Three grade 8 girls posing outside before the start of their graduation

The student population of IHMS changes with the beginning of each new school year. As students are promoted to the next grade, a new kindergarten class is formed, and everyone else moves up one grade. Unfortunately, students in grade 8 will eventually have to leave in order to attend another school the following September. Students that leave at the end of grade 8 are given a formal farewell in the last big event of the school year - graduation!

The graduates usually have mixed feelings about leaving IHMS because most have been together for years, and a few have been together since kindergarten (“super-niners”). When classes resume in September, none of the graduates will be returning to IHMS - they will all begin grade 9 at a new school.

To celebrate this important milestone, the grade 8 teacher, Mrs. Naurocki (photo at left, taken several decades ago - she was too "shy" to pose for a recent picture) spends a lot of time preparing the graduates for their big day. She organizes two important events every year for the graduating grade 8 class: 1. The Graduation Divine Liturgy 2. The Graduation Dinner and Dance

This year, the Graduation Divine Liturgy took place on Tuesday, June 22nd at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral. In order to give the graduates time to pose for photographs and to attend to any last minute preparations, the Divine Liturgy was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. rather than the usual 9:00 a.m. Most graduates found this extra 30 minutes to be extremely helpful because they all posed for a photo before leaving the school.

Since Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral is only a 5 minute walk from the school, everyone left for the cathedral around 9:15 a.m.

The grade 8 students took a moment to pose in front of the school on their way to the Graduation Divine Liturgy. Click here to view in larger format

The Graduation Divine Liturgy is by far the most attended and most important of the school’s monthly Liturgies. There were a lot of proud parents, grandparents, and other invited guests in attendance, along with a lot of nervous and excited graduates. Most of the parents and grandparents were also planning to attend the school’s Awards Day program at 1:30 p.m. that afternoon.

Despite the excitement of the Liturgy, the graduates knew exactly what to do because Mrs. Naurocki had prepared them well with numerous rehearsals. Everyone looked great - the girls styled their hair and wore fashionable dresses while all the boys dressed up a suit and tie. The ceremony began at 9:30 a.m. with each graduate carrying a long-stemmed rose down the center aisle up to the front of the cathedral. They left their rose in a vase on the altar and then proceeded to their pews at the front of the church.

During the Liturgy, Dayna K. read the Epistle while Larissa C. read the grade 8 intention.

Dayna K. read the Epistle (left) while Larissa C. read the grade 8 intention (right)

Graduation medallion - front & back

After the Liturgy, each graduate was called up one at a time to receive a certificate and an IHMS medallion. They then lined up with the priests and their teachers for a series of group and individual photographs.

The graduates posing for a group shot in the Cathedral. Click here to view in larger format

After posing for the group photo, the graduates were free to go out for lunch with family and friends. The only stipulation was that they return to IHMS by 1:30 p.m. for the school’s annual Awards Day program.

The tables set up in the gym just prior to the Graduation Dinner and Dance

The graduates dressed formally for their graduation dinner

The grade 8 "Memory Book"

A head table was set up along the back wall for the graduates, and a nearby table was reserved for IHMS staff. All the remaining tables were designated for guests - mainly parents, but also some grandparents and siblings. As each family came into the gym, they were presented with a “memory book” at the door. The “memory book” was compiled by the grade 8’s during their last few weeks of school, and it contained stories and photos of the graduates during their stay at IHMS. Some of the memories went back to their kindergarten days.

The Dinner started out with Mr. Picklyk asking everyone in attendance to welcome the IHMS graduates of 2010. As parents and teachers applauded, the students began their procession from the front landing of the school into the gym and to their reserved seats at the head table.

The graduates moved to the head table after entering the gym

The Master of Ceremonies for the Dinner was Dayna K., the student council president. To get things started, she called upon Most Reverend Archbishop Michael Bzdel, CSsR to say the opening prayer and bless the food.

Most Reverend Archbishop Michael Bzdel, CSsR

After the opening prayer, the graduates started the line to the self serve buffet. The rest of the guests followed after the number to their table was randomly selected by Mrs. Naurocki. The food included fried chicken, meatballs, perogies, cabbage rolls, corn, coleslaw, and fresh buns. There was also iced tea and coffee to drink, and cheesecake for dessert. For the past few years, the meal has prepared by Phyllis’ Catering, and it has always been exceptional!

Graduates enjoying the catered food

After everyone finished eating, the speeches began. Dr. Mark Karpa, Chairperson of the IHMS Board of Trusteeswas first up with his greetings to the grads. He was followed by Mrs. Lysack, President of the IHMS Parent’s Guild.

Dr. Karpa (left) and Mrs. Lysack (right)

Next, Dayna announced that each graduate would be giving their parents a small gift as a token of their appreciation for their support and unconditional love over the years. The gift was a framed grad picture of themselves in their grad hoodies (an example is shown in the photo to the left). Each of the graduates got up from their table to present the gift to their parents.

Zenya S. and Orian B. presenting a gift to their parents

Next, Mr. Picklyk gave a short speech followed by a video he had prepared. The video was projected onto the gym wall and documented some of the events of the past 9 years, from kindergarten to the present.

Mr. Picklyk (top photo) with some of the images from his video

The video has become a yearly tradition at the graduation dinner, and guests always look forward to it. It’s funny and cute watching the graduates back when they were in kindergarten and grade 1. The graduates came to the bittersweet realization of how much they've changed over the years. They were also starting to realize that their time at IHMS was quickly coming to an end.

Finally, Dayna gave a short farewell on behalf of her classmates. She reminisced about some of the highlights the graduates experienced while in every grade from kindergarten to grade 8.

Student council president Dayna K. reminiscing about the past 9 years at IHMS

The dinner wrapped up when the IHMS performing group, under the direction of Mrs. Stanowych, sang two songs they had practised for this event. The performing group was made up of girls from both grade 7 and grade 8.

The performing group sang two songs under the direction of Mrs. Stanowych

By now, it was around 8:00 p.m., and before everyone left, Mr. Picklyk asked everyone to remain behind for a few minutes to help clean up, to put the tables back into storage, and to make room on the gym floor for the Graduation Dance. Music, as in past years, was provided by Crystal Sound.

Brennen F. posing at the Crystal Sound table

Everyone, including parents, grads, and teachers pitched in to clean up in preparation for the dance. In addition to the graduates, the grade 7’s and alumni from previous years were also invited to the dance. Parents and guests left with the intention of returning at the end of the the evening (11:00 p.m.) to provide rides home. Everything worked as planned, and the graduates enjoyed a beautiful evening with memories that should last a lifetime.

The "unofficial motto" of the grade 8 graduating class