‘It’s nice to be acknowledged,’ say Saskatoon’s graduating Grade 12 students

The pouring rain and blustery conditions in Saskatoon on Wednesday didn’t dampen the spirits of the students and parents who came to pick up special lawn signs from Bedford Road Collegiate.

Signs have been made specifically for each graduate’s collegiate, courtesy of the Saskatoon Public School Division, along with City Park School and Saskatoon Christian Schools. Kota Graphics printed 1,750 signs.

The initiative, according to the school division, is to acknowledge the hard work, effort and milestone moment for  students and their unique graduating circumstances.

There will be no 2020 cap and gown ceremonies, no proms to attend and no special dinners with classmates because of the physical distancing rules necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students who came to pick up their signs were nonetheless happy to be acknowledged. Bedford Road senior Ariq Ahmed said they’re just trying to make the most of the time left with their schools now.

“I really do appreciate the effort the school is doing,” Ahmed said. “There’s not a lot you can do with these conditions. So it’s really nice they’re putting in an effort for our work to be recognized and, you know, we’re not just an afterthought. It’s really reassuring in these tough times.”

Ahmed says for now, he’ll display the sign on his lawn, and then keep it as a reminder of this year. In the fall, he plans on attending the University of British Columbia remotely, as a psychology undergrad.

Parker Dale is heading to the University of Arizona, if possible, in the fall. He says he’s grateful to have had a great year — until the pandemic hit Saskatchewan in March.

“I got to have a good chunk of my senior year,” Dale said. “I still got all football season and a good chunk of basketball season. So you know what? As much as it’s unfortunate circumstances, I can’t really complain too much.”

English and science teacher Terriann Walling says it was fantastic to see a few of the students again, and to make sure they had something special to take home with them.

“We want to make sure the kids are feeling special, and that they know how important they are,” Walling said. “So it was really important for us to make sure we had some way to celebrate them … They should feel proud of themselves. They’re amazing.”

Signs are available from each of the 10 collegiates. They can be displayed either on lawns or on a window sill.