July 23, 2021
After a difficult year, students graduating from East Northumberland Secondary School in Brighton were celebrated in an outdoor ceremony in the downtown's Memorial Park. Anyone in the downtown core just after 1:00 pm on Friday, July 23 could see the lovely balloon display in the school's blue and gold colours and hear the gorgeous sounds of the national anthem sung.
Two ENSS students approached Council in late spring to request use of the municipal park for their graduation ceremony. While the Ontario Government had approved outdoor ceremonies, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board had decided to not hold a grad ceremony until October, timing that would not work for many grads who would be attending post-secondary studies at that time. Council passed a motion allowing the students to use the municipal park and stage with usual fees waived, to allow Mayor Ostrander to hand out diplomas to grads, and for municipality's assistance in planning the annual prom parade.
Hana Haytauglu, ENSS Student who addressed Council, said: "We, as students, have had enough and deserve one good moment to celebrate all that we've been through the last two years and all that we've worked so hard for the past 14 years." (Hamilton, 2021)
We at RE/MAX Quinte Ltd. would like to wish all the best to all students graduating and moving into the next phase of their lives.
(All details about council meeting reported by Natalie Hamilton in the Brighton Independent, June 24, 2021)