It鈥檚 been almost eight weeks since Premier Scott Moe鈥檚 announcement that Saskatchewan schools would be suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic; a closure that is being felt acutely by the community at LCBI, particularly as the calendar inches closer to what is one of the biggest events of the year; graduation weekend.
For more than 100 years, the Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute, situated just north of Outlook, has provided education to students from across the province, the country and around the world. By intent, the faith-based high school seeks to create a close-knit atmosphere on campus and so the disruption of that community is being keenly experienced by students and staff alike. President Wayne Hove remarked, 鈥淲e operate like an extended family. Separating family so abruptly was literally heartbreaking.鈥�
Hove and the staff decided the best way to communicate the announcement to the student body was at the daily chapel service since everyone would be gathered in one place. President Hove reflected, 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy. I think for the first ten minutes there was just silence. As the news set in there were many, many tears.鈥�
Grade 12 student Daniel Yanez remembers, 鈥淚 was sort of in a daze. It was a surreal experience; none of us really expected the pandemic to affect us.鈥� Following the announcement, he took time to consider what it meant. 鈥淚n my spare period after chapel, I didn鈥檛 do any work, I just wandered the halls. I felt robbed of the rest of my grade 12 year. I still do. It was such an abrupt end.鈥�
Students quickly realized how much would be lost. Nyah Hopkins, also in grade 12 remarked, 鈥淚 was upset. We were getting into that time of year where I had everything to look forward to; choir tour, grad, and the musical, and then we had to put that all on hold.鈥�
Although there was no requirement that students in the province make use of on-line learning options, LCBI students seemed eager to get classes rolling again. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been interesting,鈥� Hove remarked. 鈥淔or the most part we have almost all our students continuing. We鈥檙e working through Google Classroom and almost all of our students are partaking in all of their classes.鈥�
But it鈥檚 not just classes. The school community is also gathering for daily chapel services and this is particularly significant to Hove. 鈥淥ur goal is to train the whole student. We are a 鈥榃e Would See Jesus鈥� school. There鈥檚 no way we could stop chapels. If we鈥檙e not going to stop classes we鈥檙e not going to stop chapels.鈥澛犅犅� It鈥檚 something Nyah points to as an area of appreciation in how the school has dealt with the campus closure. 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely grateful we鈥檝e continued to do chapel over video call every day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t gives me a chance to see everyone鈥檚 faces and maintain the sense of community that I love about LCBI.鈥�
Much of what sets the school apart happens outside the classroom, and that lack of interaction and fellowship is a big loss. 鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult to express the hurt of the separation that we feel,鈥� Hove remarked. 鈥淥ur model of development requires students to be working and living and learning in that extended family. When we lost that, we lost three and a half months of that beautiful growth.鈥�
It has also taken away a true highlight of the year. The second weekend in May has traditionally been LCBI graduation, drawing hundreds of guests to campus for a list of events. That is now on hold, with no plans at this point to try and do something on-line. 鈥淎 virtual grad just doesn鈥檛 work for LCBI,鈥� Hove explained. 鈥淗ere it鈥檚 not just a ceremony and done. It鈥檚 a whole full weekend.鈥� Events include a BBQ, banquet, grand march, talent show, worship service, ceremony and more, leading Hove to conclude, 鈥淚 really think we need a physical grad.鈥� Much is yet to be determined, but he is hoping some sort of event can be held in the fall to celebrate the class of 2020. 鈥淭his has been most difficult for the grade 12鈥檚. Our grad weekend is a big deal so this has been tough on them.鈥�
Nyah Hopkins pointed to grad weekend as impacting her desire to be an LCBI student. 鈥淚 grew up being around LCBI a lot,鈥� she said 鈥渂ut I think the moment I really knew I wanted to graduate there was when I went to a family friend鈥檚 graduation six years ago. I thought the way LCBI did grad was really unique and special, and I loved the community-centered atmosphere. I knew then that I wanted to be a Bison and have a grad ceremony like that of my own.鈥�
Daniel Yanez said the planning has been many months in the making. 鈥淚, alongside basically the rest of the grade twelves, was already making plans by the end of grade eleven. We were already coming up with possible grad themes, and some of those details. Grad is such a big part of LCBI, and I was so excited for it, so I have been picturing my Grad really since last year鈥檚 graduation ceremony.鈥�
With dresses and suits ready to go the class now heads into a weekend very different from what they had dreamed. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 currently have anything planned,鈥� Nyah said 鈥渂ut I imagine our class will figure out something to do together. We鈥檝e been good about having video calls to discuss grad and to keep up with each other, so I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l figure out something.鈥�
LCBI has faced its share of challenges in the past including the 1918-19 school year when Outlook College, as it was then known, was impacted by the Spanish influenza epidemic. As referenced in its history book, the epidemic was a severe setback for the school forcing the cancellation of the Fall term. Although it reopened in the winter, the term was badly disrupted by a recurrence of the illness, turning it into a hospital at times. It also faced temporary closure during a period of time in the 1930鈥檚, an influenza outbreak at the start of the 1957 school year, and other ups and downs over its long history. But each time, the school rebounded.
As President Hove looks to the future and a reopening plan, there are a lot of variables still to be determined. But he says they are looking at every potential and will be flexible in their planning. 鈥淭he campus is not meant to be empty,鈥� he remarked. 鈥淚t鈥檚 meant to be vibrant with the energy of these daughters and sons of LCBI.鈥�
Students are certainly feeling that as well. Daniel said, 鈥淚 think what I miss most about not being there is what I just love most about LCBI in general; the community. I miss there always being something new going on at the school.鈥�
As students continue these weeks from home, they are regretting how different it is, but also looking forward to the future and their postsecondary goals. Nyah will be studying Animal Bioscience at the University of Saskatchewan, while Daniel has been accepted to Trinity Western University in Langley, BC into their Worship Arts program.
President Hove and the LCBI staff are also hopeful for the future. 鈥淥ur faith has to be larger than fear. This is temporary. We want to walk in our faith and remind ourselves that God is bigger than our fears.鈥�
