Speaker: So you know he never did graduate. Interviewer: Okay. Speaker: Yeah, but anyway, my other best friend, he had to go for a victory lap. And it wasn't really victorious though (laughs). Interviewer: (Laughs). Speaker: So anyway ah, so he had a big graduation party and um- I don't even know what happened like, it just got so intense and we were all so drunk ...

Interviewer: And you're in what grade? Speaker: Grade- well this is my second year of grade-twelve. Interviewer: Oh, okay. Speaker: Yeah. So. Interviewer: S-- Speaker: Victory lap. Interviewer: Ah, yes, I hear about this. What's the deal with this thing? Speaker: The victory lap? Well I-don't-know, it's just an extra year of high-school to get your grades up, to take courses that you missed. Interviewer: Oh. Speaker: Or, yeah. Like, a lot of places don't do it, but, ah, teachers encourage it here. Interviewer: Oh yeah? Speaker: It's just- well yeah, it's just an extra year to prepare yourself ...

Speaker: Fi-- fifth year's enough. It's kind-of like- it's kind-of like when you finish like a really long race and then you have to do one more lap. Or just do it again. Interviewer: Yes. Speaker: And just kind of wander afterwards. Interviewer: Well this is what I'm hearing, the victory lap, this term has come up about a thousand times since I've been here. Speaker: Yeah. Everyone's doing it now. Like every- everyone in the school it seems.

Speaker: No, she's not o-- she wasn't one that could hardly wait to get out of high-school 'cause she's- she did a victory lap. She stuck around for a fifth year. Interviewer: Yes. Speaker: Um, largely to do some of the volunteer work that she didn't have a chance to do. Interviewer: Yeah. Speaker: She wouldn't- she didn't get into it in grade-eleven. Grade-eleven is a crunch year.