The sun warmed NaB次元官网网址檛saB次元官网网址檓aht at Camosun College Wednesday as high school grads looked to the future with their families and teachers smiling on.
| Valedictorian A.J. Boersen was recently accepted to Camosun College's comic and graphic novels program. His advice for getting through hard times is to ask for help when you need it. (Nina Grossman/B次元官网网址 Staff) |
The Sooke School District 62 (SD62) Aboriginal graduate recognition ceremony was a place of warmth, support and acknowledgement, with the welcoming cedar logs of NaB次元官网网址檛saB次元官网网址檓aht B次元官网网址� a Salish phrase that means B次元官网网址渦nityB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址渨orking together as oneB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� encircling the districtB次元官网网址檚 Indigenous graduates.
Students from Belmont, Edward Milne, Royal Bay and West Shore Centre for Learning and Training were acknowledged by elders and dignitaries.
B次元官网网址淭hey already have a graduation at their schools so what we do is we recognize them for their journey through the public systemB次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址� said Kathleen King, SD62 principal of Aboriginal education. B次元官网网址淲hatB次元官网网址檚 really important about this is to acknowledge identity, to bring forward the culture and the traditions through our local first nations community, through the land and the territory weB次元官网网址檙e standing on and for all of that to be a learning experience so that the students can feel that [the] ceremony is empowering, enriching, and giving them that opportunity to explore more or continue on with their culture.B次元官网网址�
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Taylor Farmer, from TB次元官网网址橲ou-ke First Nation, was one of four valedictorians. Before the ceremony, the Edward Milne Community School grad learned she had been accepted to the Indigenous Family Support program at Camosun College.
B次元官网网址淏eing here today with everyone that has been there to support me, especially the Aboriginal support workers, definitely made it a lot more special,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎nd knowing itB次元官网网址檚 my culture and getting back in touch with that this year, has really helped.B次元官网网址�
| Valedictorian Taylor Farmer is headed to Camosun College in the fall for the Indigenous Family Support program. The Edward Milne graduate says "anything you think you can't overcome, you can." |
Farmer said during Grade 12 she made a bigger effort to connect with her culture when she realized she couldnB次元官网网址檛 communicate with the elders that visited her school.
Her words of advice? B次元官网网址淎nything that you think you canB次元官网网址檛 overcome, you can. And that took me a long time B次元官网网址� almost the whole four years B次元官网网址� to realize.B次元官网网址�
A.J. Boersen, another valedictorian, said the journey to graduation had been hard B次元官网网址� but worth it.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of ups and downs,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been through about eight different foster families and six different schools. ItB次元官网网址檚 been a hard journey.B次元官网网址�
Boersen, of the Ditidaht First Nation from the Nitinaht region, graduated from Belmont Secondary School and was accepted to Camosun CollegeB次元官网网址檚 comics and graphic novels program.
B次元官网网址淎rt is one of the best ways I express myself,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t gets me through my hard times.B次元官网网址�
As students acknowledged their families, friends and partners, they were reminded that the support of their community and culture would be unwavering as they moved forward in life.
And with smiles, cheers and sunbeams glowing inside NaB次元官网网址檛saB次元官网网址檓aht, the future certainly looks bright.
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