Cold Lake Junior High celebrates new identity

It’s a new school name, new colours, and new team names: Cold Lake Middle School has officially become Cold Lake Junior High. 

The students and staff celebrated the new identity of the Cobras with colours of electric blue and orange last Wednesday at its assembly. The change came after Northern Lights Public Schools did a whole reconfiguration of its Cold Lake schools, due to a growing student body.

Mrs. Tammy Becotte welcomed everyone to a new school year and introduced Karen Collins, Commissioner of Metis Nation of Alberta, to provide an Elder prayer and message to the students. 

“Everyone here is like a beautiful plant, a beautiful flower,” she said. “No single person is the same, and when we’re planted together, we grow strong, beautiful, and make life better for people around us.”

Superintendent Rick Cusson and several members of the Northern Lights Public Schools Board of Trustees attended the assembly, including Roy Ripkens, Debra Lozinski, Ron Young, Mandi Skogen, and Board Chair Karen Packard.

“A lot of you have probably heard people share memories about this building, about when your parents went here, or about when it used to be a high school,” Superintendent Cusson said. “Now this is your chance to make those same memories, to tell future students that you were here when you became Cold Lake Junior High, and that you were here when you became the Cobras.”

“We wish you all the very best this year, and hope that the changes that you see this year inspire you to succeed and to do your best,” said Board Chair Packard.

Northern Lights Public Schools approved the suggestion from Grade 7 and 8 students to rename the facility Cold Lake Junior High for the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

Other names suggested were Kinosoo Junior High, Eagle Junior High, and Northern Lights Junior High.