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EducationKeyanoCollegeGrad15TuesdayMay132014TOREPORTAWILDFIRECALL1877NWTFIRE1-877-698-3473www.nwtre.comThingsyoushouldnotleaveunattended.velociraptorzombieravenandgarbagebagbearspraycampfireByMARIACHURCHMorethan150tasselsmovedfromrighttoleftatKeyanoCollegeinFortMcMurraylastweekduringits48thannualconvocationceremony.Anestimated738stu-dentsgraduatedthisyearKeyanoCollegecelebratesmorethan150gradswitharound170attendingtheceremonyandwalkingthestageinfrontoffriendsfamilyandclassmates.Withsuchalargegradu-atingclasstwoceremonieswereslatedforconvocationdaywithoneinthemorningandoneintheafternoon.BothwereheldthisyearatKeyanoTheatremovedfromtheSportandWellnessCentrewhereitwasheldforthepastthreeyears.Thisyearsvaledicto-rianwasAmberCleghornastudentfromtheBusi-nessAdministrationandManagementdiplomapro-gramwhowillgraduatewitha3.99GPAgradepointaverageoutof4.0.WhileshelooksforwardtothenextchapterofherlifethenewgraduatewillalwaysrememberthecollegethatchangedherforeverCleghornsaidinapressre-leasefromthecollege.WhenIhadrstarrivedatKeyanoIhadnoideawhatIwantedtodowiththerestofmylifebutjustbytakingthecoursesofmyprogramanddiscover-ingwhatinterestedmeandmaybeevenwhatsubjectsorareasIwouldperson-allyliketosteerclearofIlearnedmoreaboutmyselfandwhatdirectionIwantedtoproceedinshesaid.ThisyearsguestspeakerattheconvocationwasCa-nadianlmstarWilliamShatner.Cultureisdefinedinsomebooksasthebetter-mentorrenementofindi-vidualshetoldthecrowd.Lookingaroundatourexistenceexaminingitmanipulatingitmaybeal-teringitbringsusalmostasmuchvalueasfoodandshelterShatnersaid.Inordertofullycel-ebratethisyearsgradu-atesthecollegelaunchedarst-timeeventcalledGradDazethisyearwhichwasheldonMay5andsaw120graduatesattendtopickuptheirgownscompletesur-veyssignupforthealumniassociationandtalkabouttheirfutures.GradDazewasasmash-ingsuccessMarshaKuche-lemadirectorofstudentser-vicesandregistrarforthecollegesaidintherelease.ByMARIACHURCHAnonymouslovelettersareabouttocropupinFortSmithandYellowknifecourtesyofyourlocalGrade10students.Airmailenvelopesblanksaveforthesinglewordloveandcontainingapersonalodetotheirhometownarebeingleftinsecrethiddenlocationsbytheirmakersinthehopesthatsomeonewillstumbleuponthemandreceiveaboostofloveofthetown.ItscalledtheLoveLetter-ingProjectandcreatorLind-sayZier-VogelwasintheNWTlastweektobringtheheart-warmingactivitytoGrade10studentsinYellowknifeandFortSmith.Itwasamazing.Ithinkitsaninterestingagegroup.ForaGrade10inhighschoolyoudonthavealotofagencyaboutwhereyouliveandyoumightnotfeellikeyouhavealotofagencyaboutverymuchshesaid.Iwasreallyamazedabouthowopentheywereanditwasreallyinterestingtohearthemtalkaboutwhatworkshereandwhatmakesitdifferentaboutlivinghere.TheLoveLetteringProjectwasbornaround10yearsagowhenZier-VogelwashangingoutwithafriendinaparkinFortSmithYellowknifestudentssharecommunitylovedowntownToronto.Shedecideditwouldbefuntowritelovepoemstoleaveforstrangers.Wedputthemintheseairmailenvelopesandleavethemforpeopletond.Itwasthisideaofjustcomingacrosssomethingandnothavingitinterruptyourdayshesaid.Zier-Vogeldecidedtoex-pandherrandomactofletter-ingloveintoaprojectthaten-couragesotherstowriteodestotheirhometownstospreadthegoodfeelings.Overthelast10yearsbe-tween3-4000lettershavebeenwritteninTorontoacrossCanadaandevenasfarawayastheUnitedKingdom.ThiswasZier-VogelsrsttimeintheNorthandhertripincludedastopinWhitehorseFortSmithandYellowknifewhereshearrangedtohavestudentsinGrade10CareerandLifeManagementCALMclasseswritetheirownlet-tersaboutwhattheyloveintheircommunitiesputthemintoherairmailenvelopesandleavethemanonymouslyaroundtown.Zier-VogelsNorthernexcur-sionwasdoneinpartnershipwithDreamCatcherMentoringaprogramdesignedtoencour-agestudentstocontinuetheireducationbyconnectingthemwithprofessionalmentorsovertheinternet.Zier-Vogelsaidshehadtheopportunitytomeetwithafewofthestudentsshehadmentoredthroughtheprogram.Wechattedaboutmycareerandwhatitsliketoruncom-munityengagementeventsandthenIgottoaskthemwhattheyloveaboutwheretheyliveshesaid.KelseyBaldwinateacheratPWKhighschoolinFortSmithsaidthestudentssharedtheirlovefortheaccesstoout-doorsskidooingdrymeatandtheauroraborealis.ForBaldwintherealtreatwashavingthestudentswhoareconsideringfuturepathsintroducedtoZier-Vogelasarolemodelofwheretheycantaketheirowncareers.Kidswhogrowupany-whereifitsasmalltownitsreallyimportantforthemtoseewhatthepossibilitiesare.EngagingwithadultswhoareleadinglivesandlivinghowthestudentsmightwanttoseeinghowtheygotthereisthebiggestthingIwantstu-dentstotakeawayfromitshesaid.PhotoMariaChurchLindsayZier-VogelbroughtherLoveLetteringProjecttostudentsinFortSmithandYellowknifelastweek.PhotoSeanMcLennanKeyanoCollegeKeyanoCollegestudentscelebratewiththeirfriendsduringconvocationheldlastFriday.ArtsCultureWriting