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First two males graduate from Colville Lake School Community out in full force to celebrate students' accomplishments
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Friday, June 28, 2013
KAHBAMIUE/COLVILLE LAKE
A recent graduation ceremony at Colville Lake School was significant for a number of reasons.
A recent graduation at Colville Lake School included, from left, Grade 12 graduate Daniel Tutcho; Kayla Kochon-Manuel, who was recognized for completing an individual education plan; principal Marie LaForme; and Grade 12 graduate Charles Oudzi. - photo courtesy of Sunita Kochon
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The June 20 graduation of two students from Grade 12 tripled the total of number of graduates from the school. It was also the first time two students had graduated at the same time. It was also the first time two young men had graduated from the school.
"This is the second graduation," said principal Marie LaForme. "There was the one student in 2005."
The school has offered high school courses for about a decade. Before that, students from Colville Lake went to Fort Good Hope, Inuvik and other places around the NWT to finish high school.
"There are other high school graduates in the community," said LaForme.
However, the graduates from Colville Lake School show it can be done in their home community.
"They're the first from our school and they're the first to do all their credits while living in Colville Lake," LaForme said.
This year's graduates are Daniel Tutcho, 20, and Charles Oudzi, 21.
"We're really proud of the students," LaForme said of the two new graduates. "It means a lot of dedication and hard work. As most people are aware, Colville Lake is still a very traditional community, so these boys were able to balance being out in the bush and on the land and going to school. So it's a really big accomplishment for them."
In addition to the two who finished Grade 12, Kayla Kochon-Manuel was recognized with what is known as a leaving certificate for completing an individual education plan.
Tutcho, who just turned 20, is pleased to have graduated high school.
"It means a lot," he said, adding he can now go on to post-secondary school and study for a job. His plan is to become a mechanic.
Tutcho said with a high school diploma, he can "live a great life, get a good job and do the things you want."
The graduate also hopes he is helping to set an example for other young people in Colville Lake.
LaForme also hopes the graduation of Tutcho and Oudzi will make them role models in the community.
"It's definitely got people talking about graduation," she said. "People are saying, 'We want our kids to graduate. We want other kids to graduate.' So there's that talk of it."
Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya attended the graduation at Colville Lake School.
"I was very, very excited and happy that these small communities, such as Colville Lake, are producing high school graduates, which is very unique for them because with the lack of teachers and the lack of high school courses, they had some unique challenges to get their Grade 12," he said. "What I found out was that these Grade 12 graduates did most of their Grade 12 courses online."
Yakeleya said the residents of Colville Lake were out in full force to honour the graduates.
"It shows the willingness and the determination that, if you put your mind to it, anything is possible," he said.
Sheena Kochon was the first graduate of Colville Lake School in 2005 and now works there as a classroom assistant.
The school has 57 registered students, and between 45 and 50 of them attend classes regularly.
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