High school wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 always easy for Sebastian Oqallak. In fact, he admits that he considered dropping out.

Yet on June 2, after years of encouragement from his family and friends, he donned a graduation gown, and received his diploma from Arctic BaySA国际影视传媒檚 Inuujaq School.

It was a moment he describes as SA国际影视传媒渏oyful.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚 almost gave up high school, but people kept pushing me to keep going, so I tried so hard to finish it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淣ow ISA国际影视传媒檝e finished it.SA国际影视传媒�

OqallakSA国际影视传媒檚 family was in the building for his graduation ceremony, including his cousin, and his mother, who he says became emotional when he took the stage.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey were really proud of me,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淢y mother cried.SA国际影视传媒�

Oqallak is proud of himself, too, and recognizes that he will have far more options as a high school graduate than he would have otherwise.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a really good feeling,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 more opportunities for me now, because ISA国际影视传媒檓 not just some student anymore.SA国际影视传媒�

HeSA国际影视传媒檚 undecided on his next move after high school, but has been contemplating his options during trips out on the land to camp and hunt.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 still thinking about that,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was thinking about going to college.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne of my old teachers really wanted to help me with that, but he left town, so I donSA国际影视传媒檛 really know about that anymore.SA国际影视传媒�

In addition to his high school diploma, Oqallak also left his graduation ceremony with a new laptop courtesy of Baffinland Iron Mines, the Oakville, Ont., firm behind the Mary River mine operating in NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 Qikiqtani region.

Baffinland works closely with five Qikiqtani communities in particular: Iglulik, Sanirajak, Pond Inlet, Clyde River and OqallakSA国际影视传媒檚 home of Arctic Bay.

Since 2018, the company has encouraged students to finish high school by offering free computers to all graduates from those communities.

Oqallak, an aspiring musician, has plans to use his new laptop to take the rap and dance songs he writes to the next level.

SA国际影视传媒淚 just want to thank Baffinland for the computer,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 very useful. I would use my phone if I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 have computer, but I can put more photos on my computer now. I just want to thank them for giving us something very useful.

Baffinland distributed 60 laptops this year. Since 2018, the company has handed out 181 laptops and 47 iPad tablets to area graduates.

SA国际影视传媒淲e agreed to offer the free laptops to graduates as a means to encourage the completion of high school but also to reward them for their hard work and dedication to their studies,SA国际影视传媒� said Peter Akman, BaffinlandSA国际影视传媒檚 head of stakeholder relations and communications. SA国际影视传媒淭hese laptops, while a reward for their graduation, are also an important and valuable tool as they continue their post-secondary education or training.SA国际影视传媒�

Baffinland also supports education in the communities it works with by funding school lunch programs and contributing to career fairs, career counselling, co-op education opportunities and stay-in-school programs. Each year, the company also offers five $5,000 scholarships to high school graduates moving on to post-secondary education SA国际影视传媒� although it exceeded that number in 2023.

SA国际影视传媒淭his year we awarded a total of six scholarships due to the exemplary number of applicants,SA国际影视传媒� Akman said.