Sioux Valley High School students achieve 100 per cent graduation rate
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 29/06/2017 (3233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Boasting a 100 per cent graduation rate, Sioux Valley High School had 12 students cross the stage to accept their diplomas on Wednesday.
It was the second-largest graduation ceremony the school has hosted in its 13-year history, coming close to the 14 students who graduated nine years ago, principal Kevin Nabess said.
While some students were “on the bubble” during the past several months, school staff worked extra hard to help put those who were struggling on the road to success, he said, adding that students in general have increasingly come to recognize that graduation is the first big step toward achieving their dreams.
Between the 12 students at Sioux Valley High School and those attending school at other local institutions, approximately 30 Sioux Valley Dakota Nation members earned their high school diplomas this year, he said.
Each student carried their own motivations for persevering through the trials and tribulations of high school, including dreams of becoming a civil engineer, teacher, nurse, doctor and chef.
Valedictorian Joshua Hapa-Allen said that waking up at 6 a.m. each school day in order to catch the bus from Sioux Valley to the community’s Brandon-based high school wasn’t always easy.
Although it could be exhausting at times, he said that the knowledge it was a required step in achieving his ultimate goal of becoming a medical doctor helped motivate him.
Originally from Churchill, he said his former community’s limited access to medical care inspired him to become a doctor so he could do something to address the problem.
Hapa-Allen plans on upgrading his courses at Brandon University before attending the University of Winnipeg, where he plans to earn his medical degree, specializing in radiology.
Another particularly driven student is Michael Dominique-Taylor, who earned the Governor General’s Award for carrying the school’s highest grade point average.
His dedication to education was initially centred on his goal of becoming a paleontologist, but has since shifted toward becoming an educator.
He plans on attending BU this autumn, after which he hopes to study Japanese in Winnipeg before flying out to teach in Japan in order to experience the world a bit before returning to Canada.
When he does return, he hopes to teach history so he can tell the history of his people that is not currently taught in a lot of schools.
Sioux Valley High School teachers lend a special focus to students’ Dakota culture, which Nabess said has helped promote self-identity, which has been a key to their success over the years.
» tclarke@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
