This year’s senior class with Paton-Churdan is having the commencement ceremony tomorrow afternoon.

Principal Annie Smith says eight students are going to graduate, with the valedictorian being Grace Cullum. One of the recognitions that the seniors have prior to graduation is the Mentor Banquet, which was recently held at The Centennial restaurant in Jefferson. Smith tells Raccoon Valley Radio, the Mentor Banquet is one of the most special events of the entire school year. She explains that the program includes handing out scholarships but also allowing the seniors to show their gratitude to an individual that exemplified a mentor in their life.

“And so we really want to make sure that our seniors that leave us have had a chance to really reflect on people who have made a difference for them, and people who have really impacted their educational journey. And so, every year there are times where there’s not a dry eye in the house, again this year was no different.”

Smith delivers another point of emphasis that P-C staff tries to instill in every student, while they’re in school, is to think about how they want to leave their legacy after graduating from P-C.

“So it’s fun to see when they start really finding their way and what it is that they want to do to kind of leave their lasting mark, and everybody is so different. And also, to see those connections that they have formed with the other students and the other grade levels, younger students, all the way through.”

The graduation ceremony is taking place at 2pm tomorrow at the school building in Churdan.