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Soul Seeking Showcase
Students in Grades 8-10 had a chance to share their passions with their peers this week at the Junior Soul Seeking Fair, which packed the Library and other parts of the Main Building.
Work on the projects got under way in October, with the final results displayed this Wednesday on cardboard trifolds, laptop computers, and other creative display formats. Students have had six months to explore topics that fascinate them with the help of their advisors and mentors from the Shawnigan community. The variety of projects is extraordinary.
“The only requirements are that it is something they are interested in and that they show us the journey,” Librarian Mrs. Rayna Hyde-Lay explained. “It’s not just about the results.
“Some students stumble and falter to find a passion. Others show us things we never would have expected.”
Some students based their projects on their own personal journeys, like one who told the story of her brother’s life with cerebral palsy, and another who discussed receiving stem cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes. Other students focused on Shawnigan: one did a security evaluation of the School, and a group project asked if the placement of Houses on campus disrupted students’ daily lives.
Other projects covered:
• The Impact of Battery Waste on Plant Growth
• Emotion in Music
• Origami
• Finger Picking on Guitar
• Discovering Filmmaking
• Global Issues of Refugees
• How to Make an Informed Stock Market Investment
• My Path to Diplomatic Awareness
• BC Women’s Health Foundation
Soul Seeking started during the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, when students were learning from home, and were assigned passion projects to complete in addition to their regular schoolwork. The program continued when in-person schooling resumed the following fall, and has been an integral part of the Shawnigan experience ever since.
The showcase this week was strictly for Grade 8-10 students. Grade 12s – who had their own Soul Seeking fair in March – use their Soul Seeking projects to fulfill capstone requirements for their provincial diplomas. Grade 11s are already working on their projects for next year.
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.
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.
