MONTREAL -- Almost 40 years ago, Kamala Harris graduated from Montreal's Westmount High School. On Monday, students at her alma mater came to class knowing that one of their own would be the next vice-president of the United States.

“I am super excited that there's a very influential figure that went to my school,” said student Charlotte Harrison. “It really inspires me.”

“It's such a surreal feeling,” agreed student council co-president Aaron Itovitch. “Our school, our public high school in Quebec, managed to bring a vice-president into this world.”

Faculty seized on the historic win to tell students that someone very much like them was about to ascend to the second-highest office in the United States.

“We needed to talk to our students and let them know that this is pretty groundbreaking,” said guidance counsellor Karen Allen. “Our alumna is in the second highest position in the world, so it's pretty important.”

Joe Biden's victory over President Donald Trump will make Harris the first female vice president, as well as the first Black person and first person of South Asian descent to hold that office.

“For some students, I think it really reinforces the notion that anything is possible, that everything is possible,” said Allen.