The first class to spend their entire high school career at Northlands Parkway Collegiate are graduating Tuesday.

Unlike the grades before them, the class of 2017 has only known Winkler's newest high school.

Valedictorian Caitlyn Haney explains their four years were marked by the compassion of their teachers.

"They were always there to help, they were always willing," Haney says. "You're sitting there struggling with an assignment, they're just like "come in at lunch, we can go over it," it's nice to know the teachers are always looking out for you."

Haney says it'll be an honour to represent her class, "this is what I was working towards," she says.

She notes the smaller grade has created close relationship between the entire class.

"I wouldn't want to spend these last four years with anybody else, I don't think any of us would," she says.

The high volume of student-initiated volunteer potlucks the grade regularly held may have caught some teachers by surprise, but Haney says it was bonding moments.