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Dozens of students recognized at OSSTF awards banquet

The next generation appears to be in good hands.
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Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation District 6 president Paul Caccamo (from left), OSSTF executive officer Sue Doughty-Smith and Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute Grade 11 student Hannah Tabachak on Saturday at the union's annual student awards banquet. (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)

The next generation appears to be in good hands.

Dozens of high-school and adult-education students from Lakehead Public Schools on Saturday were rewarded for their hard work at the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation District 6 annual student awards banquet, earning kudos in categories ranging from academic excellence and athletics to personal achievement and the arts.

The 17-year-old Grade 11 student at Superior and Collegiate Vocational Institute was recognized for her musical ability.

She plays flute in the school’s jazz band and violin in its string orchestra, has sung in both the High School Idol competition and at the Lakehead Festival of the Arts, attending last year’s Ontario Leadership Council for Music.

“I think it’s important for students to get these awards because for me it made me want to keep going and try harder,” she said.

Classmate and friend Nicole Lee was also honoured, earning a citizenship award, in part for her leadership with the school’s Natural Leaders program. Lee has taken part in Me to We activities in Thunder Bay and accumulated 222 volunteer hours during her three years in high school, five times the amount needed to graduate – with another year to go.

“I think it’s important because it’s super cool that they can acknowledge us and it gives you the motivation to just keep trying.”

Soon-to-graduate Leo Dube, a Grade 12 student at Hammarskjold High School, was recognized for academic excellence.

The awards are a great was to acknowledge the effort students put in throughout the school year.

Dube, who said he got decent marks his first three years at Hammarskjold, said it was especially nice to be honoured after buckling down in his final year.

“It’s good to recognize the hard work they put in, and also the teachers who helped the students along. They put in a lot of hard work too to help students achieve these awards.

“This year, going into university I really sat down and focused on getting good grades, and I worked really hard at that,” Dube said.

OSSTF president Paul Caccamo said honouring more than 40 students is an annual tradition, dating back to 1981.

Honouring student achievement is important to educators and support staff at every high school in Thunder Bay.

“It’s also one of the most enjoyable things that we do,” Caccamo said.

Public board trustee chairman Jack Playford said the awards are the least teachers can do for students and their parents, who trust the system with their most precious resource.

Saturday’s awards are proof the future is bright in Thunder Bay.

“What an incredible group of people we have in our school system,” Playford said.

A list of the award winners, by school:

Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Jack Hughes (athletics)
Amanda Cain (academic excellence)
Rachel Heerema (technical skills and achievements)
Linden Waboose (Aboriginal leadership)
Genessa Bates (student leadership)
Michelle Chen (personal achievement)
Abhishesh Homagain (the arts
Conrad Shawinimash (communications)

Hammarskjold High School
Aliisa Heiskanen (athletics)
Katrina Fiddler (Aboriginal leadership and advocacy)
Leo Dube (academic excellence)
Liam Malone (technical skills and achievements)
Sara Friesen (academic excellence)
Eric Watson (student leadership)
Colin Lee-Mithcell (citizenship)
Mary McPherson (the arts)

Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Willa Ratz (student leadership)
Calvin Anderson (personal achievement)
Jakob Kobetich (personal achievement)
Mihcael (Yuren) Li (personal achievement)
Nicole Lee (citizenship)
Hannah Tabachak (the arts)
Connor Zale (citizenship)
Hannah Knudsen (communications)

Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Justice Thompson (personal achievement)
Samantha Convey (the arts)
Jordan Berlinquette (athletics)
Darren Gouesh (citizenship)
Julie Boyle (citizenship)
Jackson Pilot (personal achievement)
Scotia Evans (academic excellence)
Chris Perozak (leadership)

Lakehead Alternative Program: College Link
Skye Beardy (academic excellence)

Lakehead Alternative Program: Sam. Misol
Kassidy Pascoe (academic excellence)

Lakehead Alternative Program: Adult Education
Jessie Krieger (Aboriginal leadership)
John Gagnon (Aboriginal academic achievement)



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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