Two diplomas and counting

Dr. Dickson. It’s got a nice ring to it.

Jamie Dickson walked closer to that title last week, in the first of two graduation ceremonies she took part in this graduation season. Two weeks ago, Dickson joined 13 Kicking Horse Job Corps graduates who also received GED or HSD certificates in the Kicking Horse gym.

Last Saturday, she received a degree in dental assistant technology from Salish Kootenai College. Dickson’s mother, Kim Swaney, aunt Ruthie Swaney, spouse Jermy McGreevy and 18-month-old daughter JoDessa were in the crowd for the Kicking Horse ceremony.

Born and raised in Ronan, Dickson has been enrolled at Kicking Horse for about two and a half years. Her initial interest in dentistry has grown into the degree from SKC through the help of Kicking Horse. The great support systems she found at both Kicking Horse and SKC helped her through, inspiring her desire to go on with her education so she can become a dentist.

“Being a single mom, your money goes elsewhere, I was actually able with Kicking Horse to pay for class and books,” Dickson said.

Dickson maintained “gold status” throughout her time in the off-campus job corps program, which helped pay for school and provide money for the necessities.

The job corps complex south of Ronan hosts 224 students, many who live on campus gaining both educational and vocational training. Kicking Horse serves five states across the Northwest, OA/CTS coordinator Shelly Fyant said.

Elmo native Lee Hewankorn graduated with a carpentry certification last week. He found his way to Kicking Horse after his uncle suggested he apply.

“It was a good choice for me,” he said. “I wasn’t doing anything at home.”

Using the “magic wands,” graduation speaker and culinary teacher Willie Caye said the instructors at Kicking Horse represented, Hewankorn fulfilled the graduation requirements in just seven months.

Hewankorn is planning on joining the Air Force once he gets into shape. One day, he’ll use his carpentry skills to build himself a house, he said. 

For Dickson, after SKC graduation, there are a few more things to take care of on the path to becoming a dentist. Sometime in June, Dickson will give birth to a baby boy and focus on being a mom for the summer. Classes to complete the prerequisites for dentistry school will begin at SKC in September.

Ultimately, like Dickson’s mom Kim said, there’s still one more graduation to attend - the one where her daughter will be presented a degree allowing her to be a dentist. Dickson said she’s hoping to apply for an Indian Health Service scholarship and attend the University of Washington School of Dentistry.

“It seemed like it was so far away when I started,” Dickson said. “I’m really proud of myself, a lot  of people could have given up,I want to be Dr. Dickson more than anything.”