News Detail
Samuel House Mentor Appreciation Night
Each year, a major aspect of creating a nurturing environment for the youngest students at Shawnigan – our Grade 8s – is involving older students in Grade 11 as mentors in Samuel House.
A number of Grade 11 students are chosen to stay in Samuel House on a rotating basis, helping the Grade 8s make the adjustment to boarding school.
“Every year the Grade 11 mentors come in and look after the Grades 8s,” explained Mrs. Rainbow Bartlett, one of the House Directors of Samuel House. “From tucking them up at night, to telling them stories and playing up at the Sportsplex. They are forever making the Grade 8s feel so welcome and loved as they transition into the School and into Shawnigan life.”
The Grade 8s expressed their gratitude to the Grade 11 mentors with a celebration on Monday evening, including a barbecue, gifts, decorations, speeches and music, entirely planned by the students themselves.
“They have planned and designed and created the whole evening as a way of them learning about the importance of gratitude and what it feels like to give back,” said Mrs. Bartlett. “It is a small stepping stone and small token of appreciation.”
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 12 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
