LUTSEL K'E/SNOWDRIFT
It was an occasion so big it attracted just about every single member of the community - the first-ever graduation at Lutsel K'e Dene School.

Tristen Lockhart, left, and Lucas Enzoe became the first-ever graduates of Lutsel K'e Dene School on June 18. - photo courtesy of Sarah Pruys, South Slave Divisional Education Council

Two students, Tristen Lockhart and Lucas Enzoe, both 19, received their Grade 12 diplomas on June 18.

"It was pretty awesome," said Enzoe of the graduation ceremony.

"They say it was like making history."

In fact, it really felt like an historic event, he admitted.

"Pretty much the whole town showed up."

Lockhart described the graduation as nerve-wracking, exciting and better than he had even expected.

"It felt great, actually," he said. "I wasn't expecting that many people to turn up."

Both students appreciated the support they got from the community in obtaining their Grade 12 diplomas.

"I know most of the people in the community and they pretty much supported me in telling me how important it was to get education," said Enzoe.

Devin Roberts, the principal of Lutsel K'e Dene School, said the graduation was an excellent event and he also marvelled at how many people, including visiting relatives of the two graduates, turned out at the community hall.

"It was standing room only," he said. "All the chairs were filled and the hall was quite full. It was a very exciting day."

About 300 people ate at a community feast later that day and according to the NWT Bureau of Statistics, Lutsel K'e had a population of 292 in 2012.

Before the June 18 graduation, students from Lutsel K'e finished high school in other communities, mainly Fort Smith and Yellowknife.

Lutsel K'e Dene School, which has about 80 students, offered up to Grade 9 before beginning grade extensions. Over the past decade, the school added Grade 10, 11 and finally 12, with one of the grades added every several years.

Roberts believes the first graduation is a sign of things to come.

"I think it now sets the new precedent and a new beginning for the school," he said.

"I think now the students will expect to graduate from here and will look for the school to continue to do so. We're hoping with the number of Grade 11's that we have that they'll stay in the community next year and that they'll graduate with us in June. So we're hoping to have an even bigger grad class for 2016."

In fact, he said there will potentially be five graduates next year.

"It will change the culture of the school, I believe," he said.

"I think now there's more discussion around credits and high school and completion and talking about trade schools or different things that they want to do with their futures."

As a way to promote that, all students at the school attended the graduation, during which awards were presented for each grade level.

"We actually honoured our kindergarten graduates, as well," said Roberts. "We had them march in with the graduates."

The two graduates also hope they will be positive roles models for other students.

"So others will want to succeed like we did," said Enzoe.

Roberts described the graduation ceremony as a unifying and emotional event for the students and the community, particularly elders and relatives of the graduates.

"It was a really good way for our graduates to be showcased and for everyone to feel that they were part of it," he said.

Tom Beaulieu, the MLA for Tu Nedhe and a GNWT cabinet minister, and Dene Nation National Chief Bill Erasmus attended the graduation.

Beaulieu said it was a very significant event for the community.

"I felt the community was so proud of the two graduates."

In a news release, Erasmus also said the graduation was a very proud time for the community.

"Graduating is an outstanding achievement and people here anticipate future students doing the same," he said.

Now that they have graduated, Lockhart and Enzoe are looking towards their own futures.

Enzoe is considering a career as an electrician, while Lockhart is hoping to become a mechanic.

Lutsel K'e is the final community of the five covered by the South Slave Divisional Education Council to graduate students from its own school.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.