Meet the only graduate at one rural Nova Scotia P-12 school
With approximately 60 students, the graduating classes at Advocate District School in Advocate Harbour, N.S., tend to be small, but this year it's really small.
On Thursday, the school's only Grade 12 student will be graduating.
"It does feel weird. It's different knowing you're the only one everyone is going to be looking at," said Jordan Macgillivary, 18.
"You're all alone, so everybody is looking at you and it is nerve-racking. There is no one there to take the attention off you ... but I'm ready for it."
Macgillivary has known for a while he would likely be walking across the stage solo to get his diploma. At the end of his Grade 10 year, two of his classmates transferred to different schools. He'd been with them since Grade Primary.
"One moved to Amherst and one moved to Parrsboro ... I did miss them ... I had become quite good friends with them," Macgillivary said.
After his classmates left, Macgillivary said he was absorbed into split classes — so he rarely had to be alone.
He said he's also travelled to other schools to attend dances and proms.
School has had 1 graduate before
"Most proms are usually the same night or close to the same night, so it's hard. And since we're so isolated, it's quite a long drive to other people place's for dances or proms," said Macgillivary.
Three years ago, Macgillivary said another student ended up being the only Grade 12 student. He said he turned to her for advice.
"She said it just takes some getting used to and that you just talk to other students that are there in other grades, so you're going to get a connection with them instead of always being on your own," said Macgillivary.
Class valedictorian
He said the whole school will be taking part in his graduation and prom. He will be the valedictorian and will be making a speech.
"It doesn't matter how many graduates there are. We're a small school, so we always make sure everybody is included in everything," he said.
"Everybody is very close to each other, everybody knows each other very well. We like to keep together," he said.
Macgillivary works for his family's logging company and runs his own firewood business. Next year, he plans to attend the Maritime College of Forest Technology in Fredericton. After that, he may do two additional years of university to get a degree.
