VIDEO: Grand Entry —
The praises for the graduates were echoed by their band chief, councillors, teachers, school administrators, invited guests, friends and family.
They were told they can be future leaders, to follow their dreams, continue their education, and represent their culture with pride and certainty ... and some of the graduates hearing those affirming messages are only seven years old.
The Beaver Lake Cree Nation community graduation ceremony was held on June 22, warmly recognizing graduates leaving the community's Headstart program, the Amisk Communty School's kindergarten, as well as those moving onto middle school from Grade 6 and high school from Grade 8. The celebration in the community of about 1,100 people also honoured this year's Grade 12 high school graduate Cheryl Cardinal.
The outdoors event was held in the parking lot of the community hall, transformed with decorations to make it equal any indoor graduation stage. The community celebration included a drive-through complete with a short parade circuit, balloons, cheering support, speeches, a ceremonial tipi, a drum group, swag-bags of grad goodies, a photo area with a backdrop equal to any professional studio, and a community lunch.
iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KZiw8wpEeRI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>Amid the banners and balloons, the cheers and vehicle honks, a moment of silence — 215 seconds — was also held to recognize the children whose remains were found in unmarked graves on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC. Those findings, and the history of the residential school system serve as a serve as a catalyst for change, said Amisk Community School Principal Darlene Brereton-Cardinal, letting the graduates and their supporters know that they are the ones to move forward with that change."We are all so very proud of you and what you will do," she said, speaking to the youngest and oldest of the graduates being honoured.
Beaver Lake Cree Nation Chief Germaine Anderson told the graduates that they will always have opportunities and support from their families and their community. She encouraged them to better themselves, continue their educational paths and to remember where they come from. That community support continued during the later parts of the ceremony as the chief and members of the band council happily joined many of the grads and their families in the graduation photos.