News Archive

Nearly 10,000 salmon fry were released into the wild this month by students who raised them in the Mark Hobson Hatchery – a facility unique to Shawnigan among schools in British Columbia.

 

The students in Science 9 and Environmental Science 11 and 12 have been nurturing the fish since November, when they caught fish in Shawnigan Creek to use as broodstock, then harvested eggs from the females and fertilized them with milt (semen) from the males. The eggs hatched into alevin – a phase where they are still carrying yolk – then grew into fry in March. Transferred into larger tanks at that point, they were fed and cared for over the following months until they were ready for release into Hartl and Shawnigan creeks.

 

According to Hatchery Lead and Experiential Learning Instructor Mr. Louis Chancellor, the number of fish released this year was nearly double the amount released last year, thanks in part to some changes and improvements made to the system. He says it should be even better next year.

 

Always an emotional event as students share their raw feelings in front of their classmates, this year’s “This I Believe” evening of speeches was held in the Chapel this past Tuesday.

 

Grade 12 students gathered to hear 12 of their peers read essays they have written in their English classes about a topic of their choice – anything close to their heart. All students composed essays and read them to their classes, and those classes subsequently chose who would read their pieces on Tuesday.

 

Shawnigan’s “This I Believe” program was inspired by the 1950s CBS radio series by the same name and many subsequent series that have used the same name.

 

Roll out the red carpet for Shawnigan film students!

 

Students in both the curricular and 360 film programs came home from the BC Student Film Festival in Vancouver on May 24 and 25 with a total of three prestigious awards.

 

Curricular film class students Kenzie G., Charlene K., Owen L., Patricio G. and Adam A. won the award for Best Senior PSA for their impactful film Least Expected.

 

The 360 group won Best Junior Documentary for their moving film about Mr. Melvin Gómez, who was Artist in Residence at the School last fall, and Ash B. earned the title of Best Junior Director for the same film.

 

Environmental Science 11 continued Shawnigan’s long-running efforts to help monitor fish in Shawnigan Lake by conducting an annual study of fish stocks and biodiversity.

 

Students put nets in the water for 24 hours in two separate locations and pulled them up the following morning, then removed the fish from the nets. The next day, Grade 11 classes weighed, measured and dissected the specimens, noting the detailed information, including species and sex.

 

 

The Environmental Science 11 class travelled to the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre in Cowichan Bay on Tuesday, April 9, to get a first-hand look at a significant and sensitive ecosystem as part of their wetland ecology unit.

 

“The focus of this field trip was on human impacts to the estuary, and using quadrats to investigate the estuary,” science teacher Ms. Alexandra Ballantyne explained. “A main focus of the quadrat study was to identify species living in the tidal zone and to compare invasive and non-invasive species. We primarily looked at varnish clams and the potential threat of European green crabs.”

 

Students fanned out across the globe over Spring Break – many to their homes both near and far, but some on a variety of School-sponsored trips and tours related to their academic, athletic, and artistic pursuits at Shawnigan.

 

 

Seven students and two staff members flew to Jamaica as part of the EDGE (Engagement, Development, Gratitude and Experience) program, where they took part in projects to improve the lives of children there. They first visited the SOS Children’s Village, a sanctuary for children ages six to 17 who have been separated from their parents. The village houses 40 kids in all, six or seven to a house with an “auntie” who oversees them. The Shawnigan students painted one of the houses, including sanding and preparing the building, and spent three days engaging with the kids.