Working your way through school is great, and even better when work helps pay for the school itself.

That's part of the deal for students who work at Canadian Tire and participate in the company's scholarship program.

This year, 11 students in Swift Current managed to qualify for the scholarship, receiving a combined $15,000. That sum is the largest amount in the Swift Current store's history.

Tyler Lemieux is the general manager at the Swift Current Canadian Tire. He was proud of this year's graduates, with a few stand-out examples on his mind.

"I'd like to give a shout-out to our three students that were over the $2000 mark," said Lemieux. "That's Slate Prefontaine, Davis Kohler and Peyton Johnson."

Canadian Tire Grads BBQBurgers, lawn chairs, and friendship.(photo by Hayden Michaels)

The program works on the basis that the more hours a student is able to work, the more money is set aside for them in the program. The sooner they start working, the more they can potentially earn. The earliest that they can begin is at 15 years old, as that is the youngest age anyone can begin working at Canadian Tire.

"A lot of them have been here for more than a year or two," said Lemieux. "Emma Carlson was our longest-standing student. She's been here three years now. It's exciting when we can work with the same group for so long."

Canadian Tire celebrated their graduating students with their annual Student Appreciation Barbeque, where everyone who will be graduating that year is invited to come out back to the store for food and refreshments. Students are handed documentation of their efforts and photographed with the store managers. 

They capped the event with a big group photo in front of the store, commemorating their time together working at Canadian Tire as a team.