One thing Baker Lake seems to do well is celebrate its successful community members.
Seven high school graduates took the next step in life last weekend, and they did so to roaring applause from the town.
Much of the preparation work for grad was done by the grads themselves, but there were also many volunteers, teachers, administration staff and community members who played a role and made everything come together.
I’ve covered a lot of graduation events in the north and Jonah Amitnaaq Secondary School’s was something special.
Every little detail was considered and thoughtful effort was put in.
The rehearsal before grad was a full run-through and more, complete with troubleshooting every little question anyone had about the run of play, including where to look when holding the diploma, the moment grads should throw their hats and everything else.
The tears, hugs and smiles when it all came together proved how worth it everything was.
And the event didn’t end at the reception and parade: the community feast, games and square dance that same night made for a beautiful extended celebration. It was clear that more than just the grads and their families cared about this accomplishment.