Centre Wellington District High School recently honoured 18 students who make the school and community a better place.
At the end of the school’s pep rally on Dec. 7, the students were recognized as the school’s first “18 under 18” recipients.
“I was honoured to know that I was considered one of the biggest innovators in the school,” said Grade 12 student Cameron Hadfield, who films and produces 360 degree walking tours and is designing a virtual reality game to be published online.
SAFFE (Safe and Fun for Everyone) committee member and teacher Carly McFarlane said the 18 under 18 idea came from Guelph’s 40 under 40 recognition program.
“It was in our plannings for our first Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week that I thought … we do these anti-bullying exercises but what if we did something different?” McFarlane explained to the Advertiser. “I said ‘what if we just find 18 kids and we celebrate them and take the positive spin?’
“And then this became even more appropriate when we’ve had a very sad fall and so I thought all the more reason to continue to do this and to really try to do a good job of it.”
The committee asked teachers and students to nominate students they thought made the school a better place.
“We have a school of amazing kids … we have highlighted 18 here, but we have so many kids that are doing great things,” McFarlane said.
Award recipient Jade Ritter, Grade 11, said the recognition was unexpected.
“It’s great to see that you’re being recognized for your work and that people are acknowledging the hard work and all the effort of all the talented young people in this community that are willing to give back,” Ritter said.
“I think that says a lot about the students here at the school.”
Ritter volunteers both at school and in the community.
Students and teachers were asked to fill out a nomination form that allowed the nominator to categorize their nominee as an athlete, fundraiser, coach, artist, musician, entrepreneur, etc. explained McFarlane.
“Then they would just write about them and really we were just exploring this for the first time, but we spent a good amount of time just reading; we read about the kids,” she said.
The call-out yielded about 60 nominations and after a vote McFarlane said the committee chose 18 students and called their families to find out more about them.
“Some of our students were nominated up to four or five times,” McFarlane said.
“And so those were obviously people that really stood out to us right from the beginning.”
Recognition recipients Ethan Sittlington and Eric Morris, Grade 12, said they were surprised when their names were called.
Sittlington, who has represented Canada at the junior world championships for cycling, said he tries to be a role model but didn’t expect the recognition.
“I didn’t really think it would happen. (I) just kind of keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I didn’t really plan on making or trying to get this goal, just do what I want to do and I’m quite happy.”
Morris said he tries to be a role model as well. As a member of the school’s cross country team, he has won medals at both the provincial and national levels and is now acting as a mentor for younger students.
“As a senior student I know how nervous you can get before races … and our coach … can’t be everywhere at once, so I try to stand right at the lines with the kids,” Morris said.
“I find it really helps me to have somebody who’s experienced and is calm. I know another runner who was in Grade 12 when I was in Grade 9 … who did that for me. I really appreciated it, so I try to do the same thing for these kids.”
Morris added he is honoured by the recognition.
“I was surprised. It was kind of like hearing your name but not really hearing your name. I was like ‘wait, me?’”
McFarlane said she hopes to make the 18 under 18 recognition an annual event.
This year the SAFFE committee chose nine male and nine female students and various grades were represented. The recipients include: Emma Nankivell (Grade 12), Anika May (10), Stanley Sinclair (11), Ben Wylde (12), Cameron Hadfield (12), Ethan Sittlington (12), Noelle Morris (11), Kenna Winget (11), Jenna Tofflemire (12), Eric Morris (12), Jade Ritter (11), Calum Offer (12), Nathan Vanderstoep (10), Rebecca Good (12), Jailyn Lochert (12), Samantha Mills (12), Tristan Parker (11) and Madison Galloway (12).
Click here for more information about each recipient.
