One of the largest graduating classes Petersburg has seen in a while will be receiving their diplomas tonight. There are 45 seniors graduating this year. KFSK’s Angela Denning spoke with a few teachers at the high school about the class of 2018.

It’s lunchtime at the high school and half a dozen teachers are eating in the break room. They’re taking a break from the week’s hectic pace. School is almost out for the year and the students are abuzz with excitement and the graduating class is no different.

So what does make this graduating class unique? What’s different about this class and all the rest?

“It’s very difficult to quantify what we think of the senior class because they’re different than any other senior class,” said long-time high school science teacher, Victor Troutman. He’s taught most of the students who are graduating.

“Like all senior classes that have been here in the past they have their own unique personality that they generate when you put them together with a class that may be different than what they are individually,” Troutman said.

The school’s computer science instructor, Jon Kludt-Painter, has gotten to know some of the seniors well.

“I’m losing five of them from the tech program,” Kludt-Painter said.

Kludt-Painter has taught some of the students for four years. He says two of them already know they want to go into computer science and engineering in college.

“There’s a little niche there or a gap I guess that we’ll have to train up some kids,” Kludt-Painter said. “So some powerful personalities, several of them Boy Scouts and three of them Eagle Scouts. So, they bring that whole dynamic to the tech department that will be challenging to replace.”

Shop teacher, Dave Owens, has also seen some of the seniors grow up through his classes in recent years.

“I have a handful of seniors that will be greatly missed,” Owens said. “A handful of them are going on to AVTEC and Helena College to pursue degrees in the trades and I’m confident that they’ll go on to do great things.”

The graduation ceremony is tonight at 7 p.m. in the high school gym.