Glacier Lake School in St. Ignatius celebrated the graduation of Conner Ferril, Kemberly Gibson, Gabe Moxness Myard and Jayden Smith in a commencement ceremony June 14.

The event was held outdoors on the school soccer field, with family and friends in attendance. Conner Ferrill gave a commencement address.

Glacier Lake School operates on a self-directed, democratic education model. Students intending to graduate prepare a thesis to make their own case for why they are ready to graduate.

Each of the prospective graduates selected a committee of mentors, including both students and adults, to help them work through the thesis process. The thesis includes addressing four “challenges,” working to define their values, contributions to service in their community, life skills, and describing steps and skills they have gained and/or need to take next toward their short and longer-term goals after graduation. Among their many interests and accomplishments, this small class was active in, and interested in pursuing, such varied fields as stage production and acting, foreign languages and American Sign Language, locksmithing, mediation, horses, mountaineering and hiking, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, metal smithing, mental health, international travel, and music, to name a few. Each served in at least one office in helping run the school, including chairing school meetings, maintaining and updating the rule books, and serving as secretary for recording meeting minutes.