"People say we're the class of 2020, "the class graduating through COVID-19," but it's not a pandemic that sets our class apart."

That from Amy Lloyd valedictorian for the graduating class at Northlands Parkway Collegiate in Winkler. The school is holding a online streamed recorded grad ceremony Monday morning, with diploma distribution happening Tuesday through Thursday.

Lloyd shared her valedictorian speech on a recorded graduation ceremony video Monday and says she really wanted to capture the essence of her class. She notes their grade was the first to hold a pep rally. "It was very exciting, we had everyone dressed up in red, there were pies being thrown, tug-of-war contests... it just brought a new sense of community to our grade that we didn't have before."

She explains their class was also known for their artistry after holding a musical production of Shrek.

"We just had some really talented singers and actors to create a great play," she says. "There were art students involved in making the props, it was great to see different people come together and create memories we won't soon forget."

And when COVID-19 did hit, Lloyd says they witnessed their teachers go above and beyond online. "The effort they put in when classes went online... a lot made some interesting videos, incorporated props and their dogs, it was really neat to see."

In the end, she says the challenges of social distancing only worked to reveal their resiliency, and also their love of Northlands Parkway Collegiate.

"Pretty much every classmate I talked to said, "I want to go back,"' Lloyd says. "I could see how invested they were in school."

"It's been pretty tough for all of us, especially in our grade 12 years... to all of a sudden doing school through a computer," she adds. "But our class was very adaptable."

Looking beyond graduation, Lloyd looks forward to pursuing her post-secondary studies in science at the U of M.

Graduates at NPC will accept their diplomas at the school Tuesday through Thursday this week, complete with a grad photo session Wednesday. The public is invited to join as celebrations wrap up Friday with a grad parade from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. Click here for more information.