Sixty area youths were honoured for setting a good example for their peers and making smart choices

 

The 2018 Spirit of Youth Awards took place on Tuesday, May 8 at Central School and this year’s theme was Hometown Heroes. The evening honoured area youths for their contributions of time and talent to the community. “It’s a way for us to recognize outstanding kids for various reasons. We have kids who volunteer every day for their breakfast program, kids who work on large projects in Africa, and kids who set good examples and make smart choices,” explained Teen Centre Manager and Youth Development Co-ordinator for the Boys and Girls Club Alicia Smallwood.

Organizers do not put a cap on the number of kids who can be nominated and the reasons for why a child might be nominated are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Nominations were open from the middle of March until the end of April and during that time, teachers and support staff, in both the community and the schools, nominated kids for a variety of awards. “We had 60 nominations this year and they brought their families with them for the event. I would love to see the event grow.”

This year’s event incorporated more of the community as each table featured an organization or business that supports the residents of Whitecourt in a special way. Several organizations provided items to display including both the fire and police departments, Living Waters Catholic School, Associated Ambulance, and Northern Gateway Public Schools. Other tables featured Evermore Yoga, the Whitecourt Wolverines, the Whitecourt Food Bank, Eagle Tower Victim Services, and the Community Lunch Box.

One by one, each nominee was called forward to the stage by MCs Thanh Pham and Erin Prodaniuk where Mayor Chichak and Mayor Rennie awaited them with big smiles and congratulations. Following all the awards being handed out, keynote speaker Megan Arcand addressed the winners.

“It was really nice for our youth to relate to our keynote speaker and see what success looks like in her form. Megan is from Whitecourt and she won a Spirit of Youth Award in 2009. I think it’s a great example for the youth to see what this award means and where it can take you in life and that the things they do every single day that they may not think are special, are big and they make an impact. That’s what we need in our community,” smiled Smallwood.

A new and very special award was added this year in honour of former Boys & Girls Club executive director Cathy Branton who was sadly lost to cancer in January. Wanting to forever remember her spirit, passion for education, enthusiasm for life, and unwavering positivity, the Cathy Branton Spirit Award was created. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Ram Kodali of Whitecourt Physical Therapy, the award also came with a $250 bursary towards further education. The award was presented to Caelyn Basaraba by Branton’s husband, Greg.

“This award recognizes strong leadership and communication skills, the willingness to go above and beyond, and having a positive impact on the community. These are just a few of the characteristics of our beloved Cathy who passed away earlier this year. The spirit of Cathy lives on through those who take the opportunity to lead with a great deal of kindness, empower others to reach their full potential, and have a passion for living their lives to the fullest.”

Pianists Isaiah Matson and Isabella Hagen played throughout the evening and did a wonderful job, as did Mikayla Nickolson who sang beautifully for the crowd. From start to finish, members of the Youth Advisory Committee volunteered their time and helped the evening run smoothly. “It’s about incorporating some of the amazing youth that may not have received an award but are doing great things in their own way into our event.”

Congratulations to all the 2018 Spirit of Youth Award recipients: Abby Mombourquette, Alejandro Brownlee, Ally Keyes, Arwa El Sayed, Aspen Krog, Brooke Baxter, Caelyn Basaraba, Caleb house, Cara McNaughton, Carson Wittman, Caryn Baxter, Chelsea Rhynold, Chyanne Wolf Tail, Cohen Paul, Daira Knapp, Darnell Jendrick, Elita Whitehourse, Emma Kazamer, Eric Jorgensen, Erinn Kerr, Freddie Moore, Gabriel Lewis, Haily Goodings, Hannah Rennie, Isabel Rennie, Isabella Hill, Jacob Wilson, Jayden Fincaryk, Josh Benjamin, Kacy Fairbairn, Kailea Wilson, Kendall Shuck, Kevin Lai, Koda Sawyer, Kyle Molnar, Lane Triwteux, Layla Perrin, Liam Clark, Logan Macdonald, Mackenzie Martell, Madison Martell, Maddison Page, Madeline Blain, Mariah Brewer, Mark Bell, Mykayla Lourenco, Rebekah Erickson, Rianna Hodgson, Samantha Rhynold, Sarah Strydhorst, Seth Lanctot, Sharon Strydhorst, Simon Puddicombe, Stephanie Cunningham, Taylor Cokes, Taylor Fiest, Teron Funk, Tyson Van Dyke, Zachary Stoyles and Zachery Merrifield. Keep up the great work!