Hope, joy and gratitude were on display during a high school graduation ceremony that was a long time coming for some at Chief Jacob Bearspaw School on Tuesday, June 28
Students of the last three graduating classes at the Eden Valley K-12 School gathered to celebrate at the school’s first formal graduation ceremony since 2019. Friends and family, along with educators and school staff, leaders and community members, were on hand to celebrate with the graduates.
“We’ve been waiting for this the last couple of years, it’s great to be able celebrate with family and friends,” said principal and long-time school staffer Robbie Gordon.
“We have absolutely wonderful students. I’m very proud of all of them,” Gordon said, adding the emotion just isn’t the same without the formal ceremony.
Six of the seven students who graduated between 2020 and 2022 were able to attend the ceremony.
Ezra Lefthand, Rainbow Lefthand and LaDainian Lefthand are class of 2022 grads. Miguel Labelle and Mark Jaton Lefthand graduated in 2021, and the 2020 grads are Shakira Lefthand and Brady Benjamin.
Ezra Lefthand said graduating is an emotional time.
It is bittersweet, since many graduates of the school leave home to attend post-secondary or seek employment away from the people and places where they grew up.
“This is where I grew up, all my life. I’ve been here since I was a kid,” said Ezra.
With plans to go to post-secondary, he hopes to be a leader and role model for young people in Eden Valley. He wants to enter the trades and work in construction.
Gordon said he is proud of the work the students put in, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic affected the school.
“They stuck with it, they did home school, and they persevered,” Gordon said, “I’m very, very proud of them.”
Ezra agreed there were challenging times throughout school.
“I thank God that we got this far,” said Ezra. “It wasn’t very easy.”
A year end drive-through barbecue celebrated the 2021 class, but Labelle said he was excited and nervous to finally get to have a graduation, adding he will miss the school and the friends he grew up with since daycare.
“Grew up with two friends of mine,” he said, “we were like brothers growing up.”
With family roots in rodeo, he said he is looking forward to continuing on with rodeo and saddle bronc.
Mark Jaton Lefthand said he was stunned to get to this point in his life. Saying there were times he didn’t think it would happen, he feels good about the future after graduation and is thankful to all who helped him along the way.
After a dinner served by school staff in the gymnasium decorated with ribbons, streamers and balloons, graduates donned their gowns and made a grand entrance into the gym as drums beat in welcome to mark the start of the ceremony.
They were awarded diplomas and gifts, and were able to present roses to people who played an important part in their education. Teachers, parents and loved ones were among those honoured by graduates with a rose.
Leadership and administration spoke during the ceremony, thanking school staff and parents for their commitment to the kids.
Bill Shade, superintendent of the Stoney Education Authority, said, “Make sure you really celebrate the accomplishments of these kids.”
There are many people involved in helping these students graduate, Shade said, adding that earning a high school diploma is a great step, but it is only a first step.
“You need to keep moving forward,” he told the graduates.
