Black & Gold 2022

THE MAGAZINE OF SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL

The Shawnigan Lake School community has often been described as a family – and with good reason. In my own experience, as a student many years ago and now as a member of staff, the people who live, learn, work, and play on campus come together in ways that are rarely seen outside of a family unit. Is it messy, complicated, and confusing? Perhaps at times. But it is also compassionate, supportive, and loyal to a fault.

This magazine is a love letter to the Shawnigan family – to the diverse people who make up our extraordinary community, which extends far beyond the campus boundaries. It is an ode to those who guide, encourage, push, and teach. It is for those who spread joy through a simple smile. It is for those who have the courage to tell a friend when they’re wrong. It is for those who have retained fierce school pride long after graduation. And it is for those who haven’t yet discovered the magic of Shawnigan.

In this edition of Black & Gold, you will find many stories about the School family. These include one student’s journey towards embracing her cultural heritage, the sense of belonging that is found in a safe learning space, the unity that is forged through involvement in team sports and the arts, and the community that is developed in Shawnigan’s boarding houses.

My hope is that these stories of connection will in turn connect you to the Shawnigan family, wherever you may be.

– Jenny Dunbar

Jenny Dunbar Nicole Bélanger

Aren Goodman MacKinley Bourne

Lauren Martinello Rosemary Dolman

Janie Zhang Richard Lamont

Elliot Logan

Advancement & Community Engagement Office

FROM

THE HEAD OF SHAWNIGAN LAKE

It is August 2022.

Time and again over the past year, our staff here at Shawnigan have delivered extraordinary experiences in support of our students. We have sought, at every turn, to deliver the School’s mission of Spark Minds, Kindle Hearts, Forge Futures and to ensure that the values of Shawnigan – Curiosity, Compassion, Community, and Courage – define all that we do.

This edition of Black & Gold speaks to the unique sense of family that Shawnigan students, parents, and staff – past and present – will recognize as the magic ingredient of our campus community.

At the start of January and on Closing Day, I gave addresses to the School community that drew on the wisdom of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu – known affectionately as “The Arch” much as we call our Shawnigan Chaplain “The Rev.”

In my addresses, I introduced our community to the Zulu word Ubuntu (pronounced oo-bun-tooo). Tutu defined it this way:

“Ubuntu ... speaks of the very essence of being human. [We] say ... ‘Hey, so-and-so has Ubuntu.’ Then you are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and caring and compassionate.”

Tutu believed in Ubuntu. He believed in humour, humility, and humanity. It’s not just a South African concept. It is universal.

I believe that Ubuntu resonates throughout our campus. The Rev guides us, in every message, to believe in humanity, and each day we draw on Shawnigan’s distinctive sense of Ubuntu: we are defined by each other and our relationships. We expect our community – both individually and collectively – to be generous, friendly, caring, and compassionate and to act in word and deed in the spirit of Ubuntu.

The best people I have met over the last half a century understand and model Ubuntu.

Indeed we often find ourselves in conversations about a Shawnigan education drawing upon the African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” We strive to create a family environment for our students – a home-away-from-home – and we expect our community to contribute to a campus where students can grow in a safe and healthy environment.

One graduating student of the Class of 2022 wrote perceptively and gratefully, “Shawnigan Lake School gave me more than opportunity; it gave me a community.”

School, from exquisite photography to an insightful portrayal of Shawnigan 2022, this is a publication of the highest calibre.

We have also included, as a separate insert, details of two strategic priorities from Project Future: Impact Scholarships (for those who face circumstances that impede their access to the growth and development that education offers) and Samuel House (our pioneering Grade 8 boarding house with a wing for girls and a wing for boys). The page opposite this preface offers a snapshot of the Grade 8 Sorting Hat ceremony, a magical new tradition that reveals which “big House” our Grade 8s will join for the remainder of their Shawnigan journey – now an important Shawnigan moment.

On March 1 (St. David’s Day), we announced that the new boarding house would be named after Gaynor and Rhodri Samuel. Together, they have given over 60 years of unstinting loyalty and unparalleled service to Shawnigan. At the heart of their contribution is their unique kindness, generosity of spirit, and humility. They are at the heart of the Shawnigan family and so many of us have drawn happiness and strength from their modesty and embodiment of Ubuntu. I know that many of you will wish to join in the recognition they so thoroughly deserve.

Each year, I am asked to choose an inspiring quotation for the opening page of the Gold Book. Looking back, I have invoked the wisdom of South African statesman Nelson Mandela, the American novelist and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, and the Indian novelist Arundhati Roy. For the forthcoming academic year, I have selected the words of a renowned German educator, Kurt Hahn:

“There is more in us than we know if we could be made to see it; perhaps, for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less.”

The pandemic taught many of us that there is more in us than we know – as we found new levels of patience, resilience, adaptability, creativity, and innovation. Looking forward, I ask our staff and students to create a deep sense of belonging for all who join us at Shawnigan. Family is at the heart of it with brothers and sisters surrounding each and every student. As educators, our task is to help each student realize that there is more in them than they know or dare think.

With this in mind, please join us in helping to develop Shawnigan in the new world that we step into and in helping to inspire the best in each to create the best for all.

Richard “Larry” Lamont Head of Shawnigan Lake School

MOMENTS

SHAWNIGAN IN PICTURES

LEARNING by Heart

STORY BY LAUREN MARTINELLO PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

PREVIOUSLY TUCKED AWAY FROM VIEW, AT A TIME WHEN ADDITIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS WEREN’T WIDELY UNDERSTOOD, SHAWNIGAN’S LEARNING CENTRE (LC) AND THE STUDENTS WHO USED IT WERE VERY MUCH IN THE BACKGROUND AT SHAWNIGAN.

With an increase in awareness about the diverse needs of young learners, the Learning Centre has advanced in a way that its current director, Kirsi Lupton, could only have dreamed of. Initially a reactive response to the needs of students at the time and born out of necessity for those who would have fallen through the cracks, the Learning Centre was a place for homework help when it was first started decades ago. It has since evolved to become a valued program designed to proactively aid students in achieving their optimal academic and personal success, aligning with the School’s purpose to “Inspire the best in each to create the best for all.”

In the lead-up to Shawnigan’s centennial celebrations in 2016, the School launched the ambitious Building on Strength campaign, which included significant renovations to the nearly 90-year-old Main Building. During these renovations, the Learning Centre was moved from its previously hard-to-find location to its current home on the main floor. Now adjacent to the Health Centre, Jim and Kathryn Shaw Library, Counselling Office, and Friesen Centre with Duke’s Café, the Learning Centre immediately became part of the School’s central hub of activity.

Contrary to what many may believe, the students who use the services of the Learning Centre have above-average intelligence and are bright and talented – they simply require a little extra support. In the Learning Centre, they learn about their individual circumstances and gain a clearer understanding of what is causing their need for additional help. This approach empowers students to own their differences and move forward with confidence, striving to be the best that they can be. With an emphasis on showcasing their strengths and introducing tools to support them with whatever challenges they may have, the Learning Centre ensures these students soon come to thrive.

Grade 12 student and Co-Head of School MacKinley Bourne is a shining example of this. “Before I came to Shawnigan, all I knew was that I struggled with math, focussing on things, and memorizing,” she says. “At other schools, I grew up with the stigma that asking for help and admitting you learn differently was a negative thing. As soon as I came to Shawnigan, I was encouraged to accept my differences. The LC staff have supported me and stood by my side since the first day I joined the program; they welcomed me with open arms and bright smiles from day one.”

Strong connections and relationships are critical to the success of all students at Shawnigan Lake School, and they form a foundation that is vital to the success of students in the Learning Centre. As Kirsi explains, “It fits well with everything we do at Shawnigan, from in the Houses to in the classroom. When new students come to us, we work on the connection and the relationship first. That’s an intuitive thing we do. That’s what Shawnigan is; that’s what we all do here. We build those connections and relationships purposely in the beginning.”

All students in the program are encircled by a robust support system. Each student has a personalized learning program, and the LC staff work with students both individually and in groups, all while collaborating with teachers, parents, House Directors, advisors, and the Guidance Office to ensure all needs are being met. Outside of the Learning Centre, the LC staff can be heard cheering their students on at sports games, seen admiring their art on display, or found discreetly checking in on them when it seems they’ve had a hard day.

This sense of belonging enables students in the LC to perform at their best, both academically and personally. As Grade 11 student Henrik Rahr describes, “The bond formed with your teachers at Shawnigan will come quickly, as it is part of the culture at the School. I can confidently say that the bond made with the Learning Centre teachers has become the most helpful and most important. The LC staff have helped create that

feeling of home and family as they are always there for support –support that has changed my experience for the better.”

Just as each student is unique, so is the support they require. For Grade 12 student Makayla Rush, who has been a student in the Learning Centre since she arrived at Shawnigan four years ago, the program’s impact has been life-changing. “Before coming to Shawnigan, I struggled to have confidence because of my learning challenges,” she shares. “In all my years of schooling, the thought of enjoying school never occurred to me. Shawnigan showed me that I wasn’t wrong or stupid; rather, I learn in more unique ways. In my old school, the only goal was to make sure I barely passed the test, but at Shawnigan the goal is bigger – to help me with my coursework so I thrive in my classes and to help me prepare for my life outside Shawnigan and for success at university level.”

Henrik shares a similar sentiment. “Throughout my time at Shawnigan, academics were always increasing

in difficulty, my schedule continued to pick up pace, and time management was still a challenge,” he says. “Having the Learning Centre help me through this right from the start was the best decision I made. With the many opportunities Shawnigan offers, it can seem daunting to find a match and leap out of your comfort zone. Thankfully, I had Mrs. Lupton to help me academically and to find what I love and where I fit at Shawnigan.”

For some, needing this extra learning support can cause insecurities, as there is often a stigma surrounding those who require additional tools to succeed academically. Removing this stigma, however, is getting easier year after year at Shawnigan, with more students using the Learning Centre or connected to students who are part of its program.

Kirsi explains that even the new location is helping to demystify the Learning Centre. She says, “It has lifted the stigma

by having it more centralized. Many students use it as a shortcut, which is good; it normalizes going to the Learning Centre. Many will pop in or bring their friends, plus we are now located next to counselling and the clinic, building better connections and allowing us to collaborate that much more. It’s critical to what the Learning Centre does to have constant feedback from the teachers, and if we were further away, it would hinder a lot of the things we do.”

It has become a safe haven for many in the midst of a busy school program – a place of care, encouragement, and support. “Being at a bustling place like Shawnigan, the LC is the calm during the storm,” testifies MacKinley. “On days when I need help with schoolwork, advice on organization, or even if I’m simply having a hard day, the LC staff have created a place that accommodates any and every need.”

The full implication of this is not lost on Kirsi. She sees the program as encompassing the whole child, with an increased focus on supporting their mental well-being. With a direct correlation between mental health and personal performance, the path forward could look a bit different for the Learning Centre. Now a space where students feel comfortable enough to take their angst, frustration, and stressors, the Learning Centre is fulfilling the needs of students that may not be met elsewhere. It has become clear to Kirsi that for many, the Learning Centre is only partially about academic support. It is also providing the tools needed to manage the emotions and stressors that can arise from being in a rigorous academic setting that a school like Shawnigan presents.

An extensive refresh of the Learning Centre’s physical space, recently made possible through a generous donor, is assisting in the LC’s response to this progression of support. The focus of the renovation was to create a variety of spaces for students to use, including an area to relax and decompress in private (known as a “Zen Den”), a healthy snack bar for days when students need an extra nutrition boost, a dedicated space for test writing that has been soundproofed, and a gathering area for students to connect. “The aim of the renovation was to prioritize calming colours (blues and greens), include natural materials (live edge tables, soft furnishings, plants), and use nature motifs (trees, mountains, water) to recognize the fact that the Learning Centre can function like an oasis for students,” explains Kirsi.

When speaking of the program, Kirsi’s passion is evident. The seven years she has dedicated to the program

have seen a lot of change, and it has evolved – through greater understanding, steadfast support, and generous funding – to have an established curriculum, dedicated staff, a beautified space, and capped enrollment.

The result is students who have all the skills they need, regardless of their learning challenges, to take on the world beyond the gates.

“It’s the little things that make the Shawnigan Learning Centre an amazing environment,” reflects Makayla. “Mostly, though, because of the support from the teachers in the Learning Centre, I have become the strong self-advocate that I am today, ready to take on any new challenges that come my way.”

It is testimonies like these that make the hearts of Kirsi and the entire Learning Centre staff soar – proof that their love, care, and vision have succeeded.

A Whole Lot MORE

STORY BY AREN GOODMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL GRAPHIC DESIGN BY NICOLE BELANGER

This is a place full of open people who hold doors open for others. It is an institution that is open to new ideas and growth while opening futures for students. Most importantly, it is an environment that provides a balance of tools, structure, and choice, and allows students to craft who they are and who they want to be – if they are open. Sometimes being so open can be uncomfortable, but as the young and wise Grade 12 student Bryn Samuel once said, “Stepping outside of your comfort zone is what makes all the growth happen!”

According to Bryn, he wasn’t always a sage of wisdom. Some key events needed to take place before this level of selfrealization could occur. Let us take a few steps back. It was historical, it was magical, and it was closure. Shawnigan Lake School’s Legally Blonde was about to open at the McPherson Playhouse in Victoria. After the first show was heartbreakingly cancelled in March of 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a bold but necessary choice to bring this bright and euphonious musical back to the stage. It was Wednesday, April 20, 2022, and the dress rehearsal had just ended. The cast made their way to the sound box to return their microphones. The energy in the air was electric. Smiles were everywhere, hearts were pumping, and the reality of it all had just started to kick in. Tomorrow was opening night. Bryn Samuel, who moments ago had played the reformed and heartbroken Warner Huntington III, was elated and high on life. He zealously approached me, Shawnigan’s new film teacher and videographer, and asked, “Mr. Goodman, what did you think of the musical?”

Obviously, I was floored. It was by far the most incredible high school production I had ever seen. Bryn went on to share that he was also taken aback and was in disbelief at the fact that he had played such a big part. He stated, “I came to Shawnigan the typical ice hockey kid. Awfully bleached hair, cocky, and single minded. I never would have expected to be doing something like this!” I asked him how this all happened –why the big change?

“It’s just Shawnigan!” he replied.

It was in that moment that all my recent feelings about the School were confirmed. This is a magical place. A place I would love to send my own future children to. Most importantly, it is a place that helps teenagers step out of their comfort zones and figure out who they are.

Bryn grew up in Calgary a self-described city boy. It wasn’t until Grade 7 that he started taking hockey seriously. He attended West Island College in Calgary for middle school and played for a Quadrant team. From there he was fortunate enough to feed into the more competitive AAA level hockey.

When Bryn arrived at Shawnigan Lake School in Grade 9, he had the bar set high, as his aunt and uncle are both institutional members of the Shawnigan staff. Gaynor and Rhodri Samuel have been part of the Shawnigan community for decades and are held in the highest esteem.

Shawnigan’s first co-ed Grade 8 boarding house, currently under construction, is to be named “Samuel House” in their honour. Fortunately, Bryn has the character, charm, and maybe a smidge of the fashion that we all know and love about the Samuels. However, according to Bryn, he did not arrive this way. In his opinion, he was a pompous kid who did not really care

IF I COULD DESCRIBE OUR SCHOOL WITH ONE WORD THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME, I WOULD CHOOSE “OPEN.”

about anything off the ice. Looking back, he notes that he really did not sink his teeth into Shawnigan life that first year.

Once Grade 10 began, Bryn found his stride. He signed up for boatbuilding, started pursuing tutorials for academic help, and said yes to a whole lot more Shawnigan. This is when things started to fall into place. He had built strong relationships with his teachers. His grades were increasing, and he was having more fun even when off the ice. His interests did start to broaden. Something in him started to brew when it was announced that We Will Rock You would be that year’s musical. However, as Bryn says, he was “too stuck in his comfort zone” to try out. “If you told me to get up on stage and be a tree, I’d run the other way,” he recounts.

In March of Bryn’s Grade 10 year, his older sister Rhyd was in her graduating year. She was geared up and excited about the musical when the aforementioned pandemic hit and shut it all down. Her excitement about the musical did not wane though. She egged Bryn on for weeks, trying to convince him that the musical was the best experience of her life and that he would love it. At first, he wanted no part. Why would one spend time singing and dancing when there is hockey? However, Bryn had started to notice that saying yes to new opportunities was paying off, so he gave it some thought, and eventually the big sister influence would persevere.

Finally, in Bryn’s Grade 11 year he decided to try out for the musical. He showed up on the first day and hid behind the protection of the ambitious group of regulars and newcomers who “actually knew something about musicals.” Bryn was mystified by all the build-up and apprehension on the choice of the next musical. When the rights were all but secured for the program, Morgan McLeod, the theatre and drama teacher, told the class it had been decided but he could not yet tell them. Gasps could be heard across the room. The pressure was building in these musically inclined youths, and things were about to blow. Morgan then told the class that although he could not say the name of the show, he could play them a song. The room went silent and on came “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. The group went wild and Bryn went cold. “What! This is what I am trying out for? I was terrified,” he shares.

Then came the solo singing auditions. Bryn was so nervous it was all he could think about. His hands would shake every time he tried to belt out a note alone in his room. “How am I going to do this in front of a group?” he thought. When the time came, he collected himself, knowing that being open to new opportunities had become the caveat to so much good. He did the audition and wasn’t exactly on key, but he did his best.

When the cast list came out for Mamma Mia! the opening line caught his attention: “Do not be discouraged if you did not get a role. You are still valuable.” The initial sigh of relief started to quickly wane and some disappointment set in. He kept reading to see the names of the chosen few. Charlotte Gilmour will be playing Donna; Stephanie Gilmour will be playing Sophie; and BRYN SAMUEL will be playing Sky! Bryn recollects thinking to himself, “Oh no! Are you kidding me?!” This was a huge role, and he would have to sing the “Don’t go wasting your emotions” solo. He was blown away.

It didn’t take long until the warm and accepting community of the theatre group grew on Bryn, and he realized

he had found his people. “Everyone just puts themselves out there and cheers when their peers are doing the same,” he says. After dealing with COVID-19 for over a full year, this would be Shawnigan’s first musical since the pandemic started. With provincial limitations on gatherings in place, the McPherson Playhouse in Victoria, the typical venue, was not an option. Instead, the musical would be performed in the Kaye Gardens in front of Shawnigan’s Main Building for just the School community.

Opening night was stunning. Beautiful golden spring light poured through the gaps between the highest branches in the nearby cedars and Douglas firs. A small crowd of students and staff sat around the hand-painted stage made to look like Greek cobblestone. The audience was giddy to be together and to see a live performance for the first time in over a year. The show went splendidly. One of the memories that sticks out most to Bryn, however, was when his high-heeled shoes sunk into the recently saturated grass, and he ended up entering stage left in an accidental ninja roll followed by four summersaults and then broke into jovial dance. The crowd went wild, and Bryn was sold on stage life.

Fast-forward to his Grade 12 year, and Bryn is playing on the 1st XV rugby team in addition to the U18 Prep hockey team. He is taking Theatre Company 12 and once again starting off a year in musical theatre, this time feeling much more confident on the stage but also humble from the warmth he felt the year before. One of the most magical moments was when he found out that the theatre group had come full circle and they would be performing Legally Blonde. Bryn was with his sister Rhyd when he received the news, and it was an extremely emotional experience. An amazing sibling connection was fostered all because of the musical experience. When asked, Bryn will tell you that his nerves did not fully go away. In Legally Blonde, he played a big role that began with a bang. Bryn said, “I get rolled onto stage, kiss a girl, and then break into song.” He recollects, “I was looking up at my shaking hands, silhouetted by the spotlight, in front of hundreds of people. It’s a rare and unique feeling you get when stepping outside of your comfort zone.” And this, as Bryn says, “is where all the growth happens.”

As this school year comes to an end, Bryn says that he was “thinking of pursuing the hockey path, but through different passions and experiences this place has crafted me in a way that I am ready to just get my life started.” One of his Shawnigan mentors, dance teacher and musical choreographer Kelli McLeod, has set him up with a well-known acting agency, and recently he auditioned for the new Percy Jackson series. Kelli also guided him onto a path of modelling. He now has a spot at Richards International, a modelling agency in Vancouver. In September, Bryn starts his post-secondary career at Queen’s University in Ontario and feels that Shawnigan has provided the perfect preparation and launching pad for his next step.

Bryn urges all current and future Shawnigan students to embrace the unfamiliar and take advantage of all the phenomenal curricular and co-curricular programs Shawnigan has to offer. Take Bryn’s advice and you might find yourself breaking down the walls of who you thought you were. You might find yourself feeling a whole lot more… open.

Family All in the

COMPILED BY JENNY DUNBAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

OVER SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL’S 106-YEAR HISTORY, GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS HAVE LEFT THROUGH THE SCHOOL GATES AS A GRADUATE ONLY TO RE-ENTER MANY YEARS LATER IN AN ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT ROLE – AS A PARENT.

They return to campus full of excitement, hope, and many memories, while their child is often filled with the same anticipation that they first experienced all those years ago. These families are known as Legacy Families, and they play an important role in the Shawnigan family. Secondgeneration (and in some cases third-generation) students come to campus bearing stories of the past, sharing traditions from bygone days with their peers, and rediscovering forgotten secrets. They in turn introduce their parents to the new Shawnigan as they come home filled with excitement over all of the possibilities they have discovered, the things they are learning, the people they are meeting, and the new traditions they have encountered – likely reminding their parents of a younger version of themselves when they first started their own Shawnigan journey.

The number of alumni who have chosen to send their children to Shawnigan is a testament to the positive impact that

the School has made on so many of its graduates. As a boarding school, Shawnigan serves as a home-away-from-home for its students and plays an important role in raising them, bringing them through their formative teenage years with care. It is these lasting memories – formed through meaningful relationships with peers, foundational lessons learned from mentors, and support found at all turns – that have led many to choose Shawnigan when considering a secondary school for their own child.

This academic year, Shawnigan was pleased to introduce a new Legacy Student Entrance Award to honour our relationship with our alumni – a term that encompasses parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. This new award is but one small piece of Shawnigan’s robust – and growing – Scholars Program. In the following pages, we share testimonies from just a few of our alumni whose children are current students at the School. As they candidly answer the question, “Why Shawnigan?” they share what the School meant to them as a student, what it means to them now as a parent, and what it means to their children. While these families represent a small percentage of Shawnigan’s Legacy Families, their stories hold common themes that trace through the experiences of each of Shawnigan’s Legacy Families.

Asche ’79

I attended Shawnigan for two years, graduating in 1979. Back in my day it was a boys’ boarding school and was considerably smaller than what we now know today. Both of my children attended and graduated from Shawnigan. My son, Charles, attended for two years and graduated in 2019, whereas my daughter, Catherine, committed herself to all five years and will graduate in 2022. Both benefitted considerably from the infrastructure that Shawnigan provided them. Losing their mother was instrumental in our decision to enroll both children together at Shawnigan. I watched their progress very carefully and was delighted that they adapted so well to their new environment as they developed into well-rounded individuals by acquiring enhanced social skills, excelling in sports, achieving academic excellence, and being offered opportunities to lead. I take great pleasure in watching them enter into adulthood with such a great start to life. Thanks so much, Shawnigan!

Carl

Carl Asche ’79 with daughter Catherine ’22

Dice ’91

What makes Shawnigan, our school, so special? Some might say it’s the worldclass campus, the state-of-the-art facilities, or the excellent education with a 100% university acceptance rate. While these things are certainly true, what really sets Shawnigan apart from all other schools is the people. The sense of community and belonging that has been built over the past 100 years is exceptional. The Shawnigan family cares deeply about the students who attend the School, always striving to make it feel like a second home for students and families.

Shawnigan creates young men and women with discipline, integrity, sportsmanship, and compassion for others. Students graduate from Shawnigan with not only book knowledge, but also with well-rounded personalities and excellence of character.

This is why I love my school, and why it holds such a dear place in my heart. It has been special to watch my daughter grow into a fine young woman while experiencing all that Shawnigan has to offer, as I did. I am very proud that Grace has been able to attend for five years, and will become a third generation Shawnigan alum next June!

Mike

Mike Dice ’91 with wife Sarah and daughter Grace ’23

’77

Looking back, the educational background that the School provided set me up for completing my university studies, followed by a successful career in the engineering and construction industry.

Since Shawnigan had long since gone co-ed, I wanted to provide the same opportunity to our three daughters. As a result, this year I am watching our middle daughter graduate from the School. My eldest graduated last year and is now studying engineering at Queen’s University, and my youngest just completed Grade 10 at the School. I’ve come to realize that providing my girls with this unique educational experience is a gift – a gift that will allow them to achieve goals that will start out as dreams, much as they did for me.

Why Shawnigan? Because I believe it has a philosophy where dreams are encouraged, but planning for them to become a reality is an expectation.

Ross Gilmour

Ross Gilmour ’77 with (L-R) daughters Stephanie ’21 and Charlotte ’22, wife Andrea, and daughter Georgia ’24

Brigitte Hopkins ’91

For me, it was always Shawnigan. My uncle had graduated from Shawnigan in the 1930s, and I heard him and his friends regaling stories of their Shawnigan years. The connection they had spoke volumes, and I could tell they truly shared something special.

When our girls were born, we knew that they would go to Shawnigan as well – as long as they wanted to. They grew up amongst my Shawnigan friends, seeing for themselves our strong bonds of friendship.

My husband, Fran, and I took our daughters to Shawnigan for the Centennial, and they were both blown away by everything Shawnigan. The beautiful campus, the sports facilities, the Chapel, House life – everything about it was exactly as I remembered, albeit fancier.

Our eldest, Ingrid, started boarding at Shawnigan for her Grade 10 year, and the next year our youngest, Rosi, started in Grade 9. They couldn’t be happier, and now I’m proud to say that I don’t only think of Shawnigan as my school, but I think of it as my girls’ school.

Brigitte Hopkins ’91 with (L-R) daughters Rosi ’25 and Ingrid ’23

Josh Jackson ’98

The Shawnigan experience was life-changing for me. Shawnigan provided me with the foundation and support to explore my passion for rugby and set goals for myself to pursue rugby as a career and become a Canadian national team member. The lessons I learned about hard work and working as a team are still with me today, and winning the BC Championship in 1998 is still one of my fondest memories.

As I look back on it now, I can say with 100% certainty that it is the Shawnigan community that makes the School so special. It was no surprise that the first person to greet my son at the doors of his House in Grade 8 was Mrs. Grass, my Geography 12 teacher. It shows the level of commitment and dedication of the Shawnigan family.

The relationships I made at Shawnigan are long lasting, and the bonds created go very deep. It is exciting to see Sebastian creating these bonds of his own with his classmates, teammates, and Housemates. I am grateful that Sebastian is able to share this same experience, and I look forward to watching him navigate his own Shawnigan journey as he continues to grow and thrive not only as a student but as a person.

Josh Jackson ’98 with son Sebastian ’25, wife Adrienne, and their younger sons Gabriel and Xavier

Hot Sauce-Covered DUMPLINGS

STORY BY JANIE ZHANG ’22 (RENFREW) PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

Each morning before the sun would rise, my grandparents quietly donned their plastic slippers and began cooking in the kitchen. They would make fried rice, chow mein, or my favourite, handmade pork jiao zi. My po po’s weathered hands would meticulously craft them at night in the faint glow of her iPad, all while secretly watching Cantonese soap operas (she would deny this, of course).

Then in Grade 5, I started joining my abuela for dinner. Every Friday, she spent hours preparing a massive traditional feast for our family of seven. My abuela would serve steaming enchiladas to my cousins, tamales to my aunt, and tacos de lengua sprinkled with cilantro and lime to me. My father? He would eat anything as long as he could drench it with hot sauce. Safe to say, my cultural heritage is a bit unusual. Because of it, I have often grappled with my own cultural identity. Like many who come from mixed backgrounds or have first generation immigrant parents, I struggled with feeling accepted into my worlds and embracing my heritage.

I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, but my mother’s family is from Guangzhou, China, while my father’s family is from Guadalajara, Mexico. Being raised Asian-Latina

in a primarily Caucasian environment came with red envelopes and piñatas, but also the feeling of not truly belonging in any of my worlds. Not only was I seen as “not white enough” in the eyes of my classmates, but I was also seen as “too white” in the eyes of my grandparents. No matter what I did, I thought that I would never be seen as either one. So as much as I wished it wasn’t, my life was split in three. One third of me was the girl at school, who loved macaroni and gossiped in English. Another was the girl at home, who drank fish soup and argued with her mother in Cantonese. The last was the girl at my abuela’s, who ate quesadillas and watched old Spanish films with subtitles. Over time, normal for me became the first third, and I’ve only fully realized this now. In philosophy, we learned about something called the “mythical norm,” a term coined by Audre Lorde. It is something we in our hearts know – “that is not me.” Through the books I read and the shows I watched, the norm became white, and that was what I wished to be. For instance, I never used an Asian character in my stories, games, or accounts. From episode avatars to dolls and Lego figurines, they all had “normal” names with blue eyes and curly brown hair. Any characters I’ve ever made as myself have been white, never once thinking that it was normal to be anything else. Whenever I could create fictional or imaginary people, I saw it as a chance to live out this fantasy where I wasn’t myself.

IN GRADE 1, MY PO PO AND GONG GONG STARTED PACKING MY LUNCH FOR SCHOOL.

Yet, I couldn’t escape reality. Throughout my childhood, I believed that I was an anomaly. Surrounded by girls who ate grilled cheese and received goodbye kisses from their mothers, my idea of normal reflected what I saw every day. I wanted to look and act like my white friends. I wanted their curly eyelashes, high cheekbones, and upturned noses. I wanted eyelids that weren’t hooded, hair that wasn’t pitch black, and freckles that came out in the summer. I wanted their food, their families, even their names. I wanted mothers who showed lots of affection and lunches that didn’t make my friends wrinkle their noses. My “normal” was perched upon an unattainable pedestal – “beautiful” became associated with “white” – and I could only stare with envious eyes.

Thus, I hid the pieces of myself that made me different. Like a chameleon changing its colours, I blended into my surroundings, weeding away my Asian roots. I took pride in being “whitewashed”; I took pride in failing out of Chinese school; I took pride in being good at English and hated that I was really good at math; I took pride in not wanting to become a doctor; I took pride in dropping out of piano lessons; I took pride in not being able to write characters; I took pride in making fun of my po po’s lunches. My insecurities and desire to fit in with my white friends meant that everything I did was to be one step farther from being Asian.

While I struggled to repress my culture in public, I was also finding balance between my family’s backgrounds at home. Growing up, the Chinese side was predominant. My mother, po po, and gong gong taught me everything from multiplication to mah-jong, and we always celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival with mooncakes. The Mexican side, however, played a much smaller role. I never learned Spanish from my father, which meant Friday dinners were cacophonies of unfamiliar words I could not decipher. When my abuela baked strawberry shortcake for my birthday, I was unable to communicate past a simple “muchas gracias.” Every week was a constant reminder that I was an outsider to my own family. How could I call myself Mexican when I couldn’t speak Spanish? When I had only visited Guadalajara once? When I couldn’t handle spicy food? To my frustration, I was attempting to bury my Chinese heritage while desperately trying to connect with my Mexican roots. I felt like a burden, disconnected from an entire side of my family.

Although I love the person I am today, I lost important pieces of myself in the process of assimilating. After years of thinking my cultural identity was something to be ashamed of, I now wish my younger self understood how beautiful it actually is. I’m proud of my po po and gong gong for sacrificing their home country, their language, and their customs so that their children and grandchildren could grow up with more opportunities than they did. They’ve devoted the past 18 years of their lives to caring for my cousins and me, cooking us three meals a day, walking us to day care, teaching us math, knitting us sweaters – the list goes on and on. I am also proud of my abuela for bringing our family together on Friday evenings, for putting hours into cooking delicious dinners, and for baking me a strawberry shortcake every single year on my birthday. I’m so lucky that she takes the time to slowly teach me secret family recipes, even though her English is limited.

Hot sauce doesn’t traditionally go with dumplings. But if you asked my father, he would disagree, joking that “hot sauce makes everything better” while lathering my po po’s pork jiao zi with Valentina sauce. Nothing about my cultural heritage is normal, but it is perfectly normal to me. They are layers that uniquely define who I am; without all three, I wouldn’t be me. Now look around you. Think about your roommates, classmates, and friends. Everyone has their own distinct stories and cultural backgrounds, and that is what makes being here so special. We are the living, breathing product of generations before us, embodying years of traditions, celebrations, and values. To anyone who has ever felt out of place or like they didn’t belong, know that you aren’t alone. Take it from someone who struggled with defining and understanding her cultural identity for years. It’s okay to not be fluent in your parents’ native languages. It’s okay to not know how to cook traditional dishes. It’s okay to not truly understand the customs of your roots.

I hope that by writing this, I’ve helped make at least one person feel more comfortable in their skin. Being raised differently doesn’t make me more or less Chinese, Mexican, or Canadian. I may not be white, but I am still beautiful. I may not know how to define my heritage, but I am proud to come from such complex and rich cultures. And you should be too.

In fall 2022, Janie will begin studies in engineering at Columbia University.

Village It Takes a

STORY BY JENNY DUNBAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

ACCORDING TO A WELL-KNOWN AFRICAN PROVERB, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.

In other words, it requires an entire community to ensure the protection, well-being, and growth of a child. This saying does not discount the crucial role of that child’s parents, but it does highlight the importance of the people surrounding the family unit and the formative role that they can play.

In many ways, Shawnigan Lake School can be viewed as the epitome of village living. As Canada’s largest boarding school – with over 85% of the student population living on campus – the School is, in essence, a community unto itself. The School has a population of nearly 800 students and staff, and every single person on campus has a significant and unique role to play.

Choosing to send a child to boarding school, even as a day student, is an enormous decision and one that parents do not make lightly. Even in an age of hyperconnectivity, it takes a great deal of courage and faith to entrust a child to someone else, especially during their foundational teenage years.

What has eased the minds of the parents who choose Shawnigan is their confidence in the School community and all that it provides – in other words, the “village” that will surround their child.

“I really believe that the way Shawnigan does boarding sets us apart from all other schools in this country,” says Gaynor Samuel, Shawnigan’s Executive Director of Admissions. “It’s the fact that we have such a high level of care and time commitment from the staff; that level of support, along with everything else that we pour into boarding, is nothing short of remarkable.”

It has been said many times that the primary ingredient that makes up the magic of Shawnigan can be found in the people – the community that Gaynor describes.

“The support and the student life at Shawnigan are extraordinary,” she continues. “We have put together a community that raises each other up in so many ways, and that includes the staff who are so devoted to the School.”

With nearly 250 people on the staff team – creating a student-staff ratio that is close to 2:1 – there are numerous trusted adults on campus to support the students. They

encounter a friendly face at every turn, whether it is a thoughtful conversation with the driver taking them to an appointment, a cheery wave from a grounds crew member on their walk to class, or laughter shared with the laundry team during the early morning drop-off.

The extensive staff team includes roles as diverse as nurses, baristas, university guidance counsellors, office staff, electricians, and cooks, to name but a few. And while some work more closely with students than others, they are all there in support of the students.

Of those staff members, nearly 70 staff and their families live on campus, which only adds to the village environment. With so many people living in one place, students and staff get to see each other in a completely different light. Staff pets roam the campus and are familiar to all. Students have the opportunity to interact with young staff children, even babysitting them on occasion. Multiple meals a day are eaten together. In short, the interactions that take place on campus are like those of a family.

“The teachers, instructors, and coaches are actually here seven days a week. They do duties in the dorms after a full day of teaching students in academic classes, coaching them

in a specific sport, or working with them in their co-curricular activity in the afternoon,” explains Gaynor.

This particularly applies to the teachers, who work the most closely with the students. As Gaynor shares, the faculty at Shawnigan commit to more than just teaching in the classroom. They also interact with students after school by offering tutorials, coaching a sport or instructing a fine art or activity, and doing duty in a boarding house, a responsibility that includes providing homework help, delivering pastoral care, and supervising dinner and bedtime.

These various touch points throughout the week mean that the teachers really get to know their students – and come to genuinely and deeply care about their well-being and success. The exceptional level of care given by the teachers at Shawnigan does not go unnoticed by the students.

“The fact that we have tutorials at Shawnigan shows me how much our teachers care about supporting our learning and us as people,” shares Grade 10 student Jackson Palmer. “If you want to learn more or are struggling, they are there to help you. They are also there beyond the classroom, and I feel like I can talk to lots of my teachers, just like I would to my House Directors, beyond things that are just academics.”

At the heart of the School community is, naturally, the boarding house. Each student is carefully placed in one of 11 boarding houses on campus when they begin their Shawnigan journey, and these Houses become not only a home-awayfrom-home, but part of a student’s identity while they are at Shawnigan – and beyond. House ties are powerful and remain strong after graduation, with alumni retaining fierce loyalty to their former residence long after they have left.

It is in the House that connections are formed with the dedicated House team: the House Directors, Assistant House Directors, housekeepers, and duty staff. These tend to be the most personal relationships made between students and staff – a natural consequence of seeing each other at all hours of the day. House staff earn the trust of their students while providing everything from guidance to discipline to a shoulder to cry on.

It is also here, in the House, that the most significant student friendships are formed and the most powerful peer mentorship takes place.

“Right away, I felt an immediate connection to the House and the boys,” shares Jackson as he reflects on his arrival in Grade 8. “The older boys took me under their wings, and

what really stood out to me was that my encounters were never awkward. Right away they really made me feel like I fit in.”

Jackson’s experience is a common one. In the journey that a student takes from their younger years through to graduation, they are nurtured, are guided, find their wings, and become leaders themselves – with much of this growth coming from their relationships with peers and mentors. It is often those small, nearly intangible moments that add up to something that is life-changing.

“That to me is the secret sauce of Shawnigan – the sense of belonging, the students supporting each other, and the mentorship in the House, in the classroom, or on the field that takes place 24/7,” reveals Gaynor. “The parents of boarding students see a huge development in maturity every time their children come home during a school break.”

In recent years, a close look at in-House dynamics and a recognition of the physical, mental, and emotional differences between a 12-year-old and an 18-year-old have led to the formation of two Houses just for Grade 8s – Stanton House for girls and Levien House for boys. These Houses have had such instant and unequivocal success that Shawnigan is now

fast-tracking the construction of Samuel House, a pioneering co-educational Grade 8 boarding house whose conception is the result of much research – and over 100 years of boarding experience. Central to the Grade 8 program is the way in which the youngest members of the School community are surrounded by support, from live-in Grade 11 mentors to a lower-thannormal student-staff ratio.

Of course, one can’t talk about Shawnigan’s boarding houses without mentioning inter-House events in the same breath. As most students will attest, inter-House competition is a highlight of boarding life and has been an important part of the Shawnigan experience since the first Houses were established about 10 years after the School’s founding in 1916.

Events run throughout the school year and range from athletic to academic to creative, giving people with different strengths a chance to shine. Perennial favourites include track and field, air band, and reach for the top, but each year there is something new to challenge the student population. No matter the event, one thing is certain: the whole School is guaranteed to be there in their brightest House spirit gear and with their loudest cheering voices.

The fervent House pride that is instilled in a student from the moment they set foot in their new home-away-fromhome is a testament to the sense of belonging that is so quickly established in the Houses.

These moments, however, are only part of the larger mosaic that makes up the Shawnigan experience. Connections spread much farther than just in the House. A Sunday morning conversation over breakfast with a new friend, a casual game of four square in front of another House, a cozy chat in the library on a rainy day, an encouraging pat on the back from a respected Grade 12 student, finding the courage to ask an older student for help only to find that they are more than willing to do so – it is moments like these that cement the Shawnigan family.

“I love how close everyone is in this community,” testifies Jackson. “Even teachers that I have never had, or people from other Houses who I have never really talked to, I still feel like I know them already. I can go anywhere on campus, and I never feel like an outsider or that I am not welcome. I am never nervous to walk into a room full of people I have never met before. It shows me how accepting this community is.”

While the village analogy is appropriate on so many levels, this does not mean that the School is insular and removed from the rest of the world – indeed this is far from the case.

The School leadership has worked hard to make Shawnigan accessible and to create a place of belonging and diversity. In many ways, the School can be seen as a microcosm of the world, with scholarships bringing in people from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds from across Canada and around the globe. This academic year, the School is composed of students from 35 countries as well as staff from all over the world.

Students regularly have the chance to celebrate and explore each other’s customs, history, food, sayings, and music. To live, study, and compete alongside people from such diverse backgrounds makes the world that much smaller – and the Shawnigan community that much stronger.

While celebrating each other’s differences, students and staff also discover what makes them similar, and it is this, perhaps, that fortifies the Shawnigan community more than anything else. The village only works because of the diversity found within it and the unique contribution that each person makes.

It all adds up to a place that is exceptionally supportive and inclusive and makes students like Jackson feel they are well cared for.

“I can honestly say that I am a happier person being at Shawnigan,” he reflects. “And if things are not going well, I have terrific roommates, awesome friends, and supportive adults to rely on.”

Artists Emerging

VICTORIA QIU & TINA XIAN

STORY BY LAUREN MARTINELLO PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

Ballerina Part 1

by Tina Xian

WITHIN THE TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY OF SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL, STUDENTS DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AKIN TO FAMILY THAT STAY WITH THEM LONG AFTER THEY GRADUATE – RELATIONSHIPS THAT SERVE TO NURTURE, SUPPORT, INSPIRE, GUIDE, DIRECT, AND MAKE BETTER.

For two outstanding artists at the School, Grade 12 students Victoria Qiu (Renfrew) and Tina Xian (Kaye’s), this sense of family extends beyond the boarding house and into the art studio.

Tina, who attended a Waldorf school on Vancouver Island from the age of five, spent her elementary years in an environment where the arts and the natural world were at the forefront in her education, viewed as instrumental in cultivating a student’s imagination and creativity in order to serve their developmental needs. With art being such an integral part of her early education, it quickly became a passion of hers, and when she started at Shawnigan, the art studio was a place that immediately felt like home.

Victoria’s story starts a bit differently. While she enjoyed doing art from a young age, her love of reading led to her passion for art. When she was reading, she would visualize

the people and places of the story in her head and then draw them out. Once she started adding colours and playing with the shapes on the page, Victoria found herself drawing and doodling more than reading.

Although they both came to Shawnigan in Grade 9, it wasn’t until the two were in Grade 10 that they really connected. They had classes together in the art room, and this is where they discovered their shared enthusiasm for the arts – and, guided by art teacher Vikki Agate, the two embarked on a journey neither of them anticipated.

The openness that Vikki brought to the art studio provided an environment where the girls learned to better express themselves. Tina describes Vikki as supportive and open-minded, sharing appreciatively, “She is honest in her approach and encourages discussion around art as it is such a subjective and emotional thing.”

It was Vikki who encouraged Victoria to pursue art and take AP Art 11, and, alongside Tina, the two were steered on a path that would ultimately influence their decisions for the future.

Fast-forward one year, and if you were ever looking for these two on campus, you would find them in their second home, the art studio. It became a place for them to be creative, as

well as to study, eat, and relax. It was a space where they could be themselves; they shared many emotions in it, they laughed and cried together in it, and they found a family in it. The growth they experienced in their art occurred during the countless hours spent in the studio; most days, they could be found there late into the evening. The studio holds many memories for these two not only because their friendship flourished within its walls, but also because it is where they produced their most important art projects – their AP Portfolios. A culmination of their hard work over the years, these portfolios were a true labour of love. Victoria’s AP Portfolio is her most memorable and emotional work to date. With “The Circle of Life” as its theme, the final product is a complex piece composed of nine separate panels which work beautifully on their own yet merge together

to make one large image. The resulting shape is that of yin and yang, and it represents the different life stages we experience as we grow. “All those different emotions – the choices we make, the paths we choose to take – that’s how we become a full person,” Victoria explains as she reflects on her creation. “That is how my painting becomes whole. By themselves, each one looks nice, but when they come together, they have a greater meaning.”

One piece in particular from Tina’s AP Portfolio has had the most impact on her. Her overall theme of “Contrast” emerged as she created a painting influenced by her experience as a dancer. The image is of two ballerinas: one on stage in the spotlight and one standing backstage. “Whether you are on the stage looking pretty with flowers or behind the scenes in the

dark, you are still beautiful regardless of whether someone sees you,” she says. “The fact that you put effort into it and are proud of what you did is enough.” These contrasting emotions that she experienced while dancing taught her to be open-minded and to find a balance between how much she puts into something and how much she gets out of it.

Unbeknownst to Victoria and Tina at the outset, their AP Portfolio pieces were intertwined. Their works are the result of their own life experiences, as they learned to open themselves up and be vulnerable in order to create their art.

When speaking with the two of them, their bond is evident. They can finish each other’s sentences, look to each other for affirmation, and exhibit an ease with each other that is often seen among siblings. They even want to follow similar

paths once their time at Shawnigan comes to an end. Both have committed to architecture programs at top schools in the UK, with each citing female architects such as Maya Lin, Zaha Hadid, and Neri Oxman as their inspiration. They are both drawn to the undeniable connection between art and science that is found in architecture, and are encouraged by the emphasis on sustainability and the environment that is found in the works of many of these designers. Now, they are motivated to make a difference with their own designs.

As a young girl, Victoria’s curiosity was piqued while watching a television program with her dad. Based out of China, the show follows an architect who takes on the challenge of redesigning tiny spaces so that the large family groups that reside in them can live more comfortably.

Circle of Life

by Victoria Qiu

Coming from a culture that often sees multigenerational families living under one roof, the fact that one person – in this case an architect – could change the quality of life for an entire family inspired Victoria. From that point forward, she knew she wanted to do something that would make a difference in people’s lives.

When the commission from the School to paint a campus map came in the fall of her Grade 12 year, it became even more apparent to Victoria that architecture was in her future. “I was able to look at all the different buildings on campus and see how they work together,” she says. She describes how she now saw the buildings on campus in a completely different light; she saw the beauty of their designs and their differences, giving her a whole new appreciation and connection to the School. The project had such an impact on her that it inspired her capstone project, a 3-D printed model of the buildings on campus.

For Tina, it was when she was younger and working at a farm where she was surrounded by interesting and unique buildings that she developed an appreciation for architecture. When she started at Shawnigan, her art classes introduced her to well-known architects, and it was one architect in particular who inspired her. She immediately felt an affinity with Maya Lin due to her focus on environmentally sustainable development surrounding housing and city planning. This connected to Tina’s appreciation for the natural environment, which had been instilled in her from a young age, and it was soon clear to her where her future was going to take her.

“Art is something I can’t get rid of in my life,” she explains. “I find a connection with the arts, which is the power behind it. The arts bring me together.”

As Victoria and Tina’s art teacher, Vikki, shares, each wouldn’t be where she is if it weren’t for the other. They have pushed each other to greatness, and now the two of them are heading off into the world to do great things. Little did they know when they started at the School in Grade 9 that the journey that lay before them would be filled with such exploration and discovery and would lead to a friendship that will last a lifetime – a friendship that will keep them connected as they embark on their own journeys with the shared goal of making the world a better place.

In fall 2022, Tina will begin her studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London, and Victoria will begin her studies in architecture at the University of Cambridge.

of theFor

GAME Love

STORY BY JENNY DUNBAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL

ON A COLD, GREY DAY ON CANADA’S WEST COAST, AS THE FIRST HESITANT SIGNS OF SPRING APPEAR, A SMALL GROUP OF ATHLETES AND COACHES HUDDLE TOGETHER ON SHAWNIGAN’S CANADA FIELD.

The wet ground squelches as their feet hit the soggy grass. Their kit is muddy, and their muscles ache from running repetitive drills. Looking closer, you can see that their chests are heaving and many of them have scrapes and bruises. And on every face is the same expression: contentment. You can see it in their eyes. There is nowhere else they would rather be.

These are Shawnigan’s senior rugby players, most of whom are now in their fourth or fifth year at Shawnigan. Many of them began as Grade 8s or 9s in Shawnigan’s robust rugby program, and in these formative years they have grown to love the sport.

They have access to world-class fields and facilities and are led by some of the sport’s top coaches in a program that spans Grades 8 through 12, a far cry from rugby’s humble beginnings at the School.

Rugby has a storied history at Shawnigan, beginning in 1928 – 12 years after the School’s founding – when Captain “Tiny” Levien first introduced the game to Shawnigan and convinced the founding Headmaster, C.W. Lonsdale, to change the School’s primary sport from soccer to rugby. At the time, Shawnigan was still an all-boys’ school, and the enrollment had increased from the original six students to nearly 200 – enough to form one senior team. That first year, their only competition was each other and the School staff. The following year, they played games against nearby Brentwood College School (which had just been founded a few years previously) and Victoria College (the predecessor to the University of Victoria).

Shawnigan’s first girls’ rugby team was introduced in 1993, a few short years after the School became co-educational in the fall of 1989. Coached by Marius Felix, an accomplished player himself, that first generation of female players burst onto the local rugby scene with great success. The team was blessed with several powerhouse athletes, and in their inaugural year they were a formidable force, becoming the top team on Vancouver Island and one of the top teams in the province. That

first group of female players called themselves the “Iron Women” – a name that the program still uses to this day.

Nearly 30 years later, Shawnigan’s girls’ rugby team remains one of the top programs in the country. Their success joins the decades of dominance the boys’ program has seen. These achievements haven’t come by accident – they have been bred by hard work, a positive team culture, and buyin from both coaches and players, which combine to draw out the best in each student, not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.

“We always tell the guys that if they put the work in, they’ll earn the rewards,” says Jeff Williams, whose current coaching portfolio includes Shawnigan’s boys’ 1st XV (top boys’ senior team) as well as Rugby Canada’s U20 team. “How hard they work, the hours they put in, and their commitment to the sport, skill, or position – they’ll be better for it.”

“For years we’ve given up our Spring Breaks and our May long weekends to run camps and tours, and the guys train at 7:00 in the morning or 8:00 at night,” adds Andrew Doyle, long-time coach in the boys’ program. “If you put in the time, you get the rewards by going above and beyond the minimum requirements.”

In other words, Shawnigan’s athletes are able to consistently perform at a high level thanks to the long,

unglamorous hours spent on the rugby pitch in the wintertime, setting the foundation for the in-season practices that take place when competition is more immediate.

Part of the equation, of course, is the coaches who are right there with their athletes through the unpleasant weather, long hours, and highs and lows of a rugby season. Over the years, Shawnigan’s program has become a magnet for talented coaches from around the world, many of whom have either played or coached at a high level.

“The foundation of the program is built upon the phenomenal coaches who are consistently uplifting you and pushing you to be the best athlete you can be,” says Denise Banks, captain of Shawnigan’s 2021–2022 Iron Women. “From the moment you meet your coach, they are in your corner as your biggest cheerleader.”

The coaches’ support comes from their genuine affection for and dedication to the team – which is the only way that this partnership can work. “I didn’t know I wanted to coach high school. I was a coach at a university and a high-level athlete,” shares Laura Russell, one of the coaches in the girls’ program who is also a current member of the senior national team and has earned an astonishing 50 caps for Canada. “But watching students have those lightbulb moments as they do something that they didn’t know they could do or that they

never expected out of themselves – that’s the coolest part. That’s the sweet, really special part of it. Especially at high school level.”

Shawnigan’s exceptional facilities, outstanding coaches, and history of success are merely the backdrop for what makes this program so special. The unquestionable magic in team sports is found in that very word – team. The unity that is developed through the shared experiences and emotions of a competitive athletic season is formidable. Through victory and defeat, in the daily grind of practice, or in the adventure of an overseas tour, students form powerful bonds with their fellow athletes and coaches.

While this is a common occurrence in most sports, rugby players will insist that there is something extra special developed within a rugby team.

“I may be biased, but I feel that the brotherhood formed through rugby is stronger than any other team on campus,” says Grade 12 student Darwin Douglas. “Something about putting your body on the line for the person next to you makes everyone so close. Even off the rugby pitch, we are all close in class, Marion Hall, and all over campus; the boys on the team have become some of my closest friends.”

“Rugby at Shawnigan is an experience like no other,” agrees Denise. “There is so much love and positivity for each other, and we are consistently encouraging each other. While some came into the team as friends, we all left as a family.”

Cultivating community within the program is clearly something that Shawnigan’s coaches prioritize, across all ages and levels.

“I really don’t think it’s about winning. Everyone likes to win, but there’s more to it,” explains Jeff. “The Grade 8s who stick with rugby in later years do so because of the culture, because of the camaraderie. The boys and girls go back to their

dorms and talk about it, and those are the stories that they remember, and it becomes a bonding thing – and that’s what’s been the biggest capture for the program.”

The Iron Women have made team culture a high priority in recent years, choosing to keep their junior and senior players together for practices and games even though the group has grown to such a large size that, logistically, they should be divided.

“We love having all of the girls train together. Some people separate the seniors from the juniors, but we find that when they’re together, they all improve much more quickly,” explains coach Shannon Atkins. “Their skills get better but also their leadership skills get better and their camaraderie gets better, and when you have that compassion for everybody across the team, it makes you play better, perform better, and want to do better for them, and I think that’s part of our little bit of magic that makes our team strong.”

Camaraderie is not merely developed through time spent together. Key to its formation is a genuine sense of inclusion and belonging, something that Shawnigan’s coaches and players all say is characteristic of the sport. Certainly at Shawnigan, the program welcomes players of all ages, backgrounds, experiences, and fitness levels.

“I would say that rugby is known as a sport for all,” says Andrew. “It doesn’t matter your shape, your size, your weight – there’s a place for you on the rugby field, and then that transforms into a sense of belonging, because you are part of something bigger than yourself.”

“Rugby is unique in that it’s the culture of the sport that will keep most people around,” expands Laura. “Any shape or size, any person, it doesn’t matter who you are or how you identify, you’re welcome on a rugby team.”

This is something that is felt profoundly by many of the athletes in the program, with some citing this as their reason for staying with the sport. “Four years ago I fell in love with rugby because it was a place where anybody – no matter their size, speed, or fitness level – with dedication and effort can have fun playing the sport,” shares Denise. “With so many players there is a position for everyone, and various skills are required. It truly is an inclusive sport.”

While coaches bring to each practice a set of clear training objectives such as safety, fitness, skills, and competitiveness, the sense of inclusion that Denise talks about is one of the most important things that they impart. It joins other core values that are fundamental to the program such as compassion, respect, resilience, and confidence.

“As a coach, it’s my job to make someone believe in themselves. And I think that’s what we’re good at – we make students believe they can do something that they never would have thought they could do before, from tackling to sprinting to supporting to communicating,” shares Shannon. “Making a student athlete believe in themselves is very empowering, and I believe that’s part of our success.”

“Rugby has definitely helped me with my leadership skills,” observes Darwin. “It has given me so much confidence and has given me the opportunity to practice my social skills and be very comfortable meeting new people.”

Another ambition at all levels of the rugby program is to instill a deep love of the game. A passion for rugby not only keeps students in Shawnigan’s program, where they can continue to learn and grow as athletes and as people, but it also gives them the opportunity to remain part of the rugby community – and the support and camaraderie that it provides – long after they graduate. Whether students go on to play at the club, university, national, or professional level – and Shawnigan currently has graduates playing at each of these levels – the School’s coaches are delighted to know that their former charges are continuing in the sport that they learned to love at Shawnigan, building new connections, acquiring new skills, and cementing existing values.

Regardless of whether they choose to pursue rugby after graduation, the lessons that students learn through participation in the School’s program can have a profound and lasting effect – and are often instrumental in preparing them for the future.

As she contemplates her four-year rugby career at Shawnigan, Denise’s observations reflect the heart of the program. She says, “Through rugby, I have become the most confident version of myself. Though rugby is the hardest to let go of as I prepare to graduate, it has given me the confidence to go into the future with excitement and curiosity for what's to come.”

FINALWord

FROM OUR CO-HEAD OF SCHOOL

Our journey didn’t begin five years ago when we came to Shawnigan; it began back in 2009. The dawn of kindergarten. Entering elementary school, we were all so excited to get out of there and grow up. I remember thinking to myself back then how all the Grade 12s seemed so old. I remember watching the graduates walk across the stage during my school’s graduation assembly, and I swore to myself that from that day forward I’d stay young forever. I promised my 7-year-old self that I’d never ever grow up. Well, Mom and Dad, look at me now. With a snap of a finger, we all somehow ended up graduating.

Our experience is unique compared with every single class that has graduated from Shawnigan. And while we all shared together some of the big events throughout the years, the opportunities here gave us the chance to forge our own unique paths. As we gained more knowledge and skills, something that likely impacted our paths was the answer to the question we were all asked at a young age: What do you want to be when you grow up? In elementary school, this question was seriously the best. I knew kids who wanted to be movie stars, astronauts, and even the Prime Minister. Personally, I wanted to be the taste tester for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Clearly, we all had equally big dreams.

But, as we began to grow up, this question became a stressful one to say the least. How are you meant to know what you want to do with your life when there’s a whole world out there? When there are a thousand different types of jobs, lifestyles, and cities just waiting for you. How do you know where your path is meant to go?

Over my past five years at Shawnigan, the conclusion I’ve come to is that you don’t have to know exactly what your life might look like, you just have to be willing.

You have to be willing to leave your current life here, look forward, and move on. You have to be willing to start somewhere new, and be eager for those exciting opportunities. You have to be willing to understand that, whatever you end up doing next year, it’s going to be scary at first. But since when did anything amazing not start off as terrifying? You need to be willing to have a new roommate. One who hasn’t grown up on the soil of Shawnigan. You need to be willing to pack up your things and unpack them somewhere foreign to you. You need to be able to say a brief goodbye to your amazing friends here, and be willing to make new ones. You need to be willing to know that no matter what, even though you’re graduating, the connections you’ve made here aren’t going to go away. They’re just going to be a little bit further away. You need to be willing to let go, because once you’re able to do that, you’ll be able to see that there’s a whole world out there, just waiting for you to grab on to it.

To the graduating class of 2022 – thank you for being just exactly who you are. Watching high school musicals as a kid, I always envied the perfect high school experience. I’ve since learned that nothing can ever be perfect. But, what you have all given me these past five years has been the closest thing to it.

To this class of 2022: we are just getting started.

Continuing a legacy

Coincidentally, both of our 2021–22 Co-Heads of School were legacy students –meaning they are children of Shawnigan alumni. The School is always delighted to welcome legacy students to the Shawnigan family, and to honour this important relationship, we have recently introduced the Legacy Student Entrance Award for mission-appropriate students who have had a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle attend Shawnigan Lake School.

MacKinley Bourne ’22 (Strathcona)

Extracts from her Graduation Speech to the Grade 12s, June 2022

SHAWNIGAN Community

Tenzin Lama ’21 (Strathcona)

“Currently, I am studying at Simon Fraser University, where I received a full-ride scholarship (Uggla Family Scholarship), and I am in the education faculty. Before I started university, I wanted to take business, but after much research and looking at the situation in my village, I ended up taking education because I thought this field would help me a lot in the future as I will get to help my people back home in Nepal and make their lives better, especially those young girls and boys. Education is the critical factor that will help my villagers to have a better life and a promising future for generations. My villagers’ lives depend on people like me as we are the first generation to receive an education, so I believe it’s my responsibility to make a better life for the upcoming generations and change their lives.”

What is she up to?

“Currently, I am on summer holiday and working at the Flying Beaver restaurant in Richmond, BC (first job in Canada). I really love working in this restaurant because it is such a positive environment to work in. All the staff members are very friendly, kind, and helpful to each other like at Shawnigan.”

Academic

1. Alumnae and sisters Naokah ’18 (Renfrew) and Jasmine ’21 (Kaye’s) Bailes were recently featured on CBC and in Nunavut News for having both received the Sahtú Renewable Resources Board’s Environmental Studies Scholarship, as well as for their respective studies and pursuits related to the Sahtú region in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

2. Nyah Miranda ’18 (Groves’) graduated from the University of Guelph with an Honours Bio-Medical Science degree in spring 2022. She was accepted into four optometry schools and has chosen to attend the New England College of Optometry, in Boston, MA, in September 2022 for the four-year doctorate program.

L-R: Junu Dimdung ’19 (Kaye’s), Tenzin Lama ’21 (Strathcona)

Athletics

1. Congratulations to Shawnigan staff member Laura Russell, who has earned an incredible 50 caps with Canada’s women’s rugby team and has been selected to join the team at the 2021 World Cup (held in fall 2022) in New Zealand.

2. In August 2022, Jamin Hodgkins ’20 (Lonsdale’s) and Ted Champion ’21 (Ripley’s) played for the Rugby Canada U20 team in a test series held at the University of Guelph against Chile, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.

3. After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah, where he was a significant part of the men’s golf team, Tristan Mandur ’17 (Copeman’s) started his professional golf career in June 2022. Tristan, who is also the 2020 BC Amateur Champion, won his first start as a professional! A highlight of his debut tournament was achieving a hole-inone in the final round. Congratulations, Tristan!

4. Sophie Miranda ’20 (Groves’) was featured as a U SPORTS upcoming soccer player to watch as she plays with the Victoria Highlanders Football Club in the newly formed League 1 BC. Sophie was recently selected as the team’s Player of the Year (fans’ choice). She is joined on the team by Shawnigan staff member (and accomplished soccer player) Mariel Solsberg. Sophie is currently enrolled at Queen’s University where she plays midfield on the women’s soccer team.

Career

1. Matt ’07 (Copeman’s) and Stephen ’09 (Copeman’s) Sager are starring in a new TV show Lost Car Rescue on the History Channel, which premiered January 13, 2022. This series is launched on a long-standing passion of Matt and Stephen’s: their love of old cars. When employed in Alberta for a job that had Matt flying his own planes to bring equipment to remote locations, he noticed from this aerial view a number of old cars that were abandoned or out of use. He would note the GPS coordinates of these cars, and, come summer, would travel out to these remote locations, meet their owners, and purchase these cars to be refurbished and sold. In their first summer they rescued and sold 150 cars, and in the second they reached 200. When a fellow alum Alex Taye ’05 (Lonsdale’s) filmed a clip of them rescuing these cars, they realized that they had a fantastic opportunity to highlight their work. After creating a promo trailer, they pitched their show to multiple companies in California and elsewhere and ultimately secured a deal with Toronto’s Boat Rocker Media and their production company Proper Television.

2. Building on his success in marketing and global partnerships, Peter (Pete) Beeney ’95 (Copeman’s) has made the exciting career move back across the Atlantic to become Vice President, Global Agency Partnerships at The Washington Post

3. The last few years have been unpredictable for Fiona Dalrymple ’03 (Renfrew), now an established painter. She says, “I became a mum of two, I completely changed careers, and we began building our new home and business space. Throughout all of this, I painted. I thought back to my much anticipated fine art afternoons and found the courage to share my work with others through social media and, gradually, my website.”

4. Lisa M. Grover ’90 (Kaye’s) was one of the first 36 women to attend Shawnigan in 1988 and has actively been involved in the community since. She currently sits on the Board of Governors and chairs the Alumni Engagement Committee. Lisa has been practising law in Banff and Canmore, Alberta, since 1997, and she currently runs a law firm, Grover-Froese Lawyers and Mediators, with her husband, Rod Froese.

5. Brendan Tang ’93 (Lake’s) was the 2022 recipient of the City of Nanaimo’s Excellence in Culture Award for his contributions in visual art. He is primarily known for his sculptural ceramic work, through which he often expresses a love of both futuristic technologies and ancient traditions. This fall, Brendan starts his second year as an Assistant Professor at Emily Carr University in the Audain Faculty of Art.

6. Since graduating, Stefanie von Westarp ’92 (Kaye’s) has been working in the field of international development.Stefanie’s career has led her to work in countries such as Madagascar, South Sudan, and Haiti, leading up to her most recent work in Venezuela organizing the International Donors’ Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in June 2021.

7. Arthur Chang ’03 (Ripley’s) recently rang the Nasdaq opening bell to celebrate his company’s IPO. Sonder (NASDAQ: SOND) is revolutionizing hospitality through innovative, tech-powered service and inspiring, thoughtfully designed accommodations combined into one seamlessly managed experience. He joined Sonder in 2015 as Employee No. 8 and hasn’t looked back since. He currently lives in Montreal with his wife and soon-to-be three kids.

8. Grover-Froese, a law office in Banff and Canmore, Alberta, had the pleasure of hiring Annika Belireau ’19 (Strathcona) as a summer intern last year. Annika is interested in pursuing a career in law, and Grover-Froese was delighted to have her on board for the summer. With her keen interest, Annika brought her dedicated work ethic and creative solutions to their firm.

Photos courtesy of HISTORY

Life Updates

1. Alex Macintosh ’09 (Lonsdale’s) married Melissa (Missy) Mullins in a ceremony on the Shawnigan campus in July 2022. In attendance were nine alumni and three staff members, including best man Lachlan Macintosh ’09 (Duxbury), sister of the groom Amelia Macintosh ’19 (Kaye’s), and groomsman Alex Housser ’08 (Duxbury). Additionally, Maylies Lang ’10 (Groves’) was the wedding photographer! “As is usually the case with Shawnigan, it was the people who took it from a great weekend to an exceptional weekend,” shares Alex. “Our friends and out-of-town family were blown away by how kind and thoughtful everyone was in the Shawnigan community.”

2. In a ceremony in August 2022, Lachlan Macintosh ’09 (Duxbury) married Alexandra Little. They were joined by family and friends at Stonewall Estates in St. Catharines, Ontario.

3. Ian Manly ’06 (Copeman’s) married partner Abby at Brew Creek Centre in August 2022. Many alumni as well as current and former staff were in attendance, including groomsmen Michael Wilding ’06 (Copeman’s), Michael Berg ’06 (Ripley’s), and Struan Robertson ’06 (Copeman’s).

4. In October 2021, Thea Klubi ’11 (Renfrew) married partner Mallory in Las Vegas and shared the following with us: “We decided to skip over an engagement and eloped to Las Vegas! When you know, you know, and why not go big! After thinking about being in the spotlight and all the planning a wedding entails, we decided that it was just going to be the two of us. We booked a photographer and videographer from Vancouver, and off we went. We wouldn’t have changed a thing – from our drive-thru wedding to our sandstorm photoshoot!”

Achievements

1. Marius and Andrea Felix, on a trip to Vancouver Island, came to visit Shawnigan and caught up with many staff as Marius was awarded a lifetime achievement award at Brentwood College School (his alma mater). Marius was a former House Director of Lonsdale’s, a rugby and rowing coach, and a socials teacher, and Andrea had worked at the School as a counsellor. The couple are happily retired and living in Ottawa close to son Ben and daughter Tessa and their five grandchildren.

2. Darrell Oswald ’78 (Lonsdale’s) and spouse Robin visited Shawnigan in order to receive a gift from Head Larry Lamont on behalf of the School for many years of service to Shawnigan’s Board of Governors and Foundation. Thank you Darrell for your outstanding service to the School!

Alumni Gatherings

1. In October 2021, the School had the opportunity to engage with our alumni online and in person through a combination of virtual programming and regional gatherings for our annual Founder’s Day celebrations. Highlights included a livestreamed Chapel service with an address from Harriet (Guard) Klumper ’09 (Renfrew) and a musical presentation by Amelia Macintosh ’19 (Kaye’s) and in-person gatherings in cities across the world: Victoria, Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle, Washington DC, Celaya, London, Seoul, and Hong Kong.

2. In early 2022, alumni from the class of 1979 had a class reunion in the mountains! Patrick MacLachlan ’79 (Lake’s) shared the following: “Three of us recently spent five days ski touring in the Coast Mountains (Upper Callaghan Valley). In the photo are (L-R): Gavin Fitch (Lonsdale’s), Pete Postuk (Ripley’s), and me, Patrick (Pat) MacLachlan (Lake’s). Pete is also father of Sam, Christopher, and Jerek (all Lonsdale’s ’17). Three years ago, after many intervening years since graduation, we rekindled doing backcountry trips together starting with a fun (but unsuccessful!) attempt of Mt. Elkhorn on Vancouver Island with Tim Fairbank ’81 (Copeman’s). It should be noted that Tim, unencumbered by us old guys, has subsequently summited that peak a couple of times. And we all have Mark Hobson and Rick Reeve to thank for getting us started in this direction.”

3. Another alumni meetup took place on a mountain this past winter, as a number of alumni gathered in Whistler, as pictured at the bottom of the mountain. In attendance were Ed Steidl ’91 (Copeman’s), Graeme McGee ’91 (Lonsdale’s), Jason Wilkinson ’91 (Groves’), Dan Zybutz ’91 (Groves’), Bill Robertson ’91 (Copeman’s), Steve Quinn ’90 (Groves’), and Russ Quinn ’64 (Groves’).

4. In April 2022, Shawnigan returned to both Vancouver and Langford Rugby Sevens! We were thrilled to welcome back alumni, parents, current students, and wider community members to our Shawnigan suites for two exciting weekends of rugby. In particular, we appreciate those attendees in Vancouver who participated in our theme, Canadian Actors in Their Roles, with Head of School Larry Lamont leading the effort as Christopher Plummer’s Captain von Trapp. A special thank you to our sponsors and all those who came out to enjoy rugby and reconnect!

5. Shawnigan was delighted to gather the Class of 2020 together in May 2022 for a special graduation celebration in Whistler. After their own graduation gala was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this event served as a resolution of sorts. It also gave the 60+ attendees the chance to have an early reunion just two years after leaving the School.

6. Over the weekend of July 15–17, 2022, more than 150 alumni, families, and past staff came together on campus to reconnect and re-experience Shawnigan. Our first Summer Reunion was a big success, making up for the grad classes that missed their Founder’s Day reunions because of COVID-19. Those who attended could be spotted in a rowing shell on the lake, skating in the arena, playing rugby on the fields, staying in the dorms, taking an art class with Don Rolston, singing in Chapel, or simply enjoying a meal all together in Marion Hall. Everywhere we looked, we saw alumni and their families reconnecting on their old campus.

VISIT

Shawnigan Lake School 1975 Renfrew Road Shawnigan Lake, BC V0R 2W1 Canada

CONNECT

www.shawnigan.ca 250-743-5516

MORE

Facebook: /shawniganlakeschool Instagram: @shawniganlakeschool Twitter: @shawnigan YouTube: /shawnigantube

NOTES

This magazine is a regular publication of Shawnigan Lake School. No material from this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission of Shawnigan Lake School.

© 2022 Shawnigan Lake School. All rights reserved.

Designed and printed in Canada.

We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millenia.