PCI’s first Indigenous valedictorian
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This article was published 09/07/2021 (1575 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Jacinda Houle didn’t enter her senior year expecting to be Portage Collegiate Institute’s first Indigenous valedictorian — but, her class spoke and made history.
“It was a huge honour for me,” Houle, 17, said.
The high school is over 125 years old. Thousands have graduated on its grounds without seeing Indigenous representation in their valedictorian.
Houle, who’s from Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, changed that — seven times, between June 28 and 29. She danced in an opening ceremony powwow for each of the school’s seven outdoor convocations before delivering her address to peers. She wore traditional cultural garb on stage.
“I just felt like I was representing the Indigenous youth all over … and representing my community,” Houle said. “That’s my goal, is to inspire Indigenous youth.”
PCI’s roughly 200 grads sent names to administration through Google Forms suggesting who they’d like as valedictorian. The top seven people were added to a poll, and grads voted. Houle didn’t expect to be chosen.
“I didn’t even know that people were voting for me, so that was pretty cool,” she said.
She has experience public speaking: last October, she became the youth city councillor in Portage la Prairie, and the first person of Indigenous descent to hold the role.
She’s led powwow clubs at ROK Central, where she would also work after school and in summer. She’s taught powwow dancing at various elementary schools through Portage la Prairie School Division.
She’s volunteered with PCI’s First Nations leadership group and peer counselling groups. She currently works for the Portage Urban Indigenous Peoples Coalition.
“I hope to not just be the first and only Indigenous valedictorian — I’d like to see other Indigenous valedictorians after me,” Houle said.
She’s considering becoming a teacher or social worker.
“Whatever Jacinda puts her mind to, she can usually do it,” said Gloria Beaulieu, Houle’s grandmother.
Beaulieu is the post-secondary counsellor in Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation. She said she and Houle’s mother, who’s a teacher, have instilled the importance of education in Houle.
“She’s a very ambitious person, and she’s mature,” Beaulieu said of Houle.
Mayor Irvine Ferris of Portage la Prairie has worked with Houle over the past several months on council. He called her a hard worker, well organized and energetic.
“I can see why her peers would’ve picked her,” Ferris said. “If she commits to something, she sure follows through … I think it was a great choice.”
He said PCI’s Indigenous valedictorian reflects the city’s population, and that council is proud of Houle.
Fernande Cook, who handles community wellness in Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, hopes Houle will speak to kids at the local school.
“I think she’s being a very good role model for other Indigenous children and teenagers,” Cook said.
Houle is related to Cook — she’s Cook’s nephew’s daughter — but Cook doesn’t see her often. Even so, feelings of excitement have circulated through the family.
“When I heard that she had got valedictorian … it just brought chills to me,” Cook said. “I was so proud of her.”
Houle’s valedictorian speech is available to view on PCI’s website.