It was a memorable day as 27 of the 36 graduates of Okotoks' St. Luke's Outreach School walked the stage last Thursday.

The grads, their parents and staff dressed up in formal attire, received their diplomas and had a dinner in honour of the students, that for many reasons didn't thrive in traditional school settings but persevered anyway.

Principal of St. Luke's Leslie Woehleke says it was a wonderful day of commemoration.

"It's an amazing milestone for these kids and for their families, to make it to this point where some of them, not all but some of them felt in their high school career that they wouldn't have made it. So it's a great day to celebrate St. Luke's and what we do for kids that come to our school."

The outreach school has four different locations in Alberta: Okotoks, High River, Brooks and Drumheller, and Okotoks has about 100 students attending their school out of the total of 175 province-wide.

One of their students, Shantay Heagnier, was asked to be a co-ambassador of the ceremony held for all four locations grads.

Heagnier says being able to speak in front of her fellow classmates meant the world to her.

"For me to be able to go up there and tell every single person that comes to St. Luke's and everyone that I go to school with that I love you and you are going far and you are going to do amazing things that was amazing for me, that was the best feeling in the world... it was something I'll never be able to repay St. Luke's for and all and all I am more than grateful for this school."

Shantay was one of the many students that has had numerous obstacles she's had to overcome in her life to get where she is today.

English teacher Judi Parks says it's an honour to see these kids carry on.

"They have faced some road blocks and obstacles that we've been privileged not to face and yet they have accomplished what some of them thought they never could and that's incredible. They doubted graduating themselves and to see them accomplish their goal, it's inspirational, it's like a Disney movie...these kids come and accomplish something extraordinary."

The staff at the outreach school believes by changing the student's opinions about themselves and allowing the students to see what the teachers see everyday; raw potential is key to success.

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