Pikangikum First Nation celebrates its largest-ever graduating class — and it's a big deal

Under a large white tent shielding them from the 33 C sun, 41 people stood in line, perspiring in black caps and gowns as they anxiously awaited their turn to approach the stage.

For Pikangikum First Nation, this wasn't just another graduation: it was the largest grad class the Ojibway community of 4,000 in northwestern Ontario has ever seen.

Two jingle dancers led the graduates of Eenchokay Birchstick School across the field, where they met hundreds of friends, family members and children running around while carrying golden decorations that took hours to assemble.

Donning a light pink tie and red-and-cream Converses, Denzel Quill addressed his peers at the podium Tuesday.

He shared memories of persevering through COVID-19, taking trips to Winnipeg and Vancouver with his friends, hanging out at the community sandpit and watching the clouds roll through the starry sky.

He also spoke of those who weren't there to cross the stage with him.

"I was scared to be emotional on stage, but I wasn't in control. I just let it loose … 'cause I felt it was going to be more meaningful if I just let my emotions take over," Quill said.

The school serves more than 1,500 students from kindergarten through Grade 12. It was built in 2016 after the former school burned down in 2007. In the interim, students studied in portables.

Pikangikum First Nation's Chief Shirley Keeper touched on the hardships the community has faced, including fatal house fires, a lack of running water and a crisis of youth suicides, but said Tuesday's celebrations were about looking forward.

"This past year's been so difficult," she said. "When we go through hardships, it affects every one of us, and to see so many graduates this year, it gives us more hope."

For Geraldine and Lakota Peters, their emotions at the graduation ranged from nervousness crossing the stage, to panic when Lakota lost her high heel in the grass, to relief after shaking principal Cindy Spence's hand and realizing they were finally finished. 

Geraldine hadn't planned on graduating this year, let alone with her youngest daughter.

After she left school more than 20 years ago when she was offered a full-time job in social work, she struggled to find the time to get her high school diploma. But the more years that went by, the more she felt something was missing..

So she went back for the prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) program, where mature students return to get their diplomas. Of the school's 41 graduates, 21 were from the program.