For the second year, Hastings High School celebrated the graduation of its Native students with an honoring ceremony held in the high school commons on Tuesday, May 6.
“This ceremony is the recognition of the generations of perseverance, family, culture and community that have shaped and supported each graduate’s path,” said Superintendent Dr. Tammy Champa.
This year, HHS celebrates five graduates: Selena Jeanne White, Lily Mae Powell, Emiliano Campbell, Alicia Lucia Angel Sanchez Rodriguez, and Issac Andrew Weise.
The students were celebrated with gifts, drumming, a shared meal and a transfer of feathers from eagles and other migratory birds.
The eagle feather in particular is of specific significance to be “presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional bravery, leadership, or other notable accomplishments, often upon graduation or for outstanding service to their community,” according to the event’s program.
Due to conservation efforts surrounding eagles and other migratory birds, possession, sale and trade of eagle feathers is illegal, allowed only by permit for members of federally recognized tribes.
This required Keenan Humphrey, Chair of the Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAPAC) to sign over the feathers to the graduates during the ceremony.
Education Director at Prairie Island Johnny Johnson spoke to enduring stigma that Native students do not graduate even as it is not true. Johnson oversees more than 400 Native students across North America and Europe who this year had a 98% graduation rate, with an average graduation rate over 90% for the last 10 years.
Johnson also praised the increased cooperation and collaboration between the district and Native tribes, citing the recent hanging of tribal flags in the high school: “What’s really happy to me is looking north to all those tribal flags […] not many schools open their doors to fly our flags.”
To the students, Johnson said to embrace their unique journeys and that “the future belongs to you.”