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.
7 ᖃᐅᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᓪᓗᕆᐊᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑕᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᕗᑦ 2023 ᔮᓐ ᐊᒥᑦᓈᖅ ᖁᑎᖕᓂᖅᓴᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᓪᓗᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ, ᐊᒌᓯ 18.
ᐅᑯᐊᖑᕗᑦ, ᒪᑲᓐᓯ ᐳᑐᒥᕋᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᐅᕆᓐ ᓂᐊᐃᑯ, Hᐊᐃᓕ Hᐊᑎ, ᑲᓯᑎ ᑭᓪᖑ, ᕆᑐᑦ ᓚᑯ, ᑭᒻᐳᓕ ᐅᒃᐸᑕᐅᔭᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓯᑦᓂ ᑲᑕᓗᒃ.
ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒋᒃᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᕿᐊᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᓚᒃᐸᒃᖢᑎᒃ, ᐃᒃᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᒃᑯᒍᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐃᓚᖏᑦ. ᐱᐊᓂᖕᒪᑕ ᐃᖏᕋᔭᒃᓕᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓯᐅᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ. ᓂᕆᑎᑦᑎᓕᕆᓪᓗᑎᓗ ᐱᖑᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥ, ᐱᖑᐊᕈᓗᔭᖅᑎᑕᐅᓕᕆᓕᓗᑎᒃ, ᒧᒥᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᑯᐊᓪᓚᒃᑐᓂᑦ ᖁᖏᐊᖅᑎᑎᓗᑎᒃ.
ᖃᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᓂᕆᕈᓗᔭᓕᖅᐳᑦ ᒧᒥᕐᓂᖃᖅᖢᑎᒡᓗ. ᐸᕐᓇᓯᔪᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕆᐊᑲᓐᓂᕋᓱᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᖃᓪᓗᓈ ᓄᓈᓄ, ᐃᓚᖏ ᐊᖏᕋᖅᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ. ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᑐᒥᒃ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᒃᑯᒍᓱᒃᐳᑦ, ᐅᔾᔨᕐᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐱᑯᒍᓱᒃᑐᑦ ᐊᓂᒍᐃᕙᓪᓕᐊᔭᕐᒥᓂᒃ.
ᐊᓯᖏᓪᓕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᖃᖅᐸᖕᒪᑕ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐊᓂᒍᕌᖓᑦ ᑭᓯᐊᓂᓕ ᖃᒪᓂᑦᑐᐊᕐᒥᐅᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᖃᓕᕌᖓᑕ, ᐊᑐᖅᐸᒃᑕᓂ ᖁᕕᐊᓱᖃᑎᒌᖕᓂᖅ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓇᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖏᓱᒐᕐᔪᒃᑎᓪᓗᒍ. ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᓂᖃᓛᖅᑐᑦ 2024-ᒥ ᓂᕆᑎᑦᑎᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ ᐃᓱᓕᑦᑎᔪᓂᒃ 2023-ᒥ.