DEBLOIS, P.E.I. — No other students were around when Rhys Gallant started to fuss with his graduation gown.
Soon he was receiving assistance from three adults, including his principal and one of his teachers.
As the only member of the École Pierre-Chiasson Class of 2019, Gallant is used to the individual attention.
Yet, as he prepared for Tuesday’s graduation at West Prince’s only French school, in Deblois, Gallant pointed out there would be three graduates this year: “Me, myself and I.”
He anticipated the ceremony would be, “exciting, but also a little strange "because it’s supposed to be something you do with a bunch of different people.”
Still, he admitted to liking the attention.
He has been the only member of his class level since Grade 7.
“After Grade 6, a lot of kids go either to (M.E.) Callaghan (Intermediate) or one of the other schools around here,” he said. But he preferred sticking with a French curriculum, rather than shifting to French Immersion.
“I will miss the friendly people I met here, the school life,” said Gallant, adding things are simple. "Go to classes, do school work and all that. Now I have to go into the adult world to start working and college.”
“...It’s sort of like a mini-celebration for me. A new milestone in my life is about to start.”
-Rhys Gallant
Because of the school’s low enrollment, classes in Deblois are often combined. In his Grade 11 year, Gallant shared many of his classes with the graduating class. This year he would normally have shared classes with Grade 11 students, but the school had no Grade 11 class. He had a Language Arts class with the Grade 10 students, but often, he worked alone.
There’s a lot of one-on-one instruction, said Colleen McLellan, one of his teachers.
“It’s very good for that.”
McLellan said students get along with and know, their fellow schoolmates from all grade levels.
“It’s like a big family,” she said.
Gallant listed computer programming and English as his favourite subjects.
With no Grade 11 students, Gallant will be the school’s last graduate until 2021. Principal Ghislain Bernard said numbers are looking up for the years ahead as the school had 20 students at the junior high level this year.
“Since it’s just me, it’s sort of like a mini-celebration for me," Gallant said prior to heading into a banquet that would lead directly to the graduation celebration. "A new milestone in my life is about to start.”
Prize list provided by École Pierre-Chiasson
Médaille de bronze de la gouverneure générale du Canada
- La médaille du gouverneur général récompense l’élève qui a obtenu la plus haute moyenne académique au cours de ses deux dernières années d’études secondaires. Au nom de Son Excellence, la très honorable Julie Payette, gouverneure générale du Canada, il nous fait plaisir de remettre la médaille à: Rhys Gallant
Prix de la Catholic Women’s League de Palmer Road
- Prix d’une valeur de $25 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
Prix de Tignish Coop
- Prix d’une valeur de $40 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
Prix de la Catholic Women’s League de Tignish
- Prix d’une valeur de $25 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
Prix de la Légion Royale Canadienne de Tignish
- Prix d’une valeur de $50 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
Prix de Tignish Credit Union
- Prix d’une valeur de $50 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
Prix Fonzie’s
- Prix d’une valeur de $50 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
Prix Profit’s
- Prix d’une valeur de $50 Décerné à : Rhys Gallant
