A Lifelong Connection

In September of 2025, a group of five Shawnigan students and two staff members journeyed to Quadra Island to bring the Assu house posts back to Shawnigan. I had the honour of joining the group to represent our Indigenous students as the Indigenous Affinity Group Chair and student lead for Shawnigan’s Indigenous Advisory Committee. The poles were brought back to Shawnigan two days later and placed beside the Bruce-Lockhart Centre for Creativity.

 

After speaking to Brad, I learned that the poles weren't finished; he took the time to show me where some of the painting had been smudged during the journey down to Shawnigan and where some had been left incomplete. After connecting with Brad further regarding what exactly needed to be completed, he took a trip down to Shawnigan and left me with the paints and brushes to finish the work. I worked through my spare periods, art classes, my 360 extracurricular program, and many evenings to teach myself how to paint the intricate details and ensure additional coats were applied precisely. One of the best parts of this entire experience was getting to teach the students who came out to help; sometimes it was a student in my art class who needed an activity for the day, a passerby who wanted to leave their mark, or even large groups from a class that I showed how to contribute to the project.

 

Throughout the process from September to May, I developed a connection with Brad. We were in constant contact ensuring that the painting was up to par and making minor adjustments to the sizing and shapes. I inevitably grew quite close to Brad, as I was the one to host him when he visited the School. We spent many evenings and early mornings in the dining hall conversing about how the School has changed since he was a student, where I gained firsthand insight on what Shawnigan was like in the ’80s, often comparing the changes made towards academics, athletics, boarding life, and schedules, but I think the thing we shared the most excitement about was addition of the juice machines in the dining hall.

 

Brad has become someone incredibly special in my life over the last 10 months; there are often jokes about me being the adopted daughter of him and his wife, Margot, but honestly, I cannot say I feel any different. Nor would I want to. I was honoured to be entrusted with the responsibility of finishing the painting of the house posts, but I think the one thing better than that is becoming a part of his family, and he part of mine. Over the past year, I’ve learned what it means to be responsible for something so special, not just to myself but to Brad, his family, and Shawnigan. I also found a passion for learning about Indigenous history, which was ignited through Brad's lessons about what each of the figures of the posts meant and the stories behind them, and I plan to continue my education in this regard at the University of British Columbia, where I will be studying First Nations Indigenous Studies. 

 

As my Grade 12 school year comes to an end, I leave Shawnigan with a mind full of lessons, and the lessons I learned from Brad are the most meaningful. Through the time we spent working together, he showed me the importance of sharing knowledge, stories, and responsibility with others. By entrusting me to carry this work forward, he sparked a deeper connection to my culture as an Indigenous student; a connection I know will stay with me for the rest of my life. His impact on me reaches far beyond entrusting me to finish the painting of the house posts, and for Brad and everything he has taught me, I will forever be grateful.