Rocky Boy Schools held a ceremony this week to recognize Junior and High School Principal Krystal Four Souls after she completed her master’s degree while undergoing cancer treatment. Four Souls earned her degree in educational leadership while working full time and receiving treatment for breast cancer.
Aneesa Coomer reports - watch the video here:
“When I first started, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, HER2 positive breast cancer and had a mastectomy on one side,” Four Souls says.
She continued working and attending classes while receiving chemotherapy.
“I decided to continue the best I could, and showed up here so that nobody got too worried,” she says.
In November, Four Souls says the cancer metastasized to her brain, requiring surgery and radiation. She says the treatment left her needing to relearn how to walk.
Because of her health, Four Souls was unable to attend her Montana State University graduation ceremony in December. Staff at Rocky Boy High School organized a recognition ceremony in January so she could be honored in front of students.
“The staff kind of got together and decided we’re going to give her that opportunity today at the high school and we’re going to put out a red carpet for her and have our elders come and pray and sing and honor her and let her walk across our stage for us because her accomplishments mean a lot to us,” says Donna Raining Bird, administrative assistant at Rocky Boy High School.
School staff say the ceremony was meant to show students that perseverance is possible despite major obstacles.
“It shows all of our children, whether it be elementary, junior high, high school, that they can do it,” Raining Bird says. “She is also from here. She grew up here. She graduated from here. And I think she is a very important role model to everybody here.”
Four Souls says her goal is for students to understand that challenges are part of life and should not prevent them from continuing their education.
“I just don’t want our kids to give up,” she says. “They’re going to have obstacles, hopefully not like mine, but everyday life, you know, there’s going to be something.”
School officials say the event was intended to highlight both Four Souls’ academic achievement and the importance of resilience for students across the district.