NORQUAY — “Your attitude will determine your altitude,” Jay-Cee Brass told the 10 members of Norquay School’s 2022 graduating class during a ceremony held at the Communiplex on June 10.
A 2009 graduate of the Norquay School, Brass talked about his experience as an Indigenous Canadian which included police training and receiving a bachelor of arts degree in politics before returning to The Key First Nation where he worked in community planning.
Brass mentioned the beautiful experience of sharing food with the people of the government of Nunavut and said that “if you always do what you have always done, you’ll always be where you’ve been.”
He urged students to not be afraid to take risks and to make their own stories, their own histories, and reminded them over and over that “your attitude will determine your altitude.”
Brass encouraged the graduates not to worry and to remember that each day lived is a new day.
“Today you close the chapter of your high school career, and now you’ll begin a new chapter,” he said.
The grads
Jaxson Lindgren was the emcee of the ceremonies that had begun with the introduction of each of the graduates escorted into the hall by their parents or family members.
Justin Abrahamson, a son of Wesley and Sandi Abrahamson of Pelly, had transferred to Norquay School after having attended Kindergarten to Grade 6 in Pelly. A hockey player, he has worked as a rider at the community pasture and enjoys rodeo and training colts.
Vance Bashforth, son of Jody and Lindsey of the Stenen/Norquay area, came to Norquay for Grade 8 after having attended school in Estevan and Weyburn. In school, he said he enjoys shop and gym and outside of school, he enjoys basketball, fishing and quading.
Mason Russell, son of Christy and Lincoln, came to Norquay for Grade 7 after having attended the Pelly School until then. A track-and-field athlete, he said he also enjoys hunting, snowmobiling and quading.
Alexa Olson, daughter of Rock and Nicole of Norquay, attended Norquay School since Kindergarten. On the honour roll, she said she plans to go to YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in Hawaii, which is “a short-term missions training centre setup to equip the youth of today to make a global impact for Jesus Christ,” and then attend the university for counselling or psychology.
Lilly Kabatoff, daughter of Douglas and Kimberly of Pelly, came to Norquay School for Grade 8. She played junior and senior basketball and is an avid hunter and angler. She said she plans to become a cattle rancher.
Randy Foster, daughter of Shawn and Reagan of Danbury, attended the Norquay School since Kindergarten and has been active in cross-country, track-and-field and volleyball. The SRC president, she has been on the honour roll several times and plans to attend the U of S to study agriculture and bioresources.
Taylor Rubletz, daughter of Dwight and Stacy of Norquay, she said that among her favourite school memories are winning basketball regional playoffs and qualifying for Hoopla. Named female athlete of the year, she said that after taking a year off, she plans to attend school to study automotive painting.
Haylie Desjarlais, daughter of Jamie and Angela of The Key First Nation, attended school in Norquay from Kindergarten to Grade 2, and then Almond Tree Christian Academy for Grades 3 to 5, returning to Norquay for Grade 6. She enjoys basketball, volleyball and track-and-field. An honour roll student to Grade 9, she said her future plans are undecided.
Talia Littlewolfe, daughter of Joletta, was born at North Battleford and attend Pelly School to Grade 6 before coming to Norquay. She enjoyed badminton and basketball and said that she will take time off after graduation, but then plans to further her education.
Abby Robinson, daughter of Lorne and Colleen of Norquay, attended Norquay School from Kindergarten and enjoyed volleyball and art. She received many academic, Legion poster and essay awards. She plans to begin training with an optometrist in Saskatoon with the objective of becoming a certified vision therapist.
'Today is a turning point in each of our lives'
After the graduates were introduced and the singing of O Canada, Lindgren acknowledged that “the land on which we gather is Treaty 4 territory,” the traditional land of the Anihsinape, Cree, Assiniboine and Métis peoples.
“Acknowledging territory shows recognition of and respect for the Indigenous peoples, both in the past and the present,” Lindgren said. “We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another.”
After letters of congratulations were read from the Saskatchewan Lieutenant-Governor and the minister of education, Randi Foster, SRC president, reminded everyone that this year had been the first “normal year we have had since COVID-19 shut us down,” so everybody was very anxious to get back to their everyday activities such as spirit weeks, holiday games, parades and fundraisers.
“The SRC really did its best to make these things possible,” she said, thanking Taylor Rubletz, the vice-president, Alexa Olson, secretary, and Haylie Desjarlais and Kortny Wasylniuk, the social directors, as well as members at large and room representatives for “helping with everything we did throughout the year.
“All the work was well worth it in the end,” she said, thanking Mr. Olson and Mr. Morin for approving their “crazy ideas” and for keeping the meetings on track.
“Being president was an amazing experience,” she said, congratulating her classmates on all their future endeavours.
Alexa Olson paid tribute to the student community council (SCC) and the division board, saying that their support was more appreciated than they know.
“The SCC helps all of us students grow in our knowledge and as a person, and I want to express how grateful we all are for you.”
Johnson responded, saying that the graduates represented learning without limits.
Justin Abrahamson paid tribute to the Norquay School staff, while Mr. Chorneyko responded saying that students’ high school experience was so important to growing up.
Chorneyko recalled the teaching alterations required by the pandemic and commended the students for having strived to be the best after having navigated through strange times.
Haylie Desjarlais paid tribute to the graduates’ parents and grandparents, and Jamie Desjarlais responded, saying that hard work pays off.
“Seeing the graduates makes me so proud,” he said, adding that he knows that they will do well.
“Be yourself,” Desjarlais told the graduates.
Talia Littlewolfe and Haylie Desjarlais shared “remember when” memories.
In her valedictory address, Alexa Olson said she planned to go to Hawaii for six months, do mission work and then attend university.
Olson said she was not like a lot of people who graduate and have their entire lives planned out, but that was OK because “planning your life is hard, but motivation and inspiration are the only things you need.
“You don’t need a dream board hanging in your room and you don’t need to know what you want to do as soon as you hit high school. Everybody is made for something; you just gotta figure out what that is.”
Saying most of her knowledge came from people within school walls that will be taken wherever she goes, Olson acknowledged that those lessons will stick with the graduates forever.
“Today is a turning point in each of our lives,” she said. “We have spent the past years wandering the halls of our school and now it’s finally time to move on. I wish you all the best. You guys really deserve the world.
“Grad day is something that we have always looked forward to, but it’s never actually supposed to be grad day. I remember in Kindergarten thinking about how long 13 years is; it seemed so far away, but here we are, the class of 2022.”
Jeannette Ebert presented the scholarships to the graduates.
Alexa Olson received the Norquay NICE Centre Scholarship of $200; the Norquay Health Centre Auxiliary Scholarship of $200; the Affinity Credit Union Elwood Harvey Co-operation Leadership Scholarship of $2,500, and a Prairie Soil Scholarship of $500; Randi Foster also received a Prairie Soil Scholarship of $500; the Norquay School Community Council Scholarship of $200; The Norquay Kin Club Scholarship of $500, and the Norquay Co-op Scholarship of $500, while Lilly Kabatoff received the Norquay Royal Canadian Legion most-improved student award of $200.
A slideshow featuring old photographs of each of the graduates was shown and then the graduates and their escorts performed a grand march, followed by a first dance.
Following the ceremony, graduates and families concluded the event with a supper.
