Youarewellonyourwaytocreatingyourfuture.Congratulationsonthis milestone;wewishyouthebest,whereveryourfuturetakesyou.
IfthatfutureincludesCollegeoftheRockies,wewillbeexcitedto welcomeyou,whetheryoucometocompleteacertificate,diploma, degree,orTradesdesignation.
Whereveryourlifebringsyounext,bestwishestoyou.Yourfutureawaits.
Columbia Valley Pioneer presents...
Photos by Chris Moseley/Azimuth photo+design
VISIT: cotr.ca
Dear graduates:
Graduation day is a day of celebration, a day to celebrate all the hard work that led you to this very special moment. It is also a day of thanks, a day to thank all the people who helped you get here today. e people who taught you and nurtured you, cheered you on and maybe dried your tears.
Graduation day is a day of reflection because today marks the end of one phase of your life and the beginning of something new. As you graduate, people tell you all kinds of heartfelt things, they have lessons to share, they tell you to follow your dreams, listen to your spirit, change the world, and make your mark.
at’s all great advice but dreams don’t come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen, it’s hard work that creates change. You might not know right now exactly what it is you dream of doing and maybe you feel a lot of anxiety because you have no idea what your passion is right now.
e truth is, it really doesn’t matter, you don’t have to know right now, you just have to keep moving forward, seize the next opportunity that comes your way, stay open to trying something new. Do something until you can do something else. Don’t sit back and wait for life to come to you, go and get it. e easy days ahead of you will be easy. It’s the hard days, the days that challenge you to your very core.
ose are the days that will determine just who you are. You will be defined, not by what you achieve but by how you live your life. Finding gratitude and appreciation is the key to resilience. ose who
take the time to list the things they are grateful for are healthier and happier. Make your list today and every day. Look after yourselves.
ere are so many exciting days ahead of you, I hope you enjoy each one of them. I hope you live your life, each precious day of it, with joy and meaning. And when challenges come, I hope you remember that deep within you is the ability to learn and grow, you are not born with a fixed amount of resilience, it’s like a muscle. You can build it up and then draw on it when you need it and, in that process, you figure out who you really are, and you just might become the very best version of yourself.
Class of 2023, as you leave your high school experience, build resilience. Build resilience in yourselves. So that when tragedy or disappointments strike, know that you have deep within you the ability to get through anything, and I mean anything, I promise you do. As human beings we are more vulnerable than we ever thought, but we are stronger than we ever imagined. Build resilient communities. We find our humanity, our ability to love, in our relationships with each other. Be there for your family and friends. Lift each other up.
Graduation day and every day ahead, celebrate every moment of joy.
Class of 2023, I wish the very best for each of you!
Your futures are bright. Congratulations!
Karen Shipka Superintendent, Rocky Mountain School District 6
TristanYoung(Miller)
TristanfinishedschoolbackinNovember,andhis motivationofwantingtoworkwasastonishing. So,hefoundajobwhichtookhimtravelingall overAlbertaclimbingcelltowers,andhasbeen acceptedintotheWeldingFoundationsprogram atCollegeoftheRockiesinCranbrook,startingin September.
Tristan-nevergiveup,alwaysbeYOUandbetrue toyourself.
Youmakeusveryproud!
LoveMom,Dad,Dakota,Nana,Papa,UncleChris, UncleScott.
Name of Scholarship/Bursary
Alicia Raven Memorial Scholarship
Barbara & George Duthie Scholarship
Bob Bell Memorial Bursary
Brock & Terri-Lynn Melnyk Family Bursary
Canadian Mountain Holidays Bursary
Canadian Union of Public Employees
Local 440 (Invermere Zone) Bursary
Christy Award
Class of 1978 Memorial Bursary
Columbia Basin Trust Youth
Community Service Award
Columbia Power Corp Bursary
Columbia Valley Arts Council Bursary
Columbia Valley Hut Society
Columbia Valley Pioneer Bursary
District Authority Awards
David Thompson Sec School PAC
DTSS Award
Dusk Building Bursary
East Kootenay Labour Council
Edgewater/Radium
Ladies’ Hospital Auxiliary Bursary
Fred Veysey Memorial Student Award
Greg Constable Auto Award
Invermere Health Care
Auxiliary Scholarship
Recipient
Marnie Rainbow
Yusuf Elwakeel
Owen Lumsden
Irish Daphne Candido
Cameron Dickson
Finnly King
Cameron Howse
Amber Jefferson
Layne Bourke, Oliver Breeze, Kate (Logan) Hale
Ty Frocklage
Neina Flight
C Dickson and B Gillies
Logan Hale
S Bradford. N Flight
B Gemmell, H Kendler
R Lawrick, C Nickurak
A Nowicki, M Rangel, M Tenta
Alyssa Nowicki
Tyler Melnyk
M Grenier
Lee Tan
A Beaulieu
Rolen Boechler
Brianna Gemmell
A Beaulieu, D Candido
R Ebuenga, C Hatalcik
H Kendler, C Nickurak
N Paccagnan, R Zettergreen (Gordon)
Invermere Old Timers Hockey Mackenzie Tenta
J. Alfred Laird Bursary
Jayden Jefferson Memorial Bursary
Lili Berube
Paddy Donahue
Jeremy Chambers Memorial Bursary Brodie Gillies
John Lagadin Memorial
(Copper Point Golf Bursary)
KASA Design
Jade Matheson
Cameron Howse
Kinsmen Club of Windermere Valley Clare Hatalcik, Mackenzie Tenta
Kootenay Savings Community Foundation
Daven McMurray
Francie Aguinaldo
Lake Windermere District Lions Club ScholarshipFinnly King
Raylee Gordon
Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club Bursary Lee Babich
Mary Hoffman Memorial Scholarship
Mike Warriner Memorial Bursary
Mollie Laird Bursary
Mountain of Hope Society
Nancy Lee Tegart Agriculture Award
Panorama Foundation
Ronny Barck Memorial Bursary
Rotary Club of Invermere Award Scholarship
Ella Martin
Leif Dubreuil
Neina Flight
Ralph Ebuenga
Callie Krebs
#1 Carson Jefferson
#2 Emmylou Grieve
Ella Martin
Clare Hatalcik
Marnie Rainbow
Rotary Club of Radium Hot Springs Sunrise BursaryHannah Kendler, Bryce Palashniuk
Royal Canadian Legion Scholarship (Branch 71) Scholarship
Royal Canadian Legion Professional (Branch 71) Bursary
Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 199) Bursary
School District No. 6 (Rocky Mountain)
Sobeys Bursary
Tom Sanders Memorial Scholarship
Wayne Morrison Memorial Forestry Bursary
Wildsight Invermere
Windermere District Teachers’ Bursary
Windermere District Teachers’ Scholarship
Windermere Mining Operations Bursary
Windermere Zone Administrators’ Award
Summer Bradford
Reece Lawrick
Clare Hatalcik
Mercedes Brown
Hannah Kendler
Kamryn Joubert
Paul Carlos Dowell
Hannah Kendler
Camerson Dickson
Mathias Cartier
Hannah Kendler
Leif Dubreuil
Amber Fadri
Callie Krebs, Carter Digney
Daven McMurray
Windermere District Farmers Institute Bursary Reece Lawrick
Wolfe Mining Inc. Bursary
250-341-4002 www.copperpointresort.com
Amber Jefferson
look fondly at his teachers and support staff.
“I think we have some very special and dedicated staff at DTSS. Teachers that arrive every day with the intention to inspire students, and incredible custodians that deal with messes you think would’ve been left by a natural disaster.”
Yes, he appreciates the maintenance crews who ensured the fields were mowed and the sidewalks were salted. “I could not be more grateful for all the staff who contribute to something much greater than themselves.”
Needless to say, he owes much to his parents, saying they have set him up for success by letting him be independent at a young age.
“ ey have always been so supportive with anything I do, even if they didn’t agree. I think communication was the best gift we have as kids and parents. Honesty and trust gets you so far.”
I truly feel happy?
Like many of his peers, McMurray is not immune to stress and anxiety. But he has learned to be in tune with his mind and body, and turns to exercise, journaling and meditation to ease his stress response.
What would happen if youth didn’t have cell phones and social media?
“I think our generation would be in a completely different place,” he says emphatically. “We would have stronger, deeper relationships. We wouldn’t feel the need to constantly compare ourselves.”
Without these vices, McMurray believes youth would be more motivated to work towards their goals instead of giving up when it becomes unsatisfying. “Overall, I think mental health would improve drastically, and we would all live a fuller life.”
Another growing concern for McMurray is climate change and how it has become a global crisis.
By Lyonel Doherty lyonel@aberdeenpublishing.comAs Daven McMurray surveys the field of fellow graduates at David ompson Secondary School, he sees a premium bag of trail mix with quite a few M&Ms in there.
“ ey are going to do incredible things,” he predicts, pointing out their diversity and how each one stands tall in a positive way.
“I would name them, but there’s a lot,” the class valedictorian says as he ponders their future as well as his own.
e 17 year old has been taught countless lessons at DTSS, and not all of them were academic.
“I think the most important lesson is there is no ‘right way’ to go through high school. Success is different for every person.”
He says you don’t have to take the hardest classes to succeed, and you don’t have to hang out with friends (who cut you down) just because you’ve known them for years.
“You’re not writing someone else’s story; this is yours. Write each page like it’s the last. at’s success in my mind.”
McMurray is in his element when he is creating something or exploring the outdoors. He admits that he doesn’t excel at anything in particular, but as a problem solver, math is his strong suit.
“I don’t think I can narrow my future down to one career. My overall goal
is to make a positive change everywhere I immerse myself,” he says, adding that he hopes to make genuine connections with people.
As a youth, what excites him the most is the opportunity behind the doors in life’s multitude of game shows. “Anything you want to learn, create, or build is accessible like never before.”
But McMurray would be lying if he said he had no worries about moving forward.
“I fear our generation is not taking advantage of these opportunities. I believe we have an uphill battle against a society that favours instant gratification. I’ve noticed that motivation and real connection are becoming rare, however, I don’t think it’s lost on us.”
As he takes one last look at his school, McMurray will never forget those field trips and hanging out with friends after class.
Heh, heh. And there will be things his teachers, and particularly the principal will never forget either.
“In Grade 8, Dylan Morsette and I started selling concession food out of a locker. We were on track to profit $70 from our stock until someone ratted out my name and I was threatened with suspension.”
Okay, so he wasn’t a model student all the time. But hey, you have to have something to tell your grandchildren.
As McMurray hands his books back and says his goodbyes, he can’t help but
He is so grateful for the work ethic skills his dad gave him, and the empathy and communication skills his mom has instilled.
While McMurray embraces the future, he’s not wearing rose-coloured glasses that filter out social ills.
“I do believe we are living in a mental health crisis. Society has changed more in the past 10 years than in the previous decade,” he says. “We’re so connected and overstimulated it’s hard to realize the things that bring real joy and satisfaction. Phones and social media have the potential to detriment motivation, self-esteem and communication skills, all of which are vital at this age. I think it starts with our generation asking ourselves, when do
“It would be irrational to think climate change isn’t a prominent threat. e weather behaviour in the last five years is evidence enough.”
e solution? “I think we should address climate change, focusing on individual awareness, so people can become aware of how they might impact the environment and change their daily habits accordingly.”
e young man was asked how he would combat hate and racism in the Columbia Valley. His idea is to form a committee to gather community leaders and determine the most effective way to influence individuals to be more welcoming and open-minded.
The Columbia Valley’s 2010 / 2011 kindergarten classes and 2011/2012 grade 1 class graduating from high school this year!
Congratulations Class of 2023!
Congratulations Class of 2023!
You’ve worked hard and now your day has arrived As you walk across the stage know that everyone here is very proud of you
You’ve worked hard and now your day has arrived As you walk across the stage know that everyone here is very proud of you
We look forward to seeing you accomplish great things in the future.
We look forward to seeing you accomplish great things in the future
Best wishes to all of you
Best wishes to all of you
A David ompson Secondary School (DTSS) graduate is among the small handful of Kootenay students to be awarded the Neil Muth Scholarship from the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) this year.
e annual scholarship is given to four or five graduates from the Kootenay region to help pursue post-secondary education. Invermere’s Summer Bradford is among the five 2023 recipients to share $10,000 and she will use her share of the money to head off to business school at the University of Calgary.
e teen started and ran e Nest Gathered Goods in downtown Invermere for more than two years. e boutique shop was initially a storefront location on Invermere’s main street, from which Bradford could sell her resin jewelry and other handmade crafts. But from that first purpose, it quickly expanded into offering all sorts of giftware.
Bradford credits her entrepreneurial streak to her stepmother, Tara Morgan. Morgan is the owner of downtown gift shop Bird’s Eye Boutique. “She (Morgan) came into my life when I was five or six years old,” Bradford told the Pioneer. “She really inspired me. Whenever I was in Bird’s Eye Boutique, I would get excited by seeing how much people loved going into that store. I learned how to put a smile on people’s faces while watching my step mom there, and it definitely fostered a desire in me to
Summer Bradford is this year’s CBT scholarship winner. Photo submitted pursue business.”
Bradford has long been interested in handicrafts, and began by selling her resin work at the Friday night market on Main in Radium Hot Springs years ago. In 2020 she decided to expand by opening a bricks-and-mortar store-
front. She found the location (conveniently right next door to Bird’s Eye Boutique) and with Morgan’s help e Nest Gathered Goods opened in November 2020.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions still in full force back then, Bradford concedes it was perhaps not the easiest time to open a retail shop, but said that also forced her to hone her business skills quickly.
“It was crazy. I went in blind. Working the market in Radium had taught me the marketing aspect — how to draw people in, how to talk to them, how to figure out what they want,” said Bradford. “But with a store, there is so much more. e ordering, staying on top of the finances. To do all that while going to (high) school, of course it was a lot, but I am very grateful for the opportunity. I really believe having business experience before going to business school will help me get more out of the program.”
Bradford said she was hopeful when she applied for the Neil Muth Scholarship, but she knew many other great candidates from across the Kootenay region had also applied, so she was “shocked and delighted” when she learned she’d won.
She will begin business school at the end of this coming August.
e scholarship was set up by the CBT in 2017, in memory of Neil Muth. Muth was CBT president and CEO from 2005 through 2016. He passed away in November 2016.
By Julia Magsombol Local Journalism Initiative julia@columbiavalleypioneer.com
Life is like continuous mountains, but Shuswap Band high school graduate Christopher Dehart advises students not to take these mountains too seriously.
"[In life,] if you make the wrong decision, then chances are you can likely go back and fix it somehow. You can always start over," Dehart said when asked about the important lesson he learned at David ompson Secondary School (DTSS).
"I love our grad class. ey're a great bunch of kids,” added Dehart, who made many lasting friendships during the past five years.
However, Dehart explained that with all the time he had at DTSS, he wouldn't want to return to Grade 9 or 10 during COVID-19.
"You couldn’t see [your] friends," he said. "And we didn't learn as much as we would have in school. So going back after COVID, catching up was a little more difficult than it would have been otherwise."
But with all the odds, Dehart developed a new pas-
sion during the pandemic — mountain biking.
"Before COVID, I didn't do mountain biking. Now, that's one of my favourite things to do. I'd say it probably changed me a bit. Because before COVID, I just biked for fun, and now I want to improve.”
Dehart also enjoys skiing and playing soccer. In contrast, his hobby is photography and videography. is summer he plans on working at Columbia River Paddle, but he also wants to make time for hiking, and of course, biking.
Dehart’s career goal is to become a videographer and possibly start his own videography business. He believes this is flexible career. "It can take you anywhere,” he said.
Now that he has graduated from high school, he has finished one journey and will another called “life.”
"It's scary being able to choose where your life goes because it can go in many different directions. You don't want to make the wrong decision. But either way, you're gaining experience. [At the same time] it's exciting to choose where your life goes from now on," he said.
Dehart received a French 12 award in high school this year and is looking forward to seeing what other awards await him in life.
Like Jim Croce’s Time in a Bottle, two Shuswap Band graduates have lasting memories of their fantastic time at David Thompson Secondary School (DTSS).
"It just feels so real, like graduating, to be honest," said Hughie Nokleby-Johnson, an aspiring filmmaker.
"I'm excited but a little nervous moving on to the next chapter," said Coltton Johnson, a graduate who wants to work in the computer industry.
But going back in time, the grads cherished their time at DTSS.
Hughie said they had the best teachers who were always there to support them or just listen when they needed someone to talk to.
"I think the school did a really good job, especially in the past year. They made sure that everyone was ready to move on — to get prepared for other stuff," Coltton added.
Like many fellow students at DTSS, the two graduates struggled with the same problems — stress and anxiety, especially during the pandemic.
"Like you heard, it's going to be easy, but after a while, it just gets more stressful. Not being able to see
people didn't help the situation," Hughie said.
"The quarantine stuff made it a little harder," Coltton added.
To manage stress, Hughie listens to music and watches his favourite films, and he offers this advice to his fellow students: "Don't be afraid to ask for help, and don't feel like you're alone. It's okay.”
Another concern that Hughie and Coltton grapple with is racism and gender inequality. Hughie said he doesn't totally understand these problems. "Why can't we all just be like humans," he stated emphatically. "I want to teach the younger [students] that it's okay to be different."
Hughie also hopes to have more peace and acceptance in the world.
As for their future plans, Hughie’s desire is to attend SAIT, and Coltton hopes to attend the University of Calgary or Mount Royal University.
Before their graduation, they both learned something valuable at DTSS. "Be there for the people that need you to be there and be nice to the people you care about," Hughie said.
And Coltton stated: "I learned a lot about people and how to be a good person. Upon serious reflection, he admitted wanting to go back to Grade 8 to experience high school all over again.
