Class of 2013

In June 2013, seven high school students acquired all the necessary credits and community service hours to be eligible for graduation.  They were all ecstatic at finishing an important academic milestone in their lives and looked forward to the ceremony in October.  The ceremony is held in the fall because in June, the weather is warm, the snow & ice are melting, and everyone is too busy camping, fishing, and hunting.  At the same time, the graduates were saddened to be leaving high school because they had many great and memorable experiences.  All high school graduates have those thoughts.          

            

The successful completion of high school is an important step into adulthood.  With a high school diploma, one can continue his or her studies at a post-secondary institution (ie. university, college, trade school), or enter the workforce right away.  Whatever the direction a young high school graduate chooses, the diploma in their hands is the gateway to a better income and higher standard of living.  These views were echoed by the majority of candidates in the recent Nunavut election.  Improving the education system in the territory has become an important political issue, with calls to improve the quality by adding more northern-focused content, and to increase the number of Inuit graduates by getting them the assistance they need. 

            

Paulette Campbell, the high school art teacher, was in charge of organizing graduation, a task that requires dedication, organization, and direction, but she was more than ready to take on the necessary challenges.  As well, she also had the assistance of the graduates, parents, and the teachers on the graduation committee.  Fundraising played a huge part because money was needed to pay for graduation gowns, renting the Community Hall, a graduation cake, food for the formal dinner, decorations, the dance DJ, and professional photographer.  The majority of the money raised came from holding a draw for two First Air return tickets to Iqaluit or Ottawa.  Free plane tickets are a hot commodity because air travel is very expensive in the north.  I bought four tickets but didn't win.  Money was also raised by holding a table sale at the Community Hall on Saturdays.  Anything can be sold at table sales: clothing, food, used DVDs, housing items, etc. 

            

The big day was set for Friday, October 11.  On Thursday, many teachers and high school students flocked over to the Community Hall to get everything ready.  The dinner tables & chairs needed to be set up, curtains needed to be hanged, and a lot of balloons needed to be blown up and attached to strings so they could be hung.  I should have brought earplugs because many balloons popped for no reason.  A long purple carpet, pasted with stars, had been laid out down the middle of the hall.  A tall purple arch was placed at the halfway mark.  The graduation colour this year was purple.  By the early evening, everything was set up and ready to go. 

            

The festivities began at 6pm on Friday.  School had been dismissed thirty minutes early so that teachers and students could get ready for the ceremony.  I arrived at the Community Hall several minutes before 6, wearing a black suit with a colourful inukshuk tie.  As more and more people arrived in formal attire, I passed the time photographing the decorations.  The graduate dinner was the first item on the program and it was for the graduates (obviously), their parents, invited guests, and Inuujaq School staff.  The buffet-styled dinner offered caribou, chicken, ham, turkey, stuffing, bread, salad, vegetables, mashed potatoes, and gravy.  It was a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner prepared by the Banquet Coordinator, Hanna Aola.

            

At 7pm, the tables were cleared and rows of grey chairs were set up for the audience.  The graduates changed into their purple graduation gowns and caps.  Some had their pictures taken with family and friends while they waited.  By 8pm, the hall was packed with excited people.  The MCs for the ceremony were Iga Muckpa and Geela Arnauyumayuq, both Inuujaq School teachers.  Geela also serves as Arctic Bay's deputy mayor.  When it was time, the MCs asked everyone to take their seats and asked those teachers who were presenting awards to sit on stage behind the seats reserved for the graduates.  Adhering to the call, I took my seat on stage and waited for the ceremony to begin.  The principal, A. Salam, also took his seat on stage.  The remaining teaching staff sat with the audience.  

            

At 8pm, the lights were dimmed and the graduates were escorted to the front by RCMP Constable Sean Bulford.  The chosen theme song, "Rollin'" by Ish, was played over loud speakers.  As the audience stood and cheered for the graduates, several spectators lit sparklers, and others recorded the procession with their cameras and iPods.  When the graduates were seated, the music stopped and the qulliq was lit by Qapik Attagutsiak, a well-respected elder.  This was followed by an opening prayer by Sam Willie.

            

The ceremony began with an address to the graduates by the principal of Inuujaq School.  He spoke in English and Inuktitut, congratulating the graduates for completing high school and wishing them the best in their future endeavours.  He then presented each graduate with their diploma.  The DEA Chair, Tagoonark Qavavauq, followed with a speech, echoing the same sentiments of the principal but also stressing the importance of high school education.

            

The next segment of the ceremony was the handing out of seven awards to the winning graduates.  Andrew Reid was awarded the Governor General's Award and the Hamlet Award, presented by Principal A. Salam and Geela Arnauyumayuq respectively.  Bruno Attagutsiak won two awards: Citizenship/Leadership, and Inuktitut Language Achievement.  They were presented to him by me, the Social Studies teacher, and Iga, the high school Inuktitut teacher.  Alisa Shooyook also won two awards, Math & Science and the Language Arts Achievement Award, presented by Coreen Collins, the high school science teacher, and Paulette.  All graduates were awarded the Baffinland Iron Mines Achievement Award and would each receive a laptop.

            

What followed were statements from the graduates and their parents.  This portion of the ceremony followed an 'open-up-the-floor' approach.  The graduates kept their statements short and to the point, thanking their parents, friends, and relatives for their support.  The parents spoke the most, their statements being short speeches.  

            

The closing remarks were given to Paulette, and she personally congratulated the graduates on their success and wished them all the best.  She also thanked the audience for coming out to support the graduates.  In return, the audience thanked Paulette for organizing the ceremony by giving her a standing ovation.  The graduates were led out of the hall by the RCMP Constable while the song "Rollin'" played.  The hall was filled with cheers and applause.  While the graduates celebrated by cutting the graduation cake, people began to clear the chairs to make way for the celebratory dance.  The southern teachers and I quietly exited the Community Hall.