On 27 May, Grade 12 graduates had the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive event dubbed “grad tea” together in one room.

Awareness of the event was first made over the morning announcements. Eligible students could pick up their little, green tickets in the main office with Ms. Mazzaferro. All that was required was for students to state their name and be in Grade 12 and they could receive a ticket.

Grad Tea 2

Students were given cupcakes and sandwiches. Photo: Christina Chen

The grad tea was held in the cafeteria during period 5 on 27 May. After showing their tickets at the door, students lined up to the stage, where Mr. Sharp waited dutifully to collect their tickets as food vouchers. Students then had an assortment of beautiful sandwiches and cupcakes to choose from, with a complete plate consisting of one sandwich and one cupcake. Sandwiches included roast beef, turkey, salami, and more. A dill pickle slice was skewered atop each sandwich with a toothpick decorated with coloured plastic wrap on one tip. A drink complemented the meal. With full plates, students mingled and socialized with others.

Opinions of the event varied. When asked to comment on his experience, Maxwell Chan said “I think that right now, grad tea doesn’t really serve any purpose other than letting kids skip class. We go in and get food, we sit, someone plays two songs that I’ve never heard of before, and people leave without doing anything. It’s basically another lunch period with a small basic sandwich and cupcake. Unless you stick some sort of activity in there, it’s really a waste of time and resources.”

Regarding the event, Ruzbeh Irani said “Although the pleasant atmosphere was appealing to us graduating students, we were misinformed about the theme of the event. A more appropriate name should have been chosen for this event.”