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2024

  • March

    Glorious Great Gatsby Gala

    The Friesen Centre came alive with jazz music, flapper fashion, and everything that made the 1920s roar as it hosted the Great Gatsby Gala, a fine dining experience and fundraiser for the EDGE (Engagement, Development, Gratitude and Experience) Spring Break trip to Jamaica.
     
    Organized by Grade 12 student Ali S. as her capstone project, the event had the Friesen Centre done up in Jazz Age style, while guests – including students, parents and staff members – donned their best period attire and enjoyed an enticing meal prepared by Shawnigan head chef Mr. Dustin Setso and his kitchen team with the help of the entrepreneurship students who operate the Stag Café.
     
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  • Grade 8s Dive Into Shawnigan's Past

    Grade 8 students had an eye-opening opportunity to connect with Shawnigan’s history last week when they took a guided tour of the School museum with curator Ms. Rosemary Dolman.
     
    Located downstairs in Marion Hall, the museum charts the evolution of Shawnigan, beginning with its founding by C.W. Lonsdale in 1916. Opened in 2005, it contains more than 3,200 items, including Shawnigan memorabilia and other period-appropriate pieces collected over the years. The museum includes recreations of several specific School spaces, including C.W. Lonsdale’s office, classrooms from the 1910s and 1940s, and a dorm room from the 1970s.
     
    “The School’s history is so incredibly deep in how far it goes back,” student Quinn M. extolled. “It’s just super inspiring with all the cool stuff that’s here: how the rooms used to look, how the kitchen used to operate. How the whole School used to operate is incredible.”
     
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  • Lunar New Year and Ice Hockey Seniors' Night

    From Marion Hall to the Charlie Purdey Arena, Lunar New Year was celebrated across campus on Friday, March 1.
     
    Students wore red – which symbolizes luck, joy and happiness in Chinese culture – to Marion Hall for a special dinner of Chinese food prepared by the kitchen staff. That was followed by a cultural entertainment provided by students of Asian heritage: singing and dancing, both traditional and modern, with plenty of interaction from the audience.
     
    The Lunar New Year celebration has been a cherished tradition at Shawnigan for many years. Grace Z., who organized the festivities this year, was proud to help carry that tradition forward.
     
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  • BE A JEDI Chair Announcement

    Following on from an internal process for the appointment of the BE A JEDI (Belonging, Equity, Acceptance, and Justice – Embracing Diversity and Intersectionality) Chair, I am delighted to announce that Andrea Carballo has been appointed to this position at Shawnigan for the school year 2024-25.
     
    As many of you will know, Andrea is passionate about diversity and inclusion and wants to make sure everyone at our school feels like they belong. She is a Costa Rican Brazilian who has lived in Costa Rica, Spain, the Dominican Republic, the US and Canada, speaks three languages, attended international schools, and is the parent of three multi-cultural children.
     
    Andrea has been at Shawnigan since 2008 and firmly believes there are so many ideas and so many ways to grow as a School. With the support from the BE A JEDI Committee and with the upcoming publication of the CAIS Peer Report, Andrea plans to champion the commendations and act upon the recommendations in a way that calls upon everyone at Shawnigan to BE A JEDI.
     
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  • Climbing on the Rise at Shawnigan

    “You feel really uplifted when you climb,” said Angela C., one of the students behind the creation of Shawnigan’s climbing team, a new student-driven initiative this year. Although that could be taken quite literally, Angela meant it figuratively, referring to the exhilarating rush she and her teammates get from the sport.
     
    Although climbing is not an official sport at Shawnigan, there is a climbing wall in the gym, and a group of passionate students have taken to training on it in their spare time, forming a team and attending competitions on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.
     
    “We started last year with a vision, and turned it into a reality this year,” said Bea H.
     
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  • Stag Café Goes International

    The Stag Café went international on Tuesday night with a multifaceted celebration of the many cultures represented at Shawnigan.
     
    Since she arrived at the School last year, Grade 12 student Anastasiia S. has wanted to implement more cultural events because they help students adapt to a new environment by sharing their culture with their peers, while other students have a chance to get to know the international students better. Initially, the idea for this event was a night for students to share their cultures, but it quickly evolved into a larger event with food and music that was embraced by the student body.
     
    “Food is one of those things that represent culture,” Anastasiia said. “It’s at the frontline of culture.”
     
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  • February

    'Grease' - One Slick Show

    Over an intense three days before Ski Week, the cast and crew of Grease staged four phenomenal performances at the McPherson Playhouse in Victoria, demonstrating boundless talent, imagination, creativity and energy as they took the audience back in time to tell the tale of teenage paramours Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko, the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, and the rest of Rydell High School in 1959.
     
    A stellar cast, with Grade 12s in most of the key roles, rose to the occasion and put on brilliant shows night after night. And it wasn’t just the stars, but the entire cast, who stepped up.
     
    Josef J. and Ariel M. starred as Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski, respectively, returning after taking lead roles in last year’s production of The Addams Family. But they were far from the only standouts in an ensemble cast that also featured outstanding performances from – among others – Georgia G. as Rizzo, Keegan L. as Kenickie (“He killed every night,” said director and co-producer Mr. Salvatore Interlandi), Sharm P. as Marty, Grant N. as Doody, Luke V. as Roger, Emmett N. as Sonny, Clara P. (stepping up in her first and last year at Shawnigan) as Patty, and Grace S. as Frenchy.
     
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  • Another Splendid Ski Week

    Ski Week could be described as Shawnigan’s “alternate reality” – a parallel universe where the School exists in a different form for a few days.
     
    This year, both organizers and students were unsure what to expect. Conditions on the hill at Manning Park were said to be dubious, and only limited runs would be open. Of course, when all was said and done, many were calling it “the best Ski Week ever.”
     
    “Maybe that was because we were expecting less and got so much more,” Student Life Coordinator Ms. Katrina Cholack said. “The kids kept a positive attitude and took advantage of what was presented to them.”
     
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  • Musical Notes

    Dear Grease cast and crew,

    It was such an absolute joy to be in the McPherson Playhouse on Friday, February 9 and Saturday, February 10.

    There was so much energy, imagination and creativity bubbling through the musical: the choreography of performers, the personality brought to each main character, the chemistry between the T-Birds and Pink Ladies in action and song, the live orchestra (with Mike G. on the drums!), the superbly conceived set and stagecraft, and much more.

    It was a startling performance.

    Read More
  • Welcome to Samuel House!

    Our Grade 8 program took a giant step forward this week as excited students moved into Samuel House, our specially designed and pioneering boarding house for all Grade 8 students. Grade 8 girls and boys are now under the same roof in Canada’s first co-ed boarding house for students of that age.
     
    Girls and boys are in separate wings, but have shared common areas. Rooms are designed to accommodate four students. Common spaces include fitness facilities, a kitchen, and lots of room for studying, socializing and relaxing. Furnishings have been specially selected by Ms. Kathini Cameron, and Ms. Cameron and Deputy Head Mr. William Nicholas designed custom-built bedroom furniture. Students are settling quickly into the comfortable atmosphere.
     
    Before moving into Samuel House, the students had a chance to tour the building and check out the new living spaces. Clad in new yellow hoodies emblazoned with a red dragon, the Grade 8s were delighted to explore the House and eager to move in.
     
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  • Announcing Our Rugby Centenary

    Dear Shawnigan Community,

    It is with great excitement that I announce our upcoming Rugby Centenary at Shawnigan Lake School.

    In 1928, Senior Master “Tiny” Levien recommended to our founding Headmaster, CW Lonsdale, that the School introduce rugby to its sports programming. We have never looked back.

    With the introduction of the girls’ program in 1993, our Shawnigan rugby club has developed players who have gone onto university, provincial and national honours, with all players learning the values that underpin the game.

    We plan for a year of celebration in 2028

    Read More
  • February Sports Update

    As we get closer to the end of the winter sports season and the beginning of the spring season, here is an update on how some of our teams have been doing.
     
    SQUASH
     
    On January 13, Shawnigan played host to nearly 100 participants from Vancouver, Victoria and the Cowichan Valley in the largest Squash BC Junior Silver Event ever. Five Shawnigan athletes won their events: Kaleb A. (Div. 1), Tony Z. (Div. 4)., Justin L. (Div. 7), Eliza H. (Div. 8), and Daniel H. (Div. 9).
     
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  • SAR Goes Over the Edge

    A mutually beneficial collaboration between Shawnigan Lake School and Cowichan Search and Rescue saw students going over the edge — literally — in a slope rescue scenario at Stoney Hill Regional Park west of Duncan.
     
    Nine students, three Cowichan SAR members and two Shawnigan staff members took part in the session, the 10th of 16 sessions the School SAR team is conducting with Cowichan SAR this year.
     
    “Upon returning from Ski Week we will complete our sessions, still focusing on rope rescue but also adding in aspects of swiftwater rescue, such as throw bagging, foot entrapment procedures, and what live bait rescues entail,” explained Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jessica Dick.
     
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  • Highlights from the US West Coast tour: Dylan Thygesen ’23 (Copeman’s) at the University of California, Berkeley. Dylan is studying statistics, calculus, economics and English.

    Alumni Notebook - February 2024

    Nathan Bice ’16 (Duxbury) and Kyle Bell ’16 (Duxbury)



    Nathan Bice ’16 (Duxbury) and Kyle Bell ’16 (Duxbury) visited the School in December 2023 to speak to Grade 12 students about potential job opportunities at Queen Charlotte Lodge.
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  • Shawnigan Lake Golf Classic 2024

    Shawnigan Alumni Golf … it’s back, bigger, and better than ever! Mark your calendars for Friday, September 6 for a fun day on the links at the University Golf Club in Vancouver with fellow alumni, staff, and friends of Shawnigan Lake School. With your support, we hope to create a special annual event, “By Alumni for Alumni.” This year’s event will include two divisions: a competitive division, and a fun division for recreational golfers or those who are new to the sport. In addition to the golf, we hope you will consider joining us for dinner.
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  • Class of '73 Zenith Scholarship

    As we look back to the 2023 Founder’s Day, we are grateful for and humbled by the dedication and generosity of our alumni and their passion to continue supporting Shawnigan Lake School. We are proud to share how the Class of 1973 came together to commemorate their 50th reunion and are giving back in the most meaningful way by establishing the new Class of ’73 Zenith Scholarship.
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  • Asexual Reproduction

    Students in Science 9 learned about two sides of the same coin — the benefits of genetic diversity and the benefits of creating an identical crop quickly and economically — in a lab focused on human-assisted asexual propagation last week.
     
    The students learned how to create a genetically identical “daughter plant” or clone of the original plant by taking cuttings from the “mother plant.” In order to understand that method of reproduction, the students first needed to understand the parts of the plants and their roles, the things plants need to survive, and the various types of tissue within a plant and their corresponding roles.
     
    “The magic in asexual propagation is the meristematic tissue whose only job is to grow,” said School Horticulturalist Ms. Patricia Hanbidge. Meristematic tissue, she explained, is a type of tissue whose only job is to grow endlessly, and which has the ability to become a specialized cell with specific jobs. For example, meristematic tissue on a leaf cutting can become root or stem tissue.
     
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  • Beyond the Gates at Biathlon

    The third time was the charm as Grade 9s finally got to try biathlon at Mount Washington last week as part of the Beyond the Gates program.
     
    The first scheduled trip had to be called off because it was too cold. The second attempt was halted because an excessive amount of snow made for treacherous travel conditions. On the third try, 34 Grade 9s, seven staff members and one Grade 10 mentor — Benneit H., who has competed in biathlon (a sport in which athletes alternate between cross-country skiing and rifle shooting) at the provincial level — finally made it to Mount Washington.
     
    The students took lessons from members of the Vancouver Island Biathlon Club, learning how to safely handle a .22-calibre rifle before they practiced target shooting from a prone position on a mat, and alternating between shooting and skiing laps.
     
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  • VMUN Award Winners

    Anastasiia S. was named an outstanding delegate and two other Shawnigan students received honourable mentions as the School sent a significant contingent to the Vancouver Model United Nations last weekend.
     
    Twenty-seven students represented Shawnigan at VMUN 2024, joining their peers from around the world at the 23rd annual session of the largest MUN conference in North America organized by high school students.
     
    Anastasiia’s award came in the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, where she presented on the topic of refugees’ rights in host countries, representing her own home country of Ukraine.
     
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  • January

    Robotics Victory

    Shawnigan’s robotics program earned its first tournament win of the season last weekend, and the victorious team is hoping to build on that success in a bid to reach the VEX Robotics World Championship.
     
    The team of Kathryn Y., Esme L., JD P. and Zekai L. brought home the top prize from the tournament at Claremont Secondary School in Victoria, the third of five tournaments this year, and Shawnigan’s first win since the 2022-23 season opener at Shawnigan in November 2022.
     
    After the first two tournaments of the year, the Shawnigan team was more familiar with this year’s game, VEX Robotics Over Under, and was better able to prepare for the competition this time.
     
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  • Avalanche Safety

    A major snowfall last week created excellent learning conditions for a group of Shawnigan students to take part in the Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 program at Mount Washington.
     
    Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jessica Dick took eight students in grades 9-12 to Mount Washington for the program, facilitated by Mr. Brian Jones, the owner of Canada West Mountain School, who travelled from the Mainland to provide instruction. The students — including five members of the Search and Rescue 360 — chose to take part in the course in order to improve their knowledge about avalanche terrain, snow safety, rescue skills, and general backcountry trip planning.
     
    “These skills can be used in a wide array of experiences, including ski touring, winter camping, snowshoeing, and general backcountry adventures,” Ms. Dick related. “They were provided with a plethora of resources to allow them to be able to view avalanche bulletins, weather forecasts, potential avalanche problems, and conditions of travel. Now that they are equipped with these skills, these students have the ability to safely plan an excursion into the backcountry to further extend their regions of exploration and adventure.”
     
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  • Hockey Day in Canada

    Between a visit to campus by the Stanley Cup and a spectacular opportunity for two of our U18 Prep girls’ ice hockey players, Shawnigan was fortunate to take part in the festivities last week when Hockey Day in Canada came to nearby Victoria.
     
    Once a year, the weekly Hockey Night in Canada broadcast turns into Hockey Day in Canada, with a full day of NHL games interspersed with stories from a selected community in Canada. For the 2024 edition (which took place on Saturday, January 21), Victoria was the lucky community, and some of the stories they chose to tell involved the School.
     
    Mr. Andrew Ference, who won the Cup in 2011 with the Boston Bruins and is now a parent and hockey coach at Shawnigan, helped arrange for the Cup to be brought to the School’s Charlie Purdey Arena on Wednesday, January 17. He surprised the players with the Cup, with a crew from Sportsnet on hand to film the event.

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  • Fine Arts Showcases

    Grade 10 students celebrated the end of the first term with a pair of Fine Arts showcases this week, highlighting their efforts and progress over the last few months.
     
    Grade 10 students go through a rotation, picking two curricular Fine Arts over the course of the year, and the performances this week marked the end of the first portion. Wednesday saw drama and instrumental students take the stage, while Friday featured dance, film and music technology inside the theatre, along with a visual arts exhibit in the lobby.
     
    On Wednesday, the drama students performed vignettes from the play It’s Not You, It’s Me, a short comedy by Don Zolidis. The instrumental music group played three songs: “Counting Stars,” “Hallelujah” and “Clocks.” Music teacher Mr. Vince Hale noted that several students in that group had never played an instrument prior to this year, but took huge steps to being ready to perform for their peers.
     
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  • Morgan J. Brings Home Bronze

    Grade 12 student Morgan J. returned to the School this week after helping Team Canada bring home a bronze medal from the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s U18 Championship in Switzerland.
     
    The tournament wrapped up last Sunday, with Canada taking third place thanks to an 8-1 win over Finland in the bronze-medal match. Canada was unbeaten in the preliminary round, outscoring their opponents 29-1 over three games, then defeated Switzerland 6-0 in the quarter-finals before being upset by Czechia 4-2 in the semifinals.
     
    “It was disappointing that we didn’t take home the gold medal, but I am still very proud of our group,” Morgan said. “The overall experience was amazing because of the teammates and Team Canada staff I was surrounded by. I have made many friends and created many memories with them that will last a lifetime. I grew as a player, but most importantly as a person on and off the ice from this experience. Playing with and against the best U18 players in the world was an honour. It has been an unforgettable experience, and I was sad to see it end and say goodbye to all my friends.”
     
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  • Circle K Success

    Shawnigan’s U18 Prep boys’ ice hockey team proved once again that they can skate with the best with another strong showing at the Circle K Classic, the top tournament in North America for their age group, which ran in Calgary from December 26 to January 1.
     
    After reaching the final four in the 2022-23 edition of the tournament, this year Shawnigan won four games and lost two, and made it to the C Division final to finish near the top of the 32-team, invite-only tournament.
     
    Shawnigan went 2-1 in pool play, recovering from a 6-3 loss to the Bishop Kearney Selects (Irondequoit, New York) to beat the Warman Wildcats (Warman, Saskatchewan) 7-4, and the Airdrie CFR Bisons (Airdrie, Alberta) 3-2.
     
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  • Reaching out Through Woodworking

    Tiny Adirondack chairs produced by Shawnigan’s senior woodworking class will add some homemade whimsy to the Montessori preschool on campus and help enhance the relationship between the School and the youngsters.
     
    The woodworking class explored batch production techniques and processes during the project, teacher Mr. Declan Bartlett explained.
     
    “A major part of good woodworking is planning and preparation,” he said. “By understanding a systems approach to guaranteeing quality, students were able to frame the project as a series of attainable steps that they could focus on, divide the labour and track the progress of the build.”
     
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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 millennia.