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EDITORIALARCHIVES15YearsAgo...TheearlybirdcatchestheshTheysaytheearlybirdgetsthewormbutdoeshegettheshFortChipshermenply-ingthewatersofLakeAthabascawillbetest-ingthatoldtheorythisyear.With1998giv-ingtheWoodBuffaloregionamildwinterandawarmspringiceonthelakewasgoneearlierthanever.ThatmeantshermeninthisNorthernAlbertatowngottostartsh-ingforwalleyeandgoldeyeearlierthanever-May18infact.IssueJune2199820YearsAgo...EducationMinisterwantstogearNorthtowarduniversityprogramsTheScienceInstituteoftheNWTisbeingamalgamatedwithArcticCollegeasapartofagovernmentinitiativetomodernizecollegeprogramming.TechnologyisslowlygoingbyusintheNorth.WecantisolateArcticCollegefromschoolsanylongerstatedMinisterofEducationRichardNerysoo.Hesaidthemainpurposeoftheintegrationistoprovidetheop-portunitytointroduceacademicopportunity.IssueJune8199330YearsAgo...DevolutionamajorconcernAconferenceonNorthernresourcesendedinYellowknifewithanumberofworkshopsadvocatingincreasedpowerforterritorialgovernments.TheworkshopswereapartoftheCanadianArcticRe-sourcesCommitteesthirdnationalwork-shoponNorthernissues.TheconferencethemewasresolvingdifferencesbetweenvariousinterestedpartiesinNorthernde-velopmentandlanduse.IssueJune919834TuesdayJune42013TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.VisittheJournalonlineatwww.norj.caAnzacAtikamegBrownvaleCadotteLakeChardChetehColdLakeConklinDriftpileDufeldEdmontonEnildaEnochFortChipewyanFortMcKayFortMcMurrayFortVermillionFrogLakeGlenevisGoodshLakeGrandePrairieGrouardHighLevelHighPrarieHytheJohnDorPrairieAvailableinAlbertaatAklavikBehchokoColvilleLakeDelineEaglePlainsEkatieDiamondMinesEnterpriseFortGoodHopeFortLiardFortMcPhersonFortProvidenceFortResolutionFortSimpsonFortSmithGametiHayRiverInuvikJeanMarieRiverLutselKeNahanniButteNormanWellsPaulatukTheNorthernJournalisavailableinthefollowingNWTcommunitiesRaeEdzoSachsHarbourTroutLakeTsiigehtchicTuktoyaktukTulitaUlukhaktokWekwetiWhaTiWrigleyYellowknifeKehewinKinusoLacLaBicheMornvillePeaceRiverRedEarthCreekSaddleLakeSlaveLakeSt.PaulValleyviewWabasca2011CCNACANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2011CMCAAUDITEDAdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRates867872-3000PricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.LetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.PublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedonrecyclednewsprintwithvegetableinkatWainwrightStarChronicle.PublisherManagingEditorDonJaque867-872-3000ext.21djnorj.caEditor...........................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter.........................ReneFrancoeur867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller...........................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising....................JoshuaJorgensen867-872-3000ext.15salesnorj.caAdministration...............AldoLandaverde867-872-3000ext.29adminnorj.caProductionGraphics.......SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caPaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caIntern....................................JessicaIrvingInoursocietyhighschoolgraduationisthemostimportantaccomplishmentinayoungpersonslife.Graduationisourcomingofagecelebratedwithpomppageantryandoftencrazypartying.Foryouththeeventseemsbutamo-mentintheiryounglivesusuallyjoyfulandoftenstress-lledcertainlymomen-tus.Parentsontheotherhandseeitasaninvestment-aculminationof12yearsoftheirchildsguidedeffortsandamajorstepintoadultlife.Italsorepre-sentstheendresultofroughly18yearsofcarefulandsometimestediousnurtur-ing-andameasureoffreedom.IntheNorthanunusuallylargeeffortisputintomakinggraduationspecial.Theeventisimbuedwithoptimismandpride.Atthesametimethereisoftenanaggingconcernthatthepartyingmightgetoutofhand.Allourfearsaboutourchildrenthenightmarishthingsthatworryawayeternallyinaparentssub-conscioussubtlyheightenthelevelofanxietyatthistime.Notonlyisthecel-ebrationmaximizedbutsoistheparty-ingandquitepossiblythedrunkeness.Inresponsesomeschoolsandparentshavejoinedforcestoofferalternativestoexcessivedrinking.TheNorthernJournalcalledaroundtosomeprincipalstondoutwhatdifferentcommunitiesaredoing.ThisisthebigoneColeenMcDon-aldprincipalofEcoleSt.PatrickHighinYellowknifenoted.Shesaidtheirdrygradprogramhasbeenfantasticallysuc-cessfulforanumberofyears.Itkeepsourgradssafe.Shesaysthecommu-nitygetsinvolvedtherearegenerousdonationsandawellthoughtoutgradnightprogramisofferedtothestudents.Breakouttheboozetocelebrate-ornotSirJohnFranklinwithtypicllythelarg-estgraduatingclassintheNWT-174thisyear-alsomaintainsasuccessfuldrygradprogram.InuviksnewEast3Schoolhasforitsrstevergradclassatraditionalcelebrationandisnotin-volvedinanypartyingafterthesuper-viseddanceisoverat200a.m.ThatisuptothecommunitysaysprincipalDeborahMaguire.ChiefJimmyBruneauSchooltheTlichoRegionalSchoolinBehchokoshouldnothavetoworryaboutthepotentialdown-sideofboozeatgradpartiesaspos-sessionofalcoholhasbeenbannedinthecommunitysince2009.Theghtingandnumerousassaultsthattookplaceinthecommunityaftergradlastweek-endmayrequireacommunityre-thinkofthatsituation.FortSmithtriedadrygradprogramagainthisyearafterseveralattemptssomequitesuccessfuloveradecadeago.ManyotherPWKaeserHighclasseshavehadsupervisedwetpar-tieswherethelocationoftheafter-partyisknownevenselectedandpre-paredwithparentalinvolvement.Par-entsstayedon-sitethroughoutthenighttoensurethoseyouthwhobecomein-toxicateddonotharmthemselvesorothers.Theyalsoguardedagainstout-sidersespeciallyolderparty-goerstakingadvantageoftheyouthintheirvulnerablestate.Therationaleforthisunorthodoxapproachisthatyouthwilloverusealcoholanywaysowhynotac-ceptthatandensureittakesplaceunderatcontrolledcircumstancesDrygradsasanalternativetakealotofworkandneedaconcertedeffortbycaringparents.Infactallthree-theyouthparentsandschoolhavetobeengagedtopullitoff.Butifthosegradu-atingyouthdonotbuyinitisntgoingtowork.Thereisnothingpreventingthemfromparticipatingthenhavinganotherpartylaterthesamenightorevendayslaterontheirownwithlargequantitiesofalcohol.Understandingthatsomeschoolsworkhardtoeducatetheirolderstudentsabouttheimportanceofcele-bratinginawisemanner.St.Patsforexamplehasgraduatessignacontractthatlaysoutabehaviorialcodeandconsiderableeffortintheweekspriortotheeventisputintoensuringthegradsbuyintoit.Thechallengeoffosteringacelebra-tionwithoutalcoholandhavingitsuc-ceedishuge.Mostkidshavewatchedtheirparentspartywithalcoholalltheirlives.Barsarewhereyougotohavefun.Partyingwithalcoholisfundamentallyingrainedinourculture.Boozeiswhereitsat.Perhapsthattooissomethingthatisbrokenandneedsxing.Bingedrinkingiscommonamongteensagainstill.Gradisacelebrationwheretheyareexpectedtopartyhardest.Get-tingoutofcontrolisthegoaltheyaresupposedtostrivefor.Likewithanythingthemorewell-in-vestedtimeandenergythebiggerthepayback.Ifyouthinkitisworthittohaveyouthrealizetheydonothavetobein-toxicatedtocelebrateandorhavefuninparticularatgradafterpartiestherearealmostcertainlylike-mindedpeopleinyourcommunitywillingtoworkwithyoutondorcreateanalternative.Ifyouhavekidsgetinvolved.Itisaworthycause.PhotocourtesyofDanSummersLastweekwasabigweekforliteracypromotionatDeninuSchoolinFortResolution.AsmileygroupfromDeBeersCanadajoinedbyNWTCommissionerGeorgeTuccarovisitedtheschooltohandoutabooktoeverystudentaspartoftheirannualliteracyinitiative.DeninustudentswerealsovisitedbyauthorJohnWilsonlastweekwhospoketoGrades4-9onthePowerofWriting.