SOUL Seeking
Originally conceived of as an independent inquiry-based learning project to augment the SOUL (Shawnigan Online Unique Learning) program developed in March 2020, Soul Seeking has since become an integral part of the Shawnigan experience.
These year-long, student-led, interdisciplinary learning projects allow students to pursue a personal passion or area of interest. Students can work on their own or can team up with their peers, with no limit to group size as long as each team member plays an equal role.
Students are expected to keep a journal throughout their Soul Seeking journey to record their goals and progress and then summarize their year of discovery through formal presentations in June. With proper journaling, students in Grades 10 and 11 can even translate their Soul Seeking project into their Grade 12 Capstone project.
A list of dozens of possible topics is supplied for those students wishing to follow a guided inquiry. All students, however, are invited to follow the free inquiry route and come up with their own idea.
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Junior Soul Seeking Fair
Read MoreThe Main Building was buzzing on Monday as students in Grades 8-10 presented their Soul Seeking projects to their peers and staff members.Students have been working on their projects since October, and the final results were displayed throughout the library, Mitchell Hall and the Friesen Centre on cardboard trifolds and laptop computers. The students have spent the last six months exploring topics they are passionate about — with research, mentorship and reflection as key components of the journey — leading to an incredible variety of projects.Some students certainly felt nervous as they prepared to present the results of their Soul Seeking journey to staff and students, but they quickly recovered.
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Secret Garden Dinner
Read MoreIt takes a village to build a garden.The Secret Garden Dinner, a fine dining experience and a fundraiser for the EDGE (Engagement, Development, Gratitude and Experience) Spring Break service trip to Costa Rica, was the brainchild of Grade 12 student Josey L. and served as the culmination of her Soul Seeking project, but dozens of people — students and staff — helped to make it a reality.“It wasn’t just my project. It was our project,” a grateful Josey emphasized. “I might have initiated the idea, but I can’t take all the credit.”
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Soul Seeking Fair
Read MoreGrade 12 students’ Soul Seeking projects came to fruition this week when they presented the results of their hard work to staff members and fellow students.Soul Seeking projects take a variety of forms — students can pursue nearly anything they are passionate about, with research, mentorship and reflection components — and fulfill the capstone requirement for graduation in BC. On Monday, the oldest students presented their Soul Seeking projects in the library before presenting again in their advisory groups. Although the library presentations were an important step, they were marked on their presentations to the smaller groups.
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Ed A.
Read MoreShawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Yangchen T.
Read MoreShawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!
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Cassie And Friends Walk
On a mission to support children and their families with Juvenile Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, the Cassie and Friends Society has the unwavering support of Grade 12 Shawnigan student Danica M., who, as part of her Capstone project, set out to raise awareness and funds for it. Having been diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis at a young age, dealing with the disease has certainly had its ups and downs and has affected many parts of her life, making it a cause close to her heart.Read More
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SOUL SEEKING FINALISTS FEATURE: SANTIAGO S. & DANIEL W.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!Read More
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Grace Z.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!Read More
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Gavin C.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!Read More
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Harrison M. and MacKinley B.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!Read More
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Rosie P.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!Read More
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SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Sharmonie P.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!Read More
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SOUL Seeking Showcase
After a full year of SOUL Seeking, two afternoons of science-fair style presentations, and a showcase featuring the 16 finalists, a year of discovery has come to a close. With a panel of judges viewing the final presentations, and staff invited to watch, mocktails were enjoyed by the finalists as the judges announced the winners.Read More
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SOUL Seeking Fair 2022
Read MoreStudents at the School have spent the last six months exploring what they are passionate about and turning it into a project of discovery. Now the third and final SOUL Seeking week has come for students at Shawnigan to finalize these projects in preparation for the final presentations they will deliver during the SOUL Seeking Fair, taking place this Friday and next. These presentations require students to delve into a topic of their choice and demonstrate not only what their project is about, but how they got there and why. All students and faculty will attend the fair and vote on their favourite projects, with the vote criteria looking for the projects that are the most inspiring, creative and passionate. Ten finalists will be determined based on the votes from their peers and advisors, with those selected taking part in the final SOUL Seeking Showcase being held in the Friesen Centre in early May.
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A Starry Night Experience
Students were treated to a magical experience on Sunday evening as Grade 12 student Elle L., as part of her Capstone requirement for graduation, transformed The Friesen Centre into a fine dining experience complete with chauffeured golf cart rides, hors d’oeuvres, “mocktails,” live music, bonfires, and photo opportunities. With the guiding question for her project asking, “Can a student produce a high-quality luxury dining experience and can that experience produce a high enough profit to be donated to a local not-for-profit organization?” Elle is well on her way to finding the answers. Being inspired by the experience gained from participating in previous Valentine’s Day dinners run by students in Entrepreneurship 12, the next step was to challenge herself to do it on her own, and A Starry Night Experience was created.Read More
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SOUL SEEKING WEEK
Exploring one's passions and finding what makes you ‘tick’ can be a fun and exciting thing to do, and this week at Shawnigan, alongside Apres Ski Week festivities, students were able to do just that as they work on their SOUL Seeking projects. Designed to encourage innovation, curiosity and to explore passions, students used the week to delve deeper into and finalize the proposal for their selected topic and plan how they will get to the final product and their presentation in April. For the Grade 12s, this fulfills their Capstone requirement for graduation so it is an important part of their educational journey. The campus was buzzing all week with energy as the facilities were taken over by inquisitive minds exploring and researching through inquiry-based learning.Read More
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Esso Fun Day 2021
Read MoreStudents at Shawnigan lead busy lives filled with classes, 360 co-curriculars, athletics, as well as learning to balance their personal health and wellness. Part of the journey at Shawnigan for all students is the SOUL Seeking program, an early pandemic online initiative that has evolved into a permanent yearlong inquiry-based learning program where students select a topic or area they wish to explore further then engage in research and present their findings at the end of the year. For our Grade 12 students, the program is important as it fulfils their Capstone requirement for graduation.
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SOUL Seeking: Recording studio
For their SOUL Seeking partnership, Grade 9 students Harry M. and Audrey T. utilized Shawnigan’s recording studio to record, produce and write songs together after realizing how effective their respective skills and passion for music could be when combined. During the dedicated two-week SOUL Seeking period in March they recorded and produced two cover songs, and also grew their skill base significantly, including more advanced recording techniques and time management skills.Read More
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SOUL Seeking: Emotional education book
For her SOUL Seeking project, Grade 10 student Sissi L. wrote the first in a series of emotional education books for children. Her first book, “A Journey With Anger,” is aimed at children aged 8 to 12, and helps educate about productive and helpful ways of managing emotions.Read More
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SOUL Seeking: Film compilation
Read MoreMartin G.’s SOUL Seeking and Capstone project is a compilation of 100 films made across four years, between 2018 and 2021. Martin’s videos follow him on his life in China and in Canada and on trips abroad to places including Taipei, Prague, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the US.
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Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
