Arctic Yearbook 2014
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Figure 1: Meaning of Success
Figure 1 shows traditional and non-traditional types of success. Results from the study showed that
success was not only defined in terms of the more traditional outcomes such as getting high marks,
meeting parents’ expectations and finishing a degree. These are captured in the upper left of Figure 1
under school performance. Success was also captured in terms of unintentional or unexpected
outcomes tied to personal growth, family and community. When defining their own success,
students talked about: improvement in communication skills and confidence; feeling independent;
how education furthered their connection to culture and community; as well as the fact that
education created personal and career possibilities that they had not thought possible. These results
are located in the right side of the Figure 1 and are discussed in more detail below.
Personal Impacts
Some students talked about “doing what is right