKINS HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD Thomas McIvor

CITY OF MERRITT

Olivia Nendick, Nathan Willey

CUPE - LOCAL #847 SCHOLARSHIP Mia Zakall

DISTRICT/AUTHORITY SCHOLARSHIP

Sydney Bennett, Jerahmeel Catenza, Yolanda Charlie, Isabel Chavez, Eva Galbraith, Hannah Hedrick, Karmel Hepper, Hailey Jeffery, Kennedy Krajci, Donald McIvor, Gursimar Nagra, Olivia Nendick, Brysen

Pinyon, Autumn Quewezance, Lucas Schmid, Brooklynn Snee, Maya Starrs, Lily Thompson, Nathan Willey, Maia Zakall

DOUGLAS LAKE CATTLE COMPANY SCHOLARSHIP Cody Rempel

ELKS LODGE #441 BURSARY Lilly Thompson, Hailey Johnson

EVES FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP Ashley Cavaliere, Hailey Johnson, Nathan Willey

HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES UNION Ashytn Rooke

INFRACON SCHOLARSHIP Maia Zakall, Ashtyn Rooke

JAMARA JOYAL MASSAGE Andee Walker

JEREMY BAIN MEMORIAL BURSARY Paige Asselstine, LALLI RANDHAWA Olivia Nendick, Lilly Thompson

LARSON FAMILY BURSARY Hailey Jeffery

LOWER NICOLA SITE SERVICE (INFRACON) Brysen Pinyon

MAKAYLA MCRAE MEMORIAL BURSARY River Anderson

MERRITT FIREFIGHTERS

MONTE MACLEAN MEMORIAL BURSARY Gregory Miller

SCHOLARSHIP

MERRITT MASONIC TEMPLE

AWARDED TO:

Isabel Chavez

MERRITT SIKH SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP Andee Walker, Gursimar Nagra

MERRITT VOLLEYBALL ASSOCIATION BURSARY River Anderson

MOBIL GAS BAR BURSARY

Thomas McIvor

MOHINDER BASI MEMORIAL BURSARY Hannah Hedrick

MORT JOHNSTON MEMORIAL BURSARY Jalen McRae

NICOLA MASONIC LODGE BURSARY

Hannah Hedrick

NICOLA SIMILKAMEEN PRINCIPALS Gursimar Nagra & VICE PRINCIPALS ASSOC

NICOLA VALLEY HEALTH CARE AUXILIARY BURSARY Eva Galbraith, Hannah Hedrick, Gursimar Nagra Andee Walker

NICOLA VALLEY HOLDING COMPANY

Logan Fraser

NICOLA VALLEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY LINDEN ANDERSON, MADISON BECKMAN, JAKOB BROMAN

Roger Colwell, Shawna Coutlee, Kirsten Dick Jeremy Eisinga, Yolanda Erazo Charlie, Tyson Jarvis Hailey-Jean Johnson, Kennedy Krajci, Patience McKigney, Jalen McRae, Jorja Michel, Bryson Pinyon. Autumn Quewezance, Isaac Sheena, Ethan Simpson, Lincoln Sterling, Echo Voght-Rhodes

NICOLA VALLEY TEACHERS’ UNION

SERVICE – HARRY KELL, TUTORING – SYDNEY BENNETT

Kennedy-Hughes – Logan Fraser

Scholarship – Lucas Schmid

Scholarship – Kendra Marklund

OLD TIME FIDDLERS SCHOLARSHIP

PHARMASAVE BURSARY

RE/MAX LEGACY BURSARY

Kennedy Krajci

Paige Assesltine

Brooklynn Snee

ROCK SOLID INDUSTRIES SCHOLARSHIP Ostyn Fox, Eva Galbraith, Carter Shackelly

ROTARY CLUB OF MERRITT SCHOLARSHIP

Hannah Hedrick, Isabel Chavez

“SMITTY” THE BAKER MEMORIAL BURSARY AIDEN DUNSMORE

SUKI RANDHAWA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP LOGAN FRASER

TECK HIGHLAND VALLEY COPPER BURSARY THOMAS MCIVOR

TNRD

TY POZZOBON MEMORIAL AWARD

Eva Galbraith

Nathan Willey

GRAD 2023

GRAD 2023

ANDEE! Congratulations

We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what the fu tu re hold s .

Love you to the moon and back

Mom, Mike and Kinslee

TO THE CLASS OF 2023

May your future be filled with happiness & prosperity

ADUATION 2023 Your

GR

We are celebrat ing the high school graduat ion of Susanna!

A remarkable journey completed: an av iat ion pilot , S earch & Rescue volunteer, a superb student , a compassionate Chr ist ian Congratul at ions, Susanna.

WE’VE HAD SOME LARGE WINNERS RECENTLY:

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2023

Go forward in the direction of your dreams.

MSS Class of 2023

C O N G R A T U L A T I O NS GRADS OF 2023

C o l t o n F e r r i s

L o g a n F r a s e r

G u r s i m a r N a g r a

A s h l e y C a v a l i e r e

Proudly s upportingMerritt’sy ou t h

G r e g M i l l e r S a v e O n F o o d s w o u l d l i k e t o c o n g r a t u l a t e o u r e m p l o y e e s a n d t e a m m e m b e r s c h i l d r e n o n a j o b w e l l d o n e .