Tonight's graduation night at MacGregor Collegiate Institute. Principal Leslie Nichol says they haven't seen this many grads in years.

Aidan Chambers"This year at MacGregor Collegiate, we actually have one of the largest graduating classes we've had in the past few years. And we are up to 55 graduates who will walk across the stage tonight. Very exciting. It's been a tedious journey for some of these graduates because they've been with us since kindergarten. And then with some of the feeder schools that join us in grade nine, it's culminated into quite a large number."

She adds they're a great group of kids, and aren't only a strong academic class, but they're also great friends within and around the community. Nichol says many partnerships were developed with the students outside of school with the intergenerational board game club, and the apprenticeship groups.

Aidan Chambers is the valedictorian for this year, and says he's a bit nervous about tonight, and shares his plans for the future.

"I plan to open my own construction business after a couple of years when I get my ticket. I'm in a high school apprenticeship program. I've been working for about two years now, half a year every year."

He recounts a highlight of his school days.

"I'm not a big hockey player, but I put the pads on for the annual hockey tournament we have, and we won that. So, that's pretty exciting."