Academics
Grade 8s hear real-life shipwreck tale
Following their recent study of The Dove in Social Studies, the Grade 8 class had the opportunity to hear from Shawnigan teacher Mr. Galen Loiselle, who, as a child, was shipwrecked for six months in the Panamanian archipelagoes. Thank you to Brady Z. for sharing his reflections on this experience!
In Social Studies class, my classmates and I studied, read, and watched The Dove, the story about Robin Lee Graham, a solo sailor who took on the challenge to circumnavigate the world on a 24-foot sailboat. As a result, when we were presented with the opportunity to listen to Mr. Loiselle’s story, we were excited to see both the similarities and differences in their shared experiences. Mr. Loiselle’s use of not only vivid imagery but detailed descriptive language as well truly intrigued me, and the idea of him being a mere eight years old and deserted in the Panamanian archipelagoes only managed to hook me even more.
I feel that I can confidently comment for myself and on the behalf of my fellow Grade 8s that the narrative that Mr. Loiselle had created was beyond entertaining, and his spectacular ability to further drive that narrative through bouts of fiction, albeit fascinating, shows this even more. I thoroughly enjoyed his story and as a sailor myself I can sort of connect with his struggles, although not to the level where I am stranded on an island. My favourite part has to be when he and his parents were unluckily caught in the midst of a devastating meningitis outbreak and due to this he set sail for the archipelagoes. I say this as this was probably the cause and effect of the rest of the story happening, and I especially liked the way Mr. Loiselle spun their situation as it made it even more interesting. In the end, I hope that I can re-experience his story sometime in the near future when I am old enough to actually fathom how his parents must have felt in those shoes.
– Brady Z., Grade 8
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I feel that I can confidently comment for myself and on the behalf of my fellow Grade 8s that the narrative that Mr. Loiselle had created was beyond entertaining, and his spectacular ability to further drive that narrative through bouts of fiction, albeit fascinating, shows this even more. I thoroughly enjoyed his story and as a sailor myself I can sort of connect with his struggles, although not to the level where I am stranded on an island. My favourite part has to be when he and his parents were unluckily caught in the midst of a devastating meningitis outbreak and due to this he set sail for the archipelagoes. I say this as this was probably the cause and effect of the rest of the story happening, and I especially liked the way Mr. Loiselle spun their situation as it made it even more interesting. In the end, I hope that I can re-experience his story sometime in the near future when I am old enough to actually fathom how his parents must have felt in those shoes.
– Brady Z., Grade 8
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.
