It was an enthusiastic crowd as Wesmor High School’s graduating class of 2026 crossed the stage at the EA Rawlinson Centre on Wednesday.
Eli Caisse and Isabelle Wall shared the title of Valedictorian at Wesmor. Wall and Caisse both had similar reactions to being selected.
“I was honestly surprised,” Wall said. “My jaw dropped. I was expecting a different person from the graduating class because there’s so many good students here so I was surprised when I was one of the two.”
“I actually was really surprised because I was just trying to go day by day,” Caisse added. “Then one day they said I was valedictorian. I was just like, wow.”
Caisse said that he was happy to share the title with Wall.
“It’s really good, actually, because in all honesty, I was a little bit nervous to do it by myself,” he said.
Wall said that she enjoyed the whole experience of attending Wesmor.
“It’s been great since Grade 9,” she said. “You’re just immediately welcomed in. It’s so nice to be here. The teachers, they acknowledge the students for who they are, for what they need to help them learn. It’s a very, very exciting place.”
(L to R) Isabelle Wall and Eli Caisse gave the Valedictorian address during the Wesmor Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony at the EA Rawlinson Centre on Wednesday.
Caisse transferred from Ecole St. Mary High School for Grade 12 but agreed that the school was great.
“I was really nice,” he said. “It was quiet because I didn’t really know a lot of people around here since I just transferred this year. That was my last year and I really enjoyed it. The teachers were really welcoming and they taught me a lot. I just felt really welcomed and I enjoyed my time here.”
Both Caisse and Wall remember school trips as part of their best memories from attending Wesmor. Wall remembers a trip to Anglin Lake with the wildlife management class. The trip ran three days and two nights at the end of the year in 2025.
“Everybody gets to hang out,” Wall said. “We go canoeing. We go on hikes, it’s really fun.
“We all gathered in one tent We were playing cards or something, and I don’t remember how it started, but everybody just started having this big pillow fight with whatever stuffies and pillows we could find. I’d say that would have to be my best memory here.”
Caisse also remembers the trips because of the bonding that takes place.
“They take us to a lot of places and it’s really nice,” he said. “They take a lot of students too and we just get a chance to meet each other and talk. It’s just nice.”
Both Wall and Caisse plan to attend Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Wall wants to study Culinary Arts and get her Red Seal afterwards, which is Canada’s highest standard for the trade. Caisse also plans to attend Sask Polytech in Prince Albert to become an industrial mechanic.
Wall said she chose cooking as a career because she has always been great at it and was fascinated by it.
‘When I was little, I used to watch my mom cook, and I knew that was something I would have to learn one day just to know,” she said. “Then I came to Wesmor and I see that they have a cooking class.
“I got in as fast as I could and the course there, they teach you everything from how to use the tools to how to make simple dishes to a little bit more difficult ones. The cooking class is definitely what started it.”
After he completes his course Caisse has bigger plans.
“I plan on going into trade school to become an industrial mechanic. After that, I plan on getting all of my tickets and my apprenticeship hours to get my journeyman and Red Seal so I could go work up north,” he explained.
Both Caisse and Wall were interviewed the day after they learned that they had been named co-Valedictorian and had not begun to work on their speeches.
“It’s a bit of a shock. Like, what do I do? What are my responsibilities now as valedictorian,” Wall said.
In total, 33 students crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. Graduate Drake McKenzie gave the Land Acknowledgement before the ceremony.
Wall and Caisse each had a simple message to the 33 graduates.
“Keep doing what you want to do. Look back at yourself at Wesmor and see how warm it was, see how welcoming it was,” Wall said.
“I hope that they become really successful and they become what they want to be and I hope that they had no regrets doing what they want to do,” Caisse said.
Trustee Arne Lindberg brought greetings from the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division and Principal Kari Korczak closed the ceremony with a Message from Wesmor.
Cassie won the Governor General’s Gold Medal and the SRPSD119 Award. Caisse and Wall shared the Prince Albert Lions Club Award. Wall also received the John M Cuelenaere Public Library Award.
The Prince Albert Lions Club Award, which is awarded to the Valedictorian, was presented to Wall and Caisse.
McKenzie received the Wesmor High School Daycare Award and First Nations Insurance Limited Partnership Award.
The Ranch Ehrlo Award was presented to Zane Dreaver Bear. The Wesmor Staff Awards were presented to Austin Ballantyne and Merrissa Rosteski, the Wesmor Leadership Award was presented to Hailey Nilssonand the Western Financial Inspirational Bursary was presented to Preston Toutsaint.
The emcee for the morning was vice principal Kurtis Mugford.
Parker Neveu played the graduates in and performed an Honour Song.
Following the ceremony there was a Grand March on the stage of the Rawlinson Centre.
