Ascension Collegiate honours top students

Spaniard's Bay's Darci Ryan received a surprise at the annual Ascension Collegiate awards night in Bay Roberts on Dec. 16.

Photo by Nicholas Mercer/The Compass

For as long as there have been graduations, it has been customary for students to celebrate by hurling their caps in the air above them. The students of the 2013-2014 graduating class at Ascension Collegiate in Bay Roberts honoured that tradition at the school's annual awards night on Dec. 16. After a countdown from teacher Michelle Cleary-Haire, students turned their heads towards the ceiling as they threw the caps into the air.

The 18-year-old finished at the top of her class and brought home a basketful of awards at the gala.

Ryan took home some $8,380 in awards. In all the school announced $133,000 worth of awards, of which $21,000 Ascension awarded itself.

As the top student in her graduating class, she received the highly coveted Governor General's Award as the top Level III student.

The Governor General's award is considered by many as the most prestigious award given to a student graduating from a Canadian high school.

"I had no idea I was getting this," she said moments after walking across the stage to receive her diploma.

She had no idea she had finished in the No. 1 spot of the 2014 Ascension graduating class and did not find out until she opened the program.

"I was really shocked, actually," said Ryan. "I had been third and fifth in previous years and this was a big push up for me."

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Ascension Collegiate honours top students