High School Grads Celebrate in the Islands

By Shelley Marmor

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — For the week of Aug. 15–19, the 2004 and 2005 Seminole high school graduates received a gift courtesy of Chairman Mitchell Cypress–a trip to the Bahamas. The 13 grads, along with several family members and chaperones, stayed at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Representing the class of 2004 on the trip were: Linda Henry and Savannah Huggins. Mia Da’Wanna Sapp also graduated in 2004, however, did not attend this trip. Representing the class of 2005 were: Tiffany Frank, Clarissa Garza, Christine McCall, JoJo Dakota Osceola, Tasha Osceola, Le’Anna Sapp, Zane Sauls, Gabriel Stockton, James Tommie and Karissa Tommie. Graduates Kayla Billie and Travelis Timothy did not attend.

After a brief 35 minute flight, the group landed in the Bahamas on Aug. 15. The only thing on the agenda this day was a private luncheon reception at the WatersEdge restaurant at the Atlantis hotel.

At the luncheon, Ft. Pierce Liaison Sally Tommie welcomed the graduates and told them this is their week to relax. She also congratulated them on graduating, and encouraged them to focus on “the next level of life.”

“You all have huge–I’m not going to say big, huge–things ahead of you,” Tommie added.

Tommie then introduced Chairman Mitchell Cypress for his opening remarks. The chairman reminded everyone that though the Bahamas is close to the U.S., it is a foreign country with rules that differ from the U.S., rules that everyone must follow. He encouraged everyone to look out for everyone else, and of course, to have a good time.

“This is your trip,” he told the graduates. “This is your time and we want you to enjoy it.”

Following the welcome luncheon, everyone had free time to settle in and get ready for a full day of activities on Aug. 16. On this day, the group took a bus tour of downtown Nassau stopping at historic sites including the Queen’s Staircase, Gregory’s Arch and Fort Charlotte.

After stopping for lunch at Luciano’s of Chicago, the group made their way to a shopper’s paradise–the Straw Market. While at the Straw Market, the ladies all had their eyes on designer knock-off purses. The men, Trail Liaison William Osceola, Tampa Liaison Richard Henry and Joel Frank, left the bustling market after about 10 minutes of shopping, but waited patiently for the girls to finish.

On Aug. 17, the entire group again congregated at the WatersEdge restaurant for a dinner and awards banquet. Following an opening prayer by Sally Tommie, the traditional Bahamian banquet got underway.

During the banquet, all Tribal officials present said a few encouraging words to the high school graduates. Chairman Mitchell Cypress also reminded the group that education and health are the two most important things in life. He also thanked Hollywood Education Advisor Lynn Himebauch and Ft. Pierce Education Advisor Jane Stockton for their work with the Seminole students.

Following the chairman, Naples Liaison O.B. Osceola Jr. spoke and reminded the grads that the Tribal Council provides “really unbelievable” educational services for them to take advantage of.

After Osceola, Trail Liaison William Osceola let the group know that the Tribal Council is “behind [them] all the way” before turning the microphone over to Tampa Liaison Richard Henry. Henry talked about the importance of a positive attitude, saying it is as important as an education, because it will “carry you.”

Immokalee Liaison Ralph Sanchez congratulated the graduates and told them to continue their educational career as far as they want to.

“Don’t let it end here,” Sanchez said. “Take it as far as you can.”

Following Sanchez was Ft. Pierce Liaison Sally Tommie, who told the 2004 and 2005 graduates they are “blessed beyond measures.” She agreed with the statements made by Richard Henry about the importance of a positive attitude and positivity in general.

“Your attitude determines your altitude. You can soar as high as you want to,” she said. “Don’t crash and burn because you have everything you need taken care of for you.”

Last to speak was Deloris Alverez from the President’s Office. Alverez attended on behalf of President Moses Osceola. She read a message sent from the president.

“I encourage you to achieve the highest level of education you can,” she read.

Education Advisor Lynn Himebauch followed Alverez. Himebauch asked all the grads to thank the parent, grandparent, family member and/or adult who helped them make it all the way through high school. Her co-worker from Education department, Jane Stockton, read the Serenity Prayer to the graduates and congratulated them on their accomplishment.

Sally Tommie and Chairman Cypress then presented the graduates with a mahogany gift box filled with goodies including a photo album and a trophy of a golden bird in flight. Each graduate made a speech upon receiving their gifts. Some, like JoJo Dakota Osceola, got very emotional when she recognized her parents, Virginia and Joe Dan Osceola.

“They are the one who got me out of bed every morning and got me to school,” she said.

All parents present, Virginia Osceola, Wanda Bowers, Jane Stockton, Leoda Poole and Carla Naktewa, made speeches recognizing their child’s graduation following the awards presentation.

Sally Tommie summed up the emotional night, saying “We need to bottle the energy that’s in here because it’s a beautiful thing.”

She and the chairman then presented commemorative pens to Education Advisors Stockton and Himebauch, as well a gift to trip organizer extraordinaire Eida Velez and her co-workers, Debbie Christophe and Sandy Selner, all from the Chairman’s Office.

On the last day in the Bahamas the group traveled on powerboats, which go as fast as 50 miles per hour, for one hour to Exuma Island. Before reaching Exuma Island, the tour group, Powerboat Adventures, made a brief stop at a smaller island inhabited only by iguanas.

Some of the more brave travelers, like Gabriel Stockton, JoJo Dakota Osceola, Sally Tommie and Wanda Bowers, heavily interacted with these wild animals and fed them grapes. After this everyone loaded back in the powerboats and headed towards Exuma Island, a two mile long private island.

While on the island, everyone had the opportunity to feed the native stingrays and even the sharks. The tour guides from Powerboat Adventures assured the group that they have never had a problem with the sharks in the past and if everyone acts respectfully there should not be a problem. The sharks acted are respectful to the people as they did to the sharks, and there were no incidents.

After this, most of the group went snorkeling just off shore, where they encountered many tropical fish, and more sharks. This was such a popular activity that most people went two or three times, like William Osceola.

Many of the graduates in the group called this the best part of the trip, including James Tommie and Le’Anna Sapp who called the Exuma Island adventure “once in a lifetime.”

“This was the best experience I had ever experienced in my life,” Sapp said.

The morning of Aug. 19 inevitably came and the graduates got to enjoy one final farewell breakfast together at the WatersEdge, the same place they began their Bahamian trip. From there, it was back to the Nassau International Airport for the short flight back to Ft. Lauderdale.