Post by Okwes on Dec 28, 2007 12:38:27 GMT -5
Siletz celebrates first high school graduation since 1982
By Terry Dillman Of the News-Times
Kelli Brugh, left, counselor for Siletz Valley Early College Academy,
assists School Administrator Van Peters, right, in wrapping a Pendleton
blanket around Valedictorian Monica Serna during a traditional Blanket
Ceremony performed near the end of graduation for the seven members of
the SVECA Class of 2007. In Native American tradition, the only gift
greater - to give or receive - than a robe or blanket is an eagle
feather. (Photo by Terry Dillman)
"Coyote" played tricks on them all week.
In the end, everything fell into place, and the founders of Siletz
Valley Early College Academy reached another major milestone by bidding
a fond farewell to the first class to graduate from the Siletz school in
25 years. Seven graduates - Valedictorian Monica Serna, Salutatorian
Ryan Knight, Brittney Payne, Liana Kaiser, Karli Jay, Charlie Jones and
Joshua Smith - comprised the Class of 2007, an irony noted by School
Administrator Van Peters as he welcomed "parents, friends, and
relatives" to the community's first graduation ceremony since 1982.
"We've come a long way," said Peters, one of the guiding lights for the
school rescued from the brink of closure in 2003 through a community
effort led by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
Saturday morning's ceremony showed just how far along they are, despite
Coyote's shenanigans.
In Native American tradition, Coyote is a wanderer, thief, outlaw,
pragmatist, survivor and consummate trickster or jester, who often fools
himself. Coyote is a reminder that nature remains untamable - no matter
how much humans try to tame it - and is a symbol of the chaos in life.
This week proved it, as Peters said Coyote tricked and teased them by
alternately holding out the promise of fair weather and an outdoor
ceremony on the Government Hill powwow grounds, then snatching it away
with the threat of foul weather, necessitating an indoor event.
As a last resort, Peters turned elsewhere. "For once in my life, I
consulted the white (weather) prophet," he said.
The television weatherman unequivocally predicted rain, which prompted
Peters to schedule the ceremony indoors at the Siletz Tribal Community
Center next to the powwow grounds. Rain dampened everything outside, but
not the spirits inside as about 350 folks witnessed a new chapter in
community and tribal history - one written, Peters noted, through
"hours, weeks, and months of dedicated work by a lot of people."
Tribal tradition held sway, with the senior processional accompanied by
an opening song from drumming group Round Stone, which also played a
flag song and a victory song prior to ensuing speeches and diploma
presentations.
"I don't know you personally and integrally, but I've been worrying
about you, thinking about you, and planning for you since before you
walked through the doors," Tryna Luton told the graduates.
Luton is K-12 online administrator and coordinator for Oregon State
University's Extended Campus and P-12 Outreach Program, which - along
with Oregon Coast Community College and Antioch University in Seattle -
is a key partner in developing the early college academy program at
Siletz Valley. She urged the graduates to consider college, even if they
haven't planned for a specific career, and even though they "can be
successful without a degree."
"It's still a good idea to go to college," she concluded. "Your career
options will expand, your earning power will increase, you'll learn
social skills, and you'll make lifelong friends."
Bud Lane, vice chairman of the Siletz Tribal Council, stood in for
Tribal Chairman Dee Pigsley, who was unable to attend due to other
commitments.
"This reflects on our community in a good way, because the school is
really the heart of our community," he said, noting the tribal council
is pleased to assist the effort "in whatever way we can."
Lane invoked the spirit of the late Craig Whitehead, the first chairman
of the "new and improved" school's board of directors and a leading
proponent of the vision for what the school could become. Whitehead, who
actively promoted and enhanced tribal traditions, cultural heritage, and
education in many ways, serving as long-time Pow-Wow coordinator, member
of the Cultural and Heritage Committee, and heading up the board of
directors for the Siletz Valley School, died in 2004 before his dreams
of reestablishing the high school were fulfilled.
Many others also stepped up, either from the beginning or somewhere
along the way.
Among them is Katie Lindstrom, current school board chair, who said an
entire generation of folks had looked forward to reaching "this moment
in time," and she thanked all those "who have made this dream a
reality."
"This is not an end; this is a beginning," she told the graduates. "If
you can accomplish this, you can accomplish anything."
Lincoln County School District Superintendent Tom Rinearson talked about
his special connection to Siletz made long before arriving to take the
school district helm, when his in-laws worked at the fish hatchery.
Citing his "real passion for small schools and small communities,"
Rinearson said it's easy to sense when a town has no high school. "As a
community, you should feel proud of what you have accomplished," he
added.
Peters pointed out the "tremendous amount of support" the school has
received from the school district and school board to help them reach
their goals, and cited the efforts of several others "who have been with
us since day one," among them Teri Nielsen and Lourdes Jackson.
"When we walked into that building four years ago, there was nothing
there," Peters noted. "It was an empty shell."
No more. And for the first time since 1982, it's a full-service K-12
school and beyond, offering high school students an opportunity to
simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate's degree
through the early college program. Teachers Kelly Akiyama (language
arts, film study, cooking), Rachel Craven (social studies), Jessica
Haxel (science), David Morgan (online), and Casey Baker (math), along
with counselor Kelli Brugh - were, as Principal Harvey Whitford put it,
"the individuals these seven grads have had to deal with all year. They
made it; they're up here today."
Keynote speaker Tom Ball, assistant vice provost at the University of
Oregon, taught at Siletz from 1977 to 1979. Ball told the graduates they
should "write their own story."
"Don't let anyone else tell you who you should be," he urged. "Everyone
comes into this world with a gift from the Creator - it's what makes us
unique," he said. "It's your job to recognize that gift and nurture it.
That's part of what going to school does."
Ball said everyone has a role in life. "It's important to find out what
that role is," he added. "We each do our part so others can do theirs."
Ball urged them to recognize and seize opportunities. He reminded them
every time they meet someone, they change that person and that person
changes them simply by shaking hands. Above all, he told them to have
the courage to break destructive cycles, and avoid doing something
simply because that's the way it's always been done.
"You are special," Ball concluded. "You all have a unique gift you
brought into this world. Find out how to use it. When you do, you're
writing your own story. I hope all of your stories are bestsellers."
Valedictorian Monica Serna called SVECA - the third different Lincoln
County high school she attended - "by far, the best" because it "changed
my whole outlook on life" by steering her away from "not making the
right decisions."
"I wish all my classmates the very best," she concluded.
Peters presented the diplomas, and each graduate received a bouquet of
flowers to give to his or her mother.
The denouement involved a traditional Blanket Ceremony, during which
each graduate received a Pendleton blanket, symbolizing his or her
transition into the challenging world of adulthood. Principal Harvey
Whitford explained the significance of the blanket in Native American
tradition, telling them the only gift greater - to give or receive -
than a robe or blanket is an eagle feather.
As Whitford called their names, Monica Serna, Ryan Knight, Brittney
Payne, Liana Kaiser, Karli Jay, Charlie Jones, and Joshua Smith each
rose in turn, and stepped forward to have Van Peters and Kelli Brugh
wrap the blankets around them in the traditional way. Reggie Butler and
Lee Butler then wrapped up the ceremony with an honor song.
"The world is yours. You can do anything you want in life," Whitford
said. ""Remember where you came from, always walk proud, and hold your
head high."