A room full of family and loved ones celebrate the grads together. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᐃᒡᓗᕈᓯᐊᕈᓯᖅ ᑕᑖᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓚᒌᖕᓂᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓕᒌᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᑦ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒋᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
Seven bright stars graduated from Jonah Amitnaaq Secondary School in Baker Lake Friday, Aug. 18.
They are Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq, Aaron Niego, Haley Hachey, Kassidy Klinger, Richard Iyago, Kimberly Ukpatiku and Sydney Kataluk.
The ceremony involved tear-jerking speeches, moody lighting and a lot of proud loved ones. Following the school reception, grads took part in a parade around the community. Then they held a feast at the community hall, followed by games, a square dance and fireworks.
The next day, grads held their dinner and prom. Many of the grads are already preparing to head south for school, while some ponder their next move. Either way, from the ceremony to the square dance, it was evident Baker Lake was proud of their accomplishments.
Unlike many schools that hold their graduation events at the end of the school year, Baker Lake holds its just before opening the doors on a new year. The grads-to-be for 2024 had the honour of serving dinner to the 2023 cohort.
Haley Hachey, valedictorian, sheds a tear as she listens to speeches. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ, ᓯᓚᑐᓂᖅᐹᖅ, ᖁᕝᕕᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓇᓚᒃᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᑲᑕᒃᑐᓂᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎAaron Niego gives a look as he approaches the runway. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᐃᐅᓕᓐ ᓂᐊᐃᑯ ᕿᕕᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᓴᕿᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐱᓱᒡᕕᒃᑯᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎHaley Hachey smiles wide while walking into the ceremony. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ ᖁᖓᔮᖅᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᑦᑐᓄ ᓴᕿᒃᑲᒥ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎAs the ceremony ends, grads toss their hats in the air, trying not to hit the lights – a point practised in the rehearsal. From left to right are Kimberly Ukpatiku, Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq, Haley Hachey, Richard Iyago, Kassidy Klinger, Aaron Niego and Sydney Kataluk. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᐊᓂᒍᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᒃᑐᑦ, ᐃᓂᒍᐃᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦ ᓇᓴᕐᒥᓂᒃ ᑯᒻᒧᒃᑎᑦᑎᕗᑦ ᑕᒃᐸᐅᖓ - ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖅᓴᖅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᓴᐅᒥᖕᒥ ᑕᓕᖅᐱᖕᒧᑦ ᐅᑯᐊᖑᔪᑦ ᑭᒻᐳᓕ ᐅᒃᐸᑕᐅᔭᖅ, ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ, Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ, ᕆᑐᑦ ᓚᑯ, ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓗᖑ, ᐃᐅᓚᑦ ᓂᐊᐃᑯ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎKassidy Klinger puts on a big smile as she enters the room. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓕᖑ ᖁᖓᔮᕐᔪᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓯᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐊᕈᓯᕐᒧᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎKimberly Ukpatiku oscillates between smiles and seriousness down the walkway. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᑭᒻᐳᓕ ᐅᒃᐸᑕᐅᔭᖅ ᖁᖓᐸᒃᖢᓂ ᐊᓐᓄᓕᖅᐸᒃᖢᓂᓗ ᐱᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋMackenzie Putumiraqtuq smiles during the walk-in. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᖁᖓᑉᐳᖅ ᐃᓯᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎRichard Iyago walks tentatively through the runway. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᕆᑐᑦ ᓚᑯ ᐱᔪᒃᓯᓗᐊᖁᔨᖏᖢᓂ ᐱᓱᒃᐳᖅ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎSydney Kataluk looks toward the stage as she enters the ceremony. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ ᕿᕕᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ ᐃᓯᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᕈᕕᐊᓱᖃᙱᒌᒃᑐᓄᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎHaley and father Ken Hachey dance together. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo Hᐊᐃᓕ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑖᑕᓂ ᒧᒥᖅᐴᒃ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎSydney Kataluk invites grandfather John Avaala to square dance. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ ᖃᐃᖁᕚ ᐊᑖᑕᑎᐊᓂ ᔮᓐ ᐊᕙᓛ ᒧᒥᕐᒧᑦ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎKassidy Klinger and Mackenzie Putumiraqtuq laugh after their square dance. Stewart Burnett/ϳԹ photo ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓕᖑ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓪᓚᖅᐳᑦ ᒧᒥᐊᓂᒃᑲᒥ. ᓱᑐᕈᑦ ᐳᕐᓂᑦ/ϳԹ ᐊᔨᖁᑎ
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