Cecily Dvdaya Swimmer delivers the keynote address at the CHS Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony on the morning of Saturday, May 23 in the Charles George Memorial Arena in Cherokee, N.C. (BROOKLYN BROWN/One Feather photos)
By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Commencement Ceremony for the Cherokee High School (CHS) Class of 2026 was held on the morning of Saturday, May 23 in the Charles George Memorial Arena for 92 graduates.
Dawnenna Sue West gave the invocation in Cherokee language and sang the morning song.
Tayvin Bark delivers a reflection on graduation at the CHS Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
CHS Principal Craig Barker gave opening remarks, stating in part, “You are bold. You are resilient. Always remember Gadugi. It’s not just a slogan; it’s what we live here in Cherokee High School and in this community…Always remember who you represent. Be proud of your culture. Show the world what it means to be Cherokee and a graduate of Cherokee High School. Give back to your community.”
CHS Class President Leilah Lossie gave the presidential address, “Siyo family, friends, and staff. We stand here today to celebrate the Class of 2026, a moment that we have all worked for. Let us remember the lessons we learned and the friendships forged, the memories that have taken root here and the journey that hasn’t always been easy. The late-night makeup work, the challenging tests, and the moments when we questioned if we could graduate. But through it all, we preserved and pushed ourselves to reach our full potential. As we push ourselves, let us look forward, let us embrace our futures with open minds. The world awaits our contributions, our innovations, and our unique perspectives. Let us be loud, be kind, and always strive to make a positive impact.”
Tayvin Bark gave a reflection on graduation, stating in part, “In the past year or two, I went through something that changed me completely. I connected to my culture through stomp and other various cultural activities. It showed me that there is only peace in this world…Reflecting on our cultures more, I’d like to compare our class of students here at CCS with the core value most of y’all know—This is Gadugi. Each and every single one of us here are family. You have a responsibility to look after your people and that’s the most sacred part about us. It’s not an object that you can take away from us, but it’s valuable in its own way without physically being here.”
Leilah Lossie delivers her presidential address at the CHS Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
Cecily Dvdaya Swimmer gave the graduation keynote address, stating in part. “Today we celebrate years of hard work, sacrifices, long nights, early mornings, growth, and becoming who we are over the last 13 or 14 years. I will mark a few words that we all know: resilience, hard work, and maturity. When people look at us, they usually see achievements and graduates. They see all the good that comes with the caps and gowns, scholarships, awards, championships, and smiles. But what people don’t always see are the struggles behind those accomplishments. They don’t see the tears that were cried behind closed doors or in silence. They don’t see the pressure placed on ourselves just to make others proud. The truth is the struggle is real, but it did help shape each of us. Every person sitting here today has fought battles nobody else fully understands. Some struggled academically, some struggled emotionally, some carry responsibilities at home while trying to succeed at school. Some battled injuries, setbacks, criticism, heartbreaks, and at times, I’m sure, loneliness. Resilience is not being okay when you’re not but continuing to show up even when you’re not okay. It is learning how to stand back up after life knocks you down. It’s purely just showing up and getting that day done sometimes…It’s never a setback, but a comeback. Every loss is a lesson and at the end of the day, the day ends. You do not have to be perfect to be worthy. You do not have to win every battle to succeed, and you do not have to compare your journey to anyone else’s. Your story matters, your growth matters, your resilience matters. Congratulations Class of 2026. The best chapters of our lives are still ahead of us and I’m so proud of each and every one of you.”
Loretta Bolden presented the North American Indian Women’s Association (NAIWA) awards to Cecily Dvdaya Swimmer and Marlee Hicks.
WCU Cherokee Center Director Shalana Yates presented the Dr. Jerry Wolfe Gadugi Award along with Jake Stephens, the grandson of the late Beloved Man of the Cherokee Dr. Jerry Wolfe, to Francesca Armachain and Tayvin Bark.
Sam Lambert, from the Steve Youngdeer American Legion Post 143, presented the American Legion Award to Maya Brabham.
On behalf of the CHS Student Council, Ava Walkingstick presented the Cynthia Saunooke Mental Health Scholarship to Leilah Lossie.
Barker recognized the top five students with the highest grade point average in no particular order: Samantha Nikki Toineeta, Tayvin Bark, Cecily Dvdaya Swimmer, Marlee Hicks, and Isaiah Ledford.
The ceremony concluded with a Benediction in the Cherokee language from Dawnenna Sue West.
