Annual event celebrates Native Graduation in FWPS

There are 574 federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages in what is now the United States. Dozens of these native nations were represented at the Native Graduation night for Federal Way Public Schools on Thursday, May 29.

The annual event celebrated Native students graduating from 5th, 8th and 12th grades and was held at Olympic View Elementary, 2626 SW 327th St.

Drumming was provided by Xavier Byers (Lakota) who graduated from Career Academy at Truman Campus a few years ago. He was mentoring the next generation of drummers, and throughout the night, had at least one young person half his size helping him out.

Each group of graduates received awards.

5th graders received a paddle necklace, 8th graders received a rattle, and seniors were wrapped in a blanket and received a smudge kit and a stole to wear when they walk for their school’s graduation.

Several senior students who participated in the Native American Youth Leadership Academy (NAYLA) also received items provided by the Seattle Indian Health Board, including blankets from 8th Generation and collections of medicine items.

“I want to thank all of you for being like amazing leaders in your schools. All of you went above and beyond and supported our Native community in Federal Way, as well as our Native community across Western Washington,” Native Education Coordinator Amanda Rambayon (Little Shell / Turtle Mountain Chippewa) said of the NAYLA participants.

The event was put on with the support of the Native American Parent Advisory Committee (NAPAC) and the school’s Native Education program. The Native Education program is housed in the Department of Equity and is led by Rambayon.

The Native Education program provides a variety of academic and non-academic supports to Native scholars.

At the graduation, students shared their name, school and tribe/nation, and posed for pictures with family members. Many graduates wore regalia that was meaningful to them or other items that connected them to their community.

For the seniors, family members shared words of celebration and encouragement about their graduates.

Graduate Natalie (Pretty Morning Woman) Reevis and her mother Maggie Gilham shared that they had left the Blackfeet Nation reservation to move to Federal Way, and were grateful to find community here. Reevis is part of NAYLA and is growing into an advocacy role for her community, and even spoke at an event recently. She belongs to both Blackfeet Nation and Quinault Indian Nation, whose ancestral lands are along the Washington coast.

Despite her community work and involvement, graduation wasn’t a guarantee just a few months before.

Working directly with the Native Ed team, including Rambayon, is what helped her.

“I didn’t think I was going to graduate on time,” Reevis told the Mirror, adding that “what really pushed me was that they wanted us to succeed.”

Reevis plans to head to NW Indian College after graduation and continue her advocacy work.

Native graduates of 5th, 8th and 12th grade are celebrated in an annual event held this year at Olympic View K-8. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.

Each graduate received a candy lei as they got recognized and celebrated. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.

Amanda Rambayon laughs with a ProStart intern who helped prepare dinner at the Native Graduation event on May 29. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.

Xaiver Byers is a graduate of Truman several years ago and now came full circle to drum and share songs at the Native Graduation for Federal Way Public Schools. Photo by Keelin Everly-Lang / the Mirror.