High School Grads Of 2017

We had seven high school graduates this year.  It’s always a joy seeing your students finish their high school studies and move on to bigger things.  You’ll miss them but you’re glad they are better prepared to tackle the “real world”.  The most popular options our grads choose are: attending Nunavut Sivuniksavut, going to Arctic College, begin working, or take a year off.  The level of excitement among our grads slowly increased with each passing day and reached its peak by the beginning of June.  The ceremony was set for June 7.  The students fundraised to purchase graduation gowns, food, and decorations.  They also chose a popular song to serve as the theme of the graduation.  (More on that coming up).

            

The Graduation Committee decided that the grads should be acknowledged by the student body for completing high school.  On the afternoon of June 5, the seven graduates changed into their grad gowns and were led down the main hallway by an Inuit drummer.  Students and teachers from the lower grades stood on both sides of the main hallway and clapped & cheered.  I photographed & filmed the procession.  The grads grinned, smiled, and gave the younger students hi-fives.  The walked to the elementary wing and then came back for a second pass.  It was a small activity that I think went a long way.  As one teacher commented, “The younger students need to see the older kids graduating.  This will inspire them to never give up.”

            

The community hall was decorated by the middle & high school students on June 6.  Hundreds of balloons were blown up, tied together, and hung on the walls.  Several popped.  Purple and gold curtains were put up along the walls.  A large Inuit themed mural made by Paulette’s art class was taped to the wall on the main stage.  I was drafted to transport the heavy items – plates, cutlery, bowls, cups, glasses, flowers, and candles – from the school to the community hall.  All these items were placed in the kitchen.  The decorations were up by the end of the day.

            

Main stage with mural.

Table decorations.

June 7.  The day was here.  Graduation.  Everyone was looking forward to this.  School was dismissed early so that everyone could go home and get ready.  June 7 also happened to be the last day of school.  (More on this in a future post).  The Graduation Dinner was scheduled for 6pm.  I arrived at the community hall about twenty minutes early to add the salad dressings to the bowls of salad I made the night before.  I was wearing a suit with a sealskin tie.  The dinner was a pot luck and several teachers were tasked preparing a portion of the menu.  The graduates, their families, school staff, and invited guests attended the dinner.  The front of the hall was converted into a dining area, complete with tables, chairs, flowers, candles, plates, and cutlery.  The food & drinks were placed on three tables against a wall.

            

Philip says Grace.

The head of the Graduation Committee, Paulette, began the festivities by welcoming everyone.  She then handed the microphone to Philip Kalluk, former mayor of Arctic Bay, to say the opening prayer.  He works at the school as a student support assistant and his son happened to be one of the graduates.  Everyone lined up to fill their plates with food.  Obviously, the graduates were the first in line.  It will take too long to list all the various dishes, so I’ll just say there were meats, vegetables, rice, macaroni, tea, coffee, juice, and various desserts.  I enjoyed two servings.        

              

Grad cake.

Grads begin cutting the cake.

The graduation cake was prepared by JF.  He spent quite some time preparing, baking, and decorating the cake.  The end result was a work of art.  The graduates changed into their gowns and posed next to the cake.  I snapped as many photos as I could before the cake was cut into many pieces.  This is where learning fractions pays off.  The graduates were the first to receive pieces of cake, followed by everyone else.  Once the cake was no more, everyone helped putting away the tables, dishes, and table decorations.  The empty space in front of the stage was filled with rows of fold out chairs. 

             

Grad program.

Audience.

The ceremony began at 8pm.  The community hall was filled with people wanting to see and congratulate the next batch of Inuit youth for completed high school.  I had removed my blazer and dress shoes and put on my sealskin vest and kamiks.  I handed off my camera to a student to take pictures and videos of the ceremony.  I was required to sit on stage behind the grads.  Three senior Inuujaq School students opened the gathering with an Inuit song, complete with drum dancing and throat singing.  The grads were then escorted to the stage by an RCMP officer.  The audience clapped & cheered as the students took their seats on stage.  Qaapik Attagutsiak, Arctic Bay’s most senior elder lit a ceremonial qulliq, signalling the beginning of the ceremony.  Everyone was then permitted to sit.

            

Grads of 2017.

Qaapik Attagutsiak

Principal Salam

There were two emcees.  Piuyuq Enoogoo & Kataisee Attagutsiak.  They welcomed everyone to the graduation ceremony of 2017 and introduced the principal of Inuujaq School.  Principal Salam also welcomed everyone and read a letter given to him by Paul Quassa, the Nunavut Minister of Education.  In it, Mr. Quassa congratulated the seven students for completing their studies and wished them the best in their future endeavours.  He also encouraged them to think about a career in education because Nunavut desperately needs bilingual teachers.  (Bilingualism in Nunavut means English & Inuktitut).

            

Curtis Willie is overjoyed
to receive his diploma.

Principal Salam called up each student individually to receive their high school diploma.  The graduates couldn’t hide their smiles.  They were ecstatic.  Everyone could see “huge weights” being lifted off the shoulders of the “Magnificent Seven”.

            

The ceremony moved on to the presentation of seven awards: Governor General, Hamlet, Math & Science, Inuktitut, English Language Arts, Fine Arts, and Media.  Winners received a certificate and a plaque.  I presented the English Language Arts Award to Malinda Audlakiak.  I taught her English, Social Studies, and Drums.  The winner of the Governor General Award was Amanda Akeeagok.  Her award came with a specially made medal.

            

Jerry Olayuk reads his high school diploma.

Amanda Akeeagok - winner of the
Governor General Award.

The last section of the ceremony were the Messages.  Completing high school is a challenge and when someone “reaches the finish line”, they deserve praise for their efforts.  Kataisee Attagutsiak, representing the community’s District Education Authority, began the praises by congratulating the seven graduates for completing high school and to continue their education in the north and/or down south.  Similar messages were given by the Elder Committee, Baffinland, Qikiqtani School Operations, and parents.  The seven graduates were given the opportunity to say a few words about their recent accomplishments.  They thanked their family & friends for supporting them throughout their schooling and encouraged the younger kids to never give up.  Paulette was the ceremony’s last speaker and she used her last opportunity to thank the sponsors and everyone who helped the Graduation Committee.

            

The graduates were escorted to the back of the community hall by an RCMP officer while Shakira’s “Try Everything” played over loud speakers.  (The song was chosen by the grads).  The audience cheered loudly.  People lined up to personally congratulate each graduate.  I made sure to shake each of their hands.  An evening dance was held two hours later.   

            

Another successful graduation ceremony & another group of Inuit youth ready to take on the modern world.  Everyone is proud of you!  Congratulations!