Imagine 30/30: A Generationally Important Initiative

Mr. Lamont invited me to share a little bit about my own story as a young person who came to Shawnigan as a 12-year-old, in Grade 8, on significant financial assistance.

 

And I thought about doing that. But I’m not going to. We all have stories. Sometimes those stories are a bit hard or sad. Sometimes those stories are very hard, or very sad. And I know we all love to hear a really inspirational story about someone overcoming hardship.

 

But the reality is, when your family has no money or resources, it really doesn’t matter whether your obstacle to overcome is an education that costs $1,000, or $10,000, or $50,000.

 

It is all equally inaccessible to the person with no money.

 

It feels impossible to overcome.

 

And if your dream education – the one that you know would change everything for you – costs $50,000, it really doesn’t really matter if you are fortunate enough to be able to afford $10,000 or $20,000 or $30,000. That education is still out of reach, even for the family who might appear privileged.

 

So, I’m not going to share the personal details of my story, except to say that receiving a Shawnigan education – thanks to the kindness of unknown strangers who supported financial aid at the School – was life-changing for me in a generational impact kind of way.

 

And it didn’t just change my life. It changed the lives of other people in my family whom I was able to go on and support in their education, to achieve dreams.

 

It helped me grow up to be the kind of person who could turn around and help others, both in my family and in my larger community, with my talents, and my time, and eventually with my money.

 

So, the gift that Shawnigan gave me was a gift that has kept on giving, and rippling outward, for almost three decades now.

 

I understand that Mr. Lamont shared with you earlier this week that one in three students at Shawnigan receives financial support of one kind or another.

 

You might think you know the stories of the people sitting around you.

 

And maybe you do.

 

But maybe you don’t.

 

Some students know when they are a recipient. Some students don’t. Some might know but not have a full understanding of the extent of the support. The range of support that students in this room might be receiving, is wide. It might be for a student whose family has put everything they have into this education, and when their child has the chance to attend an amazing opportunity, like a national or international event, they just need a little help to make that happen. It might be someone like me, who the School supported at almost 100 percent over five years. 

 

Sharing our personal stories can be hard for students. It can also be really hard for parents too.

 

Money is wrapped up in our society’s notions of whether we are deserving, worthy, good enough. And so not having enough money can carry some difficult feelings. Particularly when it comes to giving your kids the best opportunities in life to reach their goals, which is what every parent wants. 

 

But every one of you – every young person who really wants to seize everything a Shawnigan education offers – is absolutely worthy of it.

 

If you asked 100 people to name the three best things about Shawnigan, I bet 100 of them would say “the community.” And the community that we have here is made better because of all of our students.

 

I am confident that your time at this school has been positively impacted by another student who is the recipient of financial aid, whether as a friend, a teammate, a classmate, or a mentor.

 

Scholarships and financial aid aren’t about benefiting just one family. They impact the diversity and richness of our entire community, and every community beyond the gates that Shawnigan students step into.

 

The question of how we provide access to a Shawnigan education to students like you – students who would be amazing contributors to this community and to the next one – is ALWAYS at the forefront of the Board’s mind.

 

For this reason, the Board of Governors is deeply committed to financial aid.

 

That is why, in honour of Shawnigan’s 110th anniversary, I am very proud today to officially announce the launch of the Imagine 30/30 Challenge.

 

The goal of this campaign is ambitious: to raise $30 million by the year 2030.

 

Shawnigan already gives more money to financial aid than any other boarding school in Canada. The funds raised under the Imagine 30/30 Challenge will allow us to double the funds available for scholarships and financial aid, and to help grow Shawnigan’s endowment – the long-term fund that helps ensure this work can continue not just today, but for decades of students still to come.

 

This is a generationally important initiative.

 

It is about making sure that Shawnigan remains, for the next 110 years, a place where deserving students from different backgrounds, different communities, different countries, and different life experiences can continue to come together and learn from one another.

 

Because that is part of the education too. To my mind, one of the biggest parts.

 

It is not just the classes, or the teams, or the Houses, or the arts, or the trips, or the traditions. It is the people.

 

It is who you sit beside. Who challenges you. Who encourages you. Who frustrates you. Who makes you laugh. Who helps you see the world differently.

 

And when we make Shawnigan accessible to more students, we make Shawnigan better for every student.

 

Many people may not realize that Shawnigan Lake School is a non-profit organization. The extraordinary experiences you have here are made possible not only by tuition, but also by the generosity of donors – alumni, families, past parents, and friends of the School – who believe in this place, and who believe in you.

 

Scholarships and financial aid are one of the clearest examples of that generosity in action.

 

They are funded by people who can afford to give a little extra, or in some cases a lot extra, so that another student can have an opportunity that might otherwise be out of reach.

 

It takes a village.

 

And our scholarship and financial aid program is one of the most powerful examples of how the Shawnigan community gives back – not only for the benefit of one student or one family, but for the continuing betterment of our School and for the positive impact Shawnigan students can have in the world.