THUNDER BAY – Mya Bragnalo says she really never wins awards for her work.
The Grade 9 students was pretty excited on Saturday to accept recognition for her painting, I’ll Be Your Mirror, earning a student achievement award in honour of Marion Drysdale.
The Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute teen was one of several students who accepted certificates of achievement at the 35th annual Student Awards Banquet, created to recognize and publicly honour students by the Thunder Bay Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.
Bragnalo said a little recognition goes a long way.
“I think it’s really important for students to be recognized because there’s a lot of schoolwork and things that they’re stressed about and it’s good for them to have a way to feel good about themselves,” she said.
It means a lot, she added.
“It’s really inspiring. Now I feel like I can probably get somewhere. I feel better about myself,” she said.
Olivia Heppno won a similar award for her poem, Perceptions, which looked at why people try to change who they are when they feel they’re not good enough.
“Really my inspiration was everyone who feels like they’re not good enough,” the Grade 9 Hammarskjold High School student said.
Like Bragnalo, Heppno said it’s important for students of all ages to be recognized for their work.
“I feel like it means they really know they’re doing something right. Being recognized builds up a lot of confidence in students,” she said. “It makes me really happy that people know that I’m trying to, in my own little way, make the world a better place.”
Sue Doughty-Smith is the provincial executive officer of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and said the award will stay with the student for a lifetime.
“I think it’s important that we continue to acknowledge the students for their hard work and dedication. And I think what we do here today, it carries on with them in their personal lives from here on in,” Doughty-Smith said.
A complete list of the winners:
Sir Winston Churchill CVI
Landyn Atlookan: Aboriginal Leadership and Advocacy
Jay Chen: Student Leadership
Sara Kanustski: Aboriginal Leadership and Advocacy
Spencer Korol: Citizenship
Yamandeep Malhi: Athletics
Lauren Puumala: Academic Excellence
Abby Stezenko: Techical Skills and Achievement
Tyler Tenniscoe: Personal Acheivement
Hammarskjold CVI
Bailey Doblej: Aboriginal Leadership and Advocacy
Kimberly Geils: Academic Excellence
Kurtis Halvorson: Student Leadership
Hanna Johnston: Athletics
William Oades: Student Leadership
Joshua Picard: Technical Skills and Achievement
Tanner Van Teeflen: The Arts
Maggie Wilberforce: Academic Excellence
Superior CVI
Makayla Clace: Personal Achievement
Peter Cumbers: Technical Skills and Achievement
Elly Kovacs: The Arts
Carly Martin: Student Leadership
Megan Reppard: Academic Excellence
Skyler Spence: Aboriginal Leadership and Advocacy
Cameron Surkan: Communications
Brendan Stark - Academic Excellence
Westgate CVI
Tari Antier: Academic Excellence
Cameron Johnson: Academic Excellence
Dylan Morden-Lane: Personal Achievement
Ryley Marchant: Business Skills and Achievement|
Nolan Paxton: Athletics
Teija Pohjoirinne: The Arts
Marlene Thomas: Aboriginal Leadership and Advocacy
Brianne Walford: Athletics
Lakehead Adult Education Centre
Trevor Bewick: Academic Excellence
Aaron Rossi: Student Leadership|
Naomi Yellowhead: Personal Achievement
Student Achievement Awards 2017 in honour of Marion Drysdale
Maya Bragnalo, Superior CVI
Olivia Heppner, Hammarskjold High School
Autumn Ziebarth, Hammarskjold High School
Brendon Shipston , Hammarskjold High School
Kamryn Woloschuk, Hammarskjold High School
Kristen Hoekstra, Churchill CVI
