Grade 12 students on the islands are gearing up for Grad 2011.Queen Charlotte Secondary's grad takes place this weekend on Saturday May 28 starting at 1 pm at the high school gym. Not only are 29 students graduating, but Karl Puls is also retiring after 35 years of teaching. QCSS principal Stephanie Hedley-Smith said the students asked him to be the master of ceremonies for the event to honour his long career at the school."He'll be the first to walk," said Ms Hedley-Smith referring to the long standing tradition of the grad walk, where students pick their favourite song and walk the aisle to the stage to receive their diploma.The students already went on a celebratory grad trip to Hotsprings Island in Gwaii Haanas and they spent two nights at Mt. Moresby Adventure Camp. Ms Hedley-Smith said they chose that as their grad party and while there they reminisced about their Grade 8 trip to the camp.In Masset, graduation ceremonies will be held on Saturday June 25. GM Dawson principal Lorrie Joron said the 16 grad students are planning a quiet dinner in a local restaurant after the ceremony. She said one of the long-time features of the Masset event is the picture show which features five or six images of each student as a baby, gradually getting older until their grad year. People are often guessing until the last shot at who the featured person is. A complete list of all graduates at both schools is published in this Observer on page 6. Congratulations, one and all!