Noah Barclay is the valedictorian. Paul Kempf is the salutatorian.

And that’s it for Veritas Christian School’s class of 2005.

Barclay and Kempf are Veritas’ first graduates – ever. They are the products of a high school program started two years ago at the school of about 140 students.

For the two teens, the graduation ceremony set for Saturday marks the end of a unique year.

“It’ll be something to remember, definitely,” Barclay said.

Kempf attended Veritas in his earlier years and returned to Veritas from Lawrence High School for his senior year.

Barclay moved to Lawrence from Illinois. His father, Jeff Barclay, is administrator of the school, 256 N. Mich.

When they joined the student body at the start of this school year, Barclay and Kempf took a path never before traveled.

They’ve been the big men on campus.

“It felt cool ’cause we were the top dogs,” Barclay said.

Senior life at Veritas is a bit different from that of larger schools.

The school doesn’t always separate students by grade level. Depending on their needs, students of different ages may be together in a classroom. Barclay and Kempf took classes with juniors.

There wasn’t a prom. Kempf attended the LHS prom, instead.

Paul Kempf, left, and Noah Barclay are the first graduates from Veritas Christian School, 256 N. Mich. The seniors will graduate Saturday.

There was a clean slate for starting traditions. Barclay and Kempf made up a few school chants.

And they started at least one senior tradition: fishing. Both said they would long remember their times out by the water talking and trying to catch fish.

High school reunions, Kempf said, can take place every day at the lake.

Both are athletes and were leaders on the school’s teams, athletic director and coach Doug Bennett said.

Kempf favors football. Barclay played basketball.

“They were great athletes,” Bennett said. “They set the example of what a leader needs to do as an upperclassman.”

As the first graduates, their pictures will hang on a Veritas wall where future graduates will also one day be on display.

6News video: Two seniors make up Veritas Christian’s first graduating class (05-20-05)

The graduation ceremony will be traditional. Both grads will give speeches. Noah Barclay put together pictures that will be flashed to music for the senior slideshow.

And, like ceremonies at bigger schools, there will be reflection.

“It’s been a great senior atmosphere,” Kempf said. “I just see this school going great places.”