Dedication recognized
Rankin cadet recipient of prestigious Howard medal
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
RANKIN INLET
Cadet Warrant Officer Tatonya Autut was presented with the prestigious Maj.-Gen. W.A. Howard Medal in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.
Nunavut Commissioner Nellie Kusugak gets to present her granddaughter, Cadet Warrant Officer Tatonya Autut, with both the Maj.Gen. W.A. Howard Medal and her four-year-service medal in Rankin Inlet earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Dorothy Tootoo |
The medal is presented to a cadet who has finished their Level 4 (Gold Star) training with exceptional results.
Autut also received her four-year-service medal during the ceremony, along with fellow Rankin cadet warrant officers James Duncan, Qilak Everard and Obadiah Sanguin.
The medals were presented by Autut's grandmother, Nunavut Commissioner Nellie Kusugak.
Autut, 16, who was the only cadet in Nunavut to receive the Howard medal, said winning the award was a huge deal to her.
She said the medal shows all the hard work she's put in, and the commitment to her corps, has paid off.
"Being presented with this medal meant so much to me," said Autut. "It was completely amazing, and it was totally unexpected because I was just doing what I love most. Having the medal presented by my grandmother made it even more special.
"It was a little weird having my grandmother present it at first but I love her a lot and it was pretty special having her present the medal as Nunavut's commissioner."
Autut, a Grade 11 student, said she enjoyed the activities she started to participate in after joining cadets.
She said she got to take part in an exchange trip during her very first month in the cadet program.
"That was my very first time on a trip that took me quite far away from home and I had so much fun. We met some great people and I realized then I enjoyed travelling and meeting all these amazing people.
"Cadets has taken me overseas and through all these wonderful programs, so I feel it's only right of me to do my best in giving back to the program and helping other cadets better themselves and enjoy the same experiences."
Autut said cadets is a very safe, open and welcoming program for youth to join.
She said it's a ton of fun to be involved in, improves your self-confidence, and provides the opportunity to see more of what's outside the little community of Rankin Inlet.
"Cadets has played a huge role in my life and I plan on staying in the program for as long as I can, which will probably be when I age out at 19.
"I remember being 12-years old, walking into that drill hall and meeting all of these cool senior cadets.
"I was quiet, shy and kept to myself a lot at the time.
"But I started growing in the program, and I grew more open as I got more knowledgeable about our country, as a whole and how to conduct myself responsibly in the community.
"I began to learn a lot about leadership and started taking more responsibility, so cadets really helped me improve my self-confidence and develop my personality."
