A Voice in the Wilderness Archive
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2024
2024
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March
The Samuel Heritage
Read MoreIn mid-February, Shawnigan opened Samuel House, a co-ed Grade 8 boarding house that is the first of its kind in Canada, with separate wings for boys and girls, and common areas they all share. While the House was carefully designed to nurture our youngest students, the name of the House was selected to pay tribute to two beloved staff members, and everything from the colours to the House hymn incorporates their Welsh heritage, as Admissions Assistant Ms. Kieran Ward explains. -
February
What Black History Month means to me
Read MoreThroughout February, Shawnigan has been marking Black History Month in a number of ways, including a special Chapel service on February 3. Grade 12 student Khanya Mangena-Jellema delivered the following address in that Chapel service, speaking to her fellow students about her experience as a biracial student at Shawnigan. -
January
How to experience the world more fully
Read MoreWhen you take a photograph, do you just take a quick snapshot to capture proof of the moment, or do you experience the moment and take it all in? Rev. Jim Holland (“The Rev”) considers how focusing, looking and listening can help us experience the incredible world around us. -
How does Shawnigan mark Remembrance Day?
Read MoreRemembrance Day is a momentous date across Canada where we honour all those who have fought and died in service of our country. It has special significance at Shawnigan, where we remember members of the School community who made the supreme sacrifice. Here, Head of School Richard D A (Larry) Lamont offers his own reflections on Remembrance Day.What is Remembrance Day, and what is its significance here in Canada – and at Shawnigan? -
How does Shawnigan preserve its history?
Read MoreMost students at Shawnigan Lake School have heard the tale of Billy Brooks.As a first-year student at Shawnigan in the mid-1920s — when the School served students even younger than the Grade 8s of today — Billy penned a letter to his parents, lamenting his homesickness. A copy of that letter has survived until today, giving students an insight into how their predecessors felt a century ago. Doubtlessly, many of them can relate to Billy’s feelings of loneliness.Each year, Grade 8 students are reminded of young Billy when they are given the opportunity to tour the Shawnigan Lake School Museum, where his letter is among the first exhibits that visitors get to see. The tour with curator Ms. Rosemary Dolman is part of a larger introduction to the School’s history that every Grade 8 gets to experience. -
Step by Step: The Power of Perseverance
Read MoreEarlier this year, Rev. Jim Holland (known affectionately at Shawnigan as “The Rev”) took a pilgrimage on a portion of the Via Francigena, an ancient route from Canterbury in England through France and Switzerland to Apulia in Italy. The journey had him reflecting on persistence and breaking down what seems like an insurmountable task into smaller steps. -
The ABCs of Shawnigan: B is for "Benedictus, benedicat"
Read MoreIn this ongoing series for A Voice in the Wilderness, longtime English teacher Mrs. Cari Bell is exploring several facets of Shawnigan Lake School by going through the alphabet, letter by letter.B is for “Benedictus, benedicat” -
What does a coach look for in a high school athlete?
Read MoreSports are a core aspect of the Shawnigan Lake School experience, and our coaches work to encourage students to pursue personal excellence while at the same time instilling values such as courage, integrity, loyalty, respect, honesty and commitment. While coaches are always glad to find athletes with skill and a drive to improve, they also look for character, hard work and competitiveness balanced with respect and sportsmanship. Director of Sport and longtime coach Tim Murdy elaborates on the attributes that make for an outstanding high school athlete. -
What is the value of inter-House competition?
Read MoreWoven into the fabric of student life at Shawnigan Lake School is the tradition of inter-House competition, which brings students together within their Houses to compete in friendly battle against other Houses in a series of spirited events over the course of the school year.Inter-House competition helps build community and camaraderie within the Houses, and is an excellent representation of what makes boarding life and the Shawnigan Journey special. The focus is on the competition between houses, but the deeper value comes from the spirit kindled within the Houses as students dress up in their House colours and paint their faces to match before heading out to take part in the day’s events. Spirit Captains are tasked with leading the charge at inter-House events.
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.
