Samuelle and Dyllan share the podium as co-valedictorians at St. Michael’s School 

Commentator/Courier Photo Submitted CONGRATULATIONS: Parents, family members and school staff joined graduating students from St. Michael’s School Class of 2025 for their graduation ceremony on June 21.

By Nerissa McNaughton
Southern Alberta Newspapers

Grade 12 students in St. Michael’s School in Bow Island recently celebrated their graduation, and at the top of the class were co-valedictorians Samuelle Biegel and Dyllan Thurston.

“Both Dyllan and I have been very close with grades our entire lives, but we were surprised we were going to share the honour together,” says Samuelle about learning both were valedictorians for the year.

“I had the same through process,” Dyllan agrees. “We knew it would be between us. The announcement was not too much of a shock, but it was very exciting.”

Reflecting on a day in the life of being a focused student, both share what it took to achieve their high grades. For Samuelle, it came down to dedication, bouncing her ideas off others, and sharing the lessons she was learning with her family and peers. Dyllan cites the helpfulness of the teachers that “made learning easy for us,” allowing them to absorb the information in class and have time to review the daily lessons later in the day.

Both look forward to the next steps in their educational journeys.

“I will be attending MacEwan University in Edmonton to get my Bachelor of Arts. I want to become an author,” says Dyllan. “My whole life, I have loved to read. I have always been a huge reader and writer. I really enjoy it and it’s the only thing I can see myself doing.”

Samuelle says, “I am going to the University of Lethbridge to get my Bachelor of Science in agricultural biotechnology. I am from a farming community in Bow Island, so agriculture has always been a part of my life. After I achieve my degree in Lethbridge, I want to go to the University of Calgary’s veterinary medicine program and ultimately become a large animal veterinarian.

Both have great advice for the students entering Grade 12 this fall.

“Enjoy it! It goes by really fast,” says Samuelle.

“Work hard and do not let school become a second priority,” shares Dyllan.

They both say a deep and heartfelt thank you to the teachers, parents, and the school division.

“They have all been very supportive of our class, and it has been great to have that level of support.”

Dyllan concludes about graduation day with Samuelle in full agreement, “It went very well! It was an emotional day for all of us. It was very special and I’m glad we got to graduate from St. Michaels.”