By Adam Eisenbarth
They may have gone to school in Lacombe, but Rimbey is still home for five students who recently graduated from Central Alberta Christian High School.
Chris Loov, Phil Buist, Ryan Weenink, Curtis Carruthers and Jaici Thompson have become quite close friends over the years; some since kindergarten at Rimbey Christian School. The students made the daily trip to Lacombe throughout the school year and celebrated together as they concluded their K-12 education.
On June 18 the students graduated and now that their graduation has had some time to sink in, they enter a new era of their lives, with mixed feelings about the future.
“It’s kind of strange,” said Buist, who will study for his bachelor of commerce degree. “I’m going to Red Deer College this fall.”
Though you may think the students would have become closer in their time at Lacombe, the group actually was closer in Rimbey.
“We were all friends in high school but we hung out with different people too, it wasn’t like we all just stuck together,” said Loov. “I still hang out with a couple of them quite a bit.”
Carruthers agreed that the different school had the students go their separate ways. “We were closer in Rimbey, I guess just because (Lacombe’s) a bigger school.”
His mother, Kathy, watched the students grow up together and was glad to see her son grow up in such a small community environment.
“Curtis just went there for Grade 12 but it was just nice to see that they all graduated together.”
The group was also connected by hockey as well. All five played together in the Parkland Hockey League.