REPULSE BAY - The 2009 graduation ceremonies at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay provided an emotional send-off for longtime principal Leonie Aissaoui.

The class of 2009 was the largest graduating class in school history, with 15 students receiving their Grade 12 diplomas.

Aissaoui, who spent 15 years in Repulse, also saw her grandson, Devin Aviugana, named class valedictorian and her physically-challenged son, Johan Grandjambe, receive his Grade 12 diploma.

Aissaoui said the ceremony was emotional for her, but not as bad as she had feared.

She said it certainly felt different to watch the ceremony from a seat in the crowd, rather than being at the front of the proceedings handing out diplomas.

"My new job is a two-year-term position in Iqaluit, so you never know what may happen in the future," said Aissaoui.

"It was so wonderful to not only have the biggest graduation in school history as I left, but to have 15 grads.

"That's one grad for every year I was in Repulse."

Aissaoui said one of the things that struck her about this year's graduation was how wonderful the grads looked.

She said it wasn't always that way for Repulse grad.

"I remember looking at pictures of female grads in Baker Lake many years ago and thinking how beautiful their gowns were, because we didn't really have that here.

"But, this year, our female grads were just beautiful in their gowns and all our boys were so handsome.

"It sure was a big change from my first few years in Repulse."

Aissaoui said she was also very appreciative of the effort put in to help her son enjoy his graduation ceremony.

She said she was very, very happy watching him accept his diploma.

"I was a bit worried about Johan being in a wheelchair for the grad because I wanted him to be just like everyone else.

"Our shop teacher built a ramp to the stage during the summer so Johan could go up and down to the stage like everybody else.

"It was cool that he could drive himself up and down and not have to be carried by anyone.

"It made everything even more special for me."