Valedictorian shares memories, appreciation for Rhema
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
Emily Burton admits it was nerve-wracking to speak before hundreds of people at Rhema’s graduation ceremony Monday evening.

“It was nerve-wracking but I was pretty sure I would be able to do it because I was just so appreciative of everything and just wanted to make sure people knew that,” says Burton, who was the Grade 8 class valedictorian this year.

She says the highlight of the ceremony was being able to speak “about the great memories and about the great things that I’ve learned at Rhema.”

Burton is one of 31 Grade 8 graduates at Rhema this year. She will be attending Holy Cross Secondary School in the fall.

She says one of her favourite memories from her Rhema years is of a friend of hers doing a face plant during a volleyball game.

“She was diving for the ball and she pretty much tripped over her feet and fell face first. I don’t know how she didn’t break her nose, or at least get a black eye.”

This year’s class is one of the largest to graduate in Rhema’s history, according to Rena Ridley, office administrator.

Ridley says the class is also unique in that a large number of the graduates came from Grace Christian Academy.

“They finished their Christian education here with our Grade 8 students . . . It was wonderful,” she says.

Monday’s ceremony included the graduation of senior kindergarten students to Grade 1, also a yearly tradition. The class sang a variation of Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, substituting the word sunbeam with Grade 1.

“That was very well received, very well sung,” says Ridley with a laugh.

All the school choirs sang as well.

The ceremony took place at Northview Pentecostal Church. The church, which seats about 4-500 people, was packed, according to Ridley.

Afterwards, people were invited to Central Smith Creamery for ice cream. The school received ten per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the ice cream.