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Red Lake High School
Graduation 2004
By Michael Barrett
Red Lake Net News
On Saturday afternoon of May 29, 2004, fifty-nine Red Lake High School Seniors graduated,
to a packed Red Lake Middle School Gymnasium of about 700 people.
The 59 graduates may have been the largest graduating class of Red Lake High School, and
the commencement program included a variety of speakers, including Superintendent of Schools
Stuart Desjarlait, Red Lake Diabetes Coordinator Charmaine Branchaud, Miss Indian World 2004
Delana Smith, Principal Chris Dunshee and Class Valedictorian Joseph A. Anderson.
Anderson, 18, had accomplished something very extraordinary, which was graduating from
Northwest Technical College two weeks before he graduated from Red Lake High School.
“There are 59 graduates this year,” Superintendent Desjarlait said. “Each year the classes get
bigger and bigger, and we’ll wait for an hour–two hours–just for them to come in.”
Guest Speaker Charmaine Brauchaud, Red Lake Diabetes Coordinator, said she graduated
from Red Lake High School 32 years ago. She said her dream had always been to work in the
health care field,, and her goal was to continue her education after graduating. She attended
Anoka Ramsey Community College, then St. Scholastic in Duluth, graduating in 1977 with a BA
in Nursing.
“This month marks my 27th year as a Registered Nurse,” she said. “If I had to do it all over
again, I wouldn’t change a thing, because I followed my dreams, my goals, learned from my
mistakes, took advantage of opportunities and experienced life....Remember graduates that there
are plenty of opportunities and choices in life, especially when choosing the path to further your
education. It is up to you to seize these opportunities. Success is not a matter of luck; success is
the result of hard work....
“As you leave here today, be safe as you celebrate. You are not only vitally important to your
family but to this community as well. You are our future leaders....”
Delana Smith, Miss Indian World 2004, congratulated the graduates also.
“If you have a dream, youhave to find your own ways to go after it,” she said. “Only you can
make it happen.”
Smith said to follow her dream it took her determination, being focused, learning how to love
herself, her own self-worth, and believing and sacrificing along the way.
Joseph Anderson, Class Valedictorian, was also recognized for having already graduated from
Northwest Technical College. He also made a special presentation of flowers to Charmaine
Brauchaud and Delana Smith.
Anderson welcomed and thanked everyone, and recognized those who helped him along the
way. He also spoke about his education and his experiences in taking the courses from NTC.
Vernon Clark presented Terin Cobenais and Joseph Anderson with $500.00 scholarships from
Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative, and those receiving Beltrami Electric Cooperative
scholarships went to Jonathon Griffith, Audrey Cobenais, Joseph Anderson and Terin Cobenais.
Challenge Johnson also received two scholarships, the Dan Raincloud Memorial Scholarship
and the Smith Memorial Scholarship, and Rachael Johnson also received a $500.00 scholarship.
The honor students were recognized, as well as the Valedictorian and Salutatorian, followed
by a slide show of the graduates when they were youngsters.
That was followed by Red Lake School Board President Arnold Pemberton and
Superintendent of Schools Stuart Desjarlait presenting the graduates with their diplomas and
tribal awards, and the Red Lake Drum closing the program with an honor song.
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