By John Francis, Bruce Peninsula Press
Bruce Peninsula District School’s Secondary Grad ceremony was held at the school on June 27, 2024, with a class photo taken at the lighthouse beforehand.
Longtime music and drama teacher Tara Stanton acted as Emcee, welcoming students, parents and presenters. Stanton and Jessica Rice shared the Land Acknowledgement and welcomed parents and staff. Superintendent of Education (and former BPDS vice-principal) Keith Lefebvre brought greetings from the Board. Tyler Hayes returned to BPDS to give a tribute to the students. Tara Stanton read out the winners of the subject awards.
The 2024 ceremony featured a record 43 Awards, Bursaries and Scholarships. This is a remarkable testament of community support, when you consider that the graduating class consisted of only 23 students. The awards have a combined value of well over $20,000.
The first of the scholarships and bursaries was the Beatrice Bruin Music Bursary. This is presented every year by Jim and Darlene Dilamarter in honour of Beatrice Bruin, who taught music and Latin at BPDS for many years. This year’s award went to Dylan Hurst (not present to receive his award). Lance Chenier received the Bruce Peninsula Society of Artists Award; Rowan McKellar was presented with the Catherine Pedwell-Ganton Award. The Isobel K Ganton Award went to Thalassa Parent.
The Rotary Club of Northern Bruce Peninsula endows and presents a number of scholarships and bursaries to BPDS graduates every year. The awards are named after Northern Bruce Peninsula citizens who have made important contributions to their community. The first of these this year, was the Mary Cameron Award, which is presented every year in memory of a legendary elementary teacher who had a strong influence on many of the parents and grandparents of current graduates. This year’s recipient was Ruth Wilkens. The JC Buckley Award, went to Luke Belanger, the Keith Hopkinson Memorial Scholarship went to Elise Stewart and the newly endowed Robert Spearing Service-above-self Bursary went to Reagan Taylor.
The Sources of Knowledge Bursary was presented to Charley Firth and Rowan McKellar. Luke Belanger received the Canon Jack James Memorial Scholarship, Gracey Williamson the Graham Barton Memorial Award and Rylan Cameron the Independent Order of Oddfellows Bursary.
Teachers Jessica Rice and Mike Laing came on stage to make the next series of award presentations: the Retired Teachers of Ontario Community Service Award went to Sahara Weatherhead, the Good Humour Award went to Brandon Johnson, the CUPE Local 1176 Award went to Reagan Taylor, the Lion’s Head Hospital Auxiliary Dr Harpur Award went to Sahara Weatherhead. Rice and Laing then presented five different awards to Charley Firth: the Grey-Sauble Conservation Foundation — Conservation Award, the Ziggy Kleinau Fund award, the Biosphere Award for interst in science and the Environment, the Bruce Grey Woodlands Association Bursary and the True Grit Award.
The next series of presentations was made by Jennifer Cameron and Ashley Myles. The UNESCO Global Citizenship Award was given to Mackenzi Hawke and Thalassa Parent; the Bruce Peninsula Art Show Bursary to Owen Morrison and Samantha Hess, the Bumper to Bumper bursary to Steven Roloson, the Suntrail Award to Thalassa Parent, the RONA Technological Studies Award to Rowan McKellar, the Harvey Warder Memorial Award to Reagan Taylor, the Bruce County Council Award to Cooper Love and the Tom Norris Helping the Kids Award to Skye McLeod.
Presenters Kristina Sweatman and Cameron Stryker began by offering the Enet West Memorial Award to Paityn Handley. The Agricultural Award presented by the Grey-Bruce Office of Ontario Federation of Agriculture went to Reagan Taylor, the Bruce Power Women in Trades bursary to Elise Stewart, the Virginia Wiley Memorial Award to Brandon Johnson, the Ivan Hepburn Memorial Trades Award to Cooper Love, the Larry Bannerman Award to Samantha Hess and Elise Stewart and the Bruce Power Future Innovators Award to Paityn Handley.
Tara Stanton and Oliver Clark presented the Colpoys Bay Women’s Institute Volunteerism Award to Ruth Wilkens, the SWANS Annette Richardson Award to Samantha Hess, the Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award to Elise Stewart and the Tod Wright Scholarship to Reagan Taylor.
Gracey Williamson received the Lion’s Head Rotary Club’s Scholarship Award from Rotarian Rob Hiscot.
The Bruce Peninsula District School Staff Award went to Thalassa Parent.
In the final presentation of the evening, Principal Brenda Brewer gave the Governor General’s Bronze Academic Medal to Gracey Williamson.
Fourteen of the twenty-three members of the graduating class were named as Ontario Scholars (over 80% average): Luke Belanger, Rylan Cameron, Paityn Handley, Samantha Hess, Cooper Love, Rowan McKellar, Owen Morrison, Thalassa Parent, Steven Roloson, Elise Stewart, Reagan Taylor, Sahara Weatherhead, Ruth Wilkens and Gracey Williamson. Thirteen of the twenty-three took advantage of the High Skills Major Program in the Environment at BPDS: Luke Belanger, Rylan Cameron, Charlie Firth, Mackenzi Hawke, Samantha Hess, Brandon Johnson, Cooper Love, Thalassa Parent, Steven Roloson, Reagan Taylor, Sahara Weatherhead, Ruth Wilkens and Gracey Williamson.
BPDS School Letters were awarded to Luke Belanger, Cooper Love, Rowan McKellar, Thalassa Parent and Reagan Taylor.
Valedictorians Reagan Taylor and Luke Belanger gave a fond salute to their classmates.
Lance Chenier’s slideshow was the evening’s finale.
