Students at Sundre High School (SHS) were hard at work last week at various places in the community to raise funds for graduation.
From Wednesday to Saturday, students in all grades at SHS found jobs around town to work for the annual four-day event called May Queen.
“We get kids organized by grade and then those grades will go out and get jobs in the community,” said Tyler Jesse, teacher and students' union advisor at SHS.
“Whether that's raking leaves, cutting lawn, hauling timber, whatever the employer wants,” he said.
The funds raised go towards graduation, but also other things as well.
“The funds that come in get turned basically right back to the kids, in terms of athletic funding, band program funding, extracurricular of any kind,” he explained.
The event has been happening since 1969 and the requirements differ for each grade, he said.
Each grade sets a goal of anywhere between one and 30 hours, and if they reach that goal then they get into the crowning dance for free, he said.
The crowning dance is on Thursday, where the winners of May Queen are announced. The event has raised up to $50,000 in past years.
“Our goals here this year are to get everybody involved and to develop young citizens and to get them to realize what's important,” he said. “Helping your neighbour is important, helping your community is important.”
Grade 9 students Chase Griffin and Jordan Pask participated in the event for the first time this year.
They worked at a few different places, Griffin working 14 hours and Pask working 13.
