Academics
This I Believe
Every year, the “This I Believe” evening of speeches by graduating students showcases a wide range of topics and emotions as Shawnigan students bare their souls by reading aloud pieces they have written about topics close to their hearts.
For Head of English Mrs. Sarah Bevel, in her first year at the School, it was an opportunity to see how close of a community Shawnigan is that the students are comfortable being so vulnerable in front of their peers.
“It made me feel like the students really do feel like they are part of a family,” Mrs. Bevel said.
As part of the English curriculum at Shawnigan, all Grade 12 students prepare essays about a topic of their choice, reflecting in some way on takeaways from their high school experience, and read it to their classmates. The classes then help decide who reads at the final event, held in the Chapel in early June in front if an audience restricted to their fellow Grade 12 students and staff members.
“It led to some students being personal and vulnerable,” Mrs. Bevel commented. “The topics ranged from really personal to humorous – it was very intellectual, but also playful.”
The event in the Chapel is an intimate experience, and presenters do not wear their uniforms, instead opting for something they are comfortable in. It is a highly anticipated part of the calendar at the dénouement of the school year.
“It’s a great thing to end with,” Mrs. Bevel said.
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. The readings are traditionally followed by an outdoor reception in the Quad after the readings, during which the students gather around a campfire and snack on s’mores.
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 Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
