​Last night, Peace Wapiti Academy (PWA), Peace Wapiti Public School Division's Grande Prairie-based high school, hosted its annual Academy Awards event in recognition of excellence achieved during the 2015-2016 school year. The ceremony celebrated Grades 9-12 honours students, star athletes, and excellence in the areas of French, art, band and drama. Community members and corporations were acknowledged for their contributions to the school, and scholarships totaling $13,750 were awarded to recent graduates.

The Governor General's Award was presented to Madi Binks for achieving top marks in Grade 12.

Simon Thon was named PWA's Schulich Leader Nominee. Victoria Gorgichuk was awarded the Premier's Citizenship Award. Both recipients received plaques and will also be entered in scholarship competitions as a result of their awards.

Three Shell Education Scholarships, valued at $2,000 each, were awarded to Simon Thon, Kiana Gerard and Larissa Fehr. Rotary Service Above Self Scholarships, valued at $2,000 each, were presented to Madi Binks and Simon Thon.

ConocoPhillips presented two $1,050 awards to Josh McNeill and Arianna Shields-Gaetz, graduates of the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) and Career and Technology Studies (CTS) pathways.

Dakota Dreger was awarded the PWA Cosmetology Bursary in the amount of $500. The Morgan Brian J. Diesel Bursary, valued at $500, was awarded to Grant Calvert.

Michael Jabs was the recipient of the $300 Merit Contractors Association Award. The Grande Prairie Minor Hockey Scholarship, valued at $250, was presented to Brittney Commet. The Harvey's Humanitarian Award, valued at $100, was presented to Leena Schmidt for placing others before herself and making her school and community A Beautiful Thing.

"Members of our learning community joined us in celebrating excellence," says Wanda Gerard, Principal of PWA. "Our Academy Awards event is not just a time for our students to celebrate their achievements; it's also an opportunity for us as a school to acknowledge the contributions of our parents, community members and business partners."

Presentation of the school's Titan Awards are a highlight of the annual event. Titans of Today Awards recognize parents, community coaches, guest speakers, mentors and adult volunteers who have made a significant contribution to PWA's learning community. Titans of Tomorrow Awards acknowledge students who display qualities of diligence, proficiency, citizenship, leadership or sportsmanship. Titans Incorporated Awards celebrate local businesses who support PWA's learning community through financial gifts, donations and mentorship.

"This year, our Titans Incorporated Awards included recognition of Doug Duplessis of Watson's Foto Source for his support of PWA's photography program; Grande Prairie Regional College for their support of PWSD's On Your Mark Diploma Exam tutorial sessions and the Dual Credit Program; and the County of Grande Prairie for their support of extracurricular programming," says Principal Gerard.

A detailed list of PWA Academy Awards is included below.

Peace Wapiti Academy – Academy Awards 2015-2016

GRADE 9 AWARDS

Grade 9 Honors

Davis Bell
Garion Bell
Jenna Bradford
Ashton Carter
Thomas Chmilar
Mia Cook
Emily Coulter
Selena Derksen
Kylee Dunfield
Caleb Farnsworth
Emaly Foster
Tyler Funk
Levi Grose
Ashley Heft
Laine Johner
Selena Klassen
Cheyanne Kraig
Ariana Lasell
Brennah Nelson
Sydney Olderskog
Kai Reum
Camryn Richards
Tayvis Rodacker
Brodie Roessler
Skylar Scheideman
Justine Schulz
Jayda Steele
Lydia Steinke
Kevin Terceros
Kari White
Ainsley Wolstenholme

Highest Academic – Grade 9
Sydney Olderskog


GRADE 10 AWARDS

Grade 10 Honors                   
Moriah Berg
Joseph Blum
Brandon Bulford
Kenzie Chalanchuk
Erik Dingeldein
Karsen Dorscheid
Makaela Elford
Stephen Fletcher
Alexa Fraser
Krista Frey
Haley Friesen
Anwyn Garant
Adam Harris
Hailey Hayter
Darren Head
Valerie Klassen
Chloe Lange
Aimee LaValley
Kayla LaValley
Kylie Minelli
Kade Lyons
Bryn McVittie
Jessica Mumford
Gabrielle Mycroft
Abby Nairn
Alexandria Nicholson
Tate O'Greysik
Dayne Oe
Madison Prangnell
Briana Reimer
Tate Russell
Cory Scarth
Rhett Sutherland
Hannah Thon
Caelia Thorson
Breana Walker
Colby Winia

General Diploma Grade 10   
Jaydon Fehr
Mackenzie Gagnon
Ajay Head
Elicia Rudachyk
Cassandra Walkom
Riley Welander

General Diploma Grade 10 Top Student
Ajay Head

Highest Academic  Grade 10
Haley Friesen

GRADE 11 AWARDS

Grade 11 Honors
Lisa Badry
Emily Baker
Karly Burkinshaw
Landon Cook
Sydney Day
Mackenzie Delaney
Emma Doris
Emalee Engler
Vanessa Fagan
Chelsey Furlong
Chiara Gorgichuk
Sierra Greentree
Hannah Hube
Dell Huls
Serena Isley
Chloe Keay
Taylor Lawton
Mikaela Lemon
Brandon Lyons
Conall Muir
Amanda Pelster
Kelsie Rae
Ryan Schwindt
Bani Sethi
Madison Shields
Carter Smith
Amanda Terceros
Jasmin Proteau
Anna van der Giessen
Caitlyn Vanstone
Tara Williams
Jace Wirth
Madison Wright
Tyler Zacharias      

General Diploma Grade 11
Mason Birnie-Browne
Shelbee Duffy        

General Diploma Grade 11 Top Student
Shelbee Duffy

Highest Academic Grade 11 
Amanda Terceros

GRADE 12 AWARDS

Grade 12 Honors
Nicholas  Bailey
Madi Binks
Brittney Commet
Marie-Eve Coulombe
Larissa Fehr
Nicholas George
Taylor Gervais
Sloan Hertel
Cale Lindstrom
Ally Pilgrim
Christina Shantz
Darren Thibeault
Simon Thon
Andrea Toews

General Diploma Grade 12   
Haley Friesen 
Alyssa LaValley
Shawn Peters
Dakota Robertson
Nevada Young        

General Diploma Grade 12 Top Student
Nevada Young

Highest Academic Grade 12
Second Runner Up 
Ally Pilgrim

First Runner Up
Marie-Eve Coulombe

Top Student
Madi Binks
 

FINE ARTS AWARDS

Art           Tieran Karbashewski
Band        Kiana Gerard
Drama     Nicholas George

DIPLÔME D'ÉTUDES EN LANGUE FRANÇAISE (DELF)

DELF – A1
Rebecca Bullock
Kenzie Chalanchuk
Alexa Fraser
Krista Frey
Haley Friesen
Chelsey Furlong
Samuel Gerard
Adam Harris
Hailey Hayter
Chloe Lange
Bryn McVittie
Kylie Minelli
Abby Nairn
Alexandria Nicholson
Jordan Ollenberg
Madison Prangnell
Alex Schultz
Nicole Slater
Tate Russell
Hannah Thon
Colby Winia

DELF – A2
Mathew Dwyer
Taylor Gervais
Simon Thon
Jace Wirth

ATHLETIC AWARDS

Basketball              
Jr. Girls    Jayda Steele
Jr. Boys    Joshua Campbell
Sr. Girls   Ally Pilgrim
Sr. Boys   Grant Calvert

Football                  
Zachary Otterbein

Rugby     
Girls        Brittney Judd
Boys        Tyler Arlint

Track      
Girls        Lydia Steinke
Boys        Kai Reum

Volleyball               
Jr. Girls    Ainsley Wolstenholme
Jr. Boys    Matthew Mizzaro
Sr. Girls  Mckenna Wolstenholme
Sr. Boys  Tristan Moon

Athlete of the Year
Jr. Girls    Lydia Steinke
Jr. Boys    Thomas Chmilar
Sr. Girls  Mckenna Wolstenholme
Sr. Boys  Zachary Otterbein


TITANS AWARDS

Titans of Tomorrow
Jayda Steele
Terisa Roeder
Dell Huls
Jace Wirth
Adam Harris
Autumn Donald
Haley Friesen
Hannah Hube
Grant Calvert

Titans of Today      
Louwana Badry      
Susan Ramroop  (CAREERS: The Next Generation               
Penny Calvert         
Dean and Tara Dreger

Titans Incorporated
Watson's Foto Source, Doug Duplessis 
Grande Prairie Regional College           
County of Grande Prairie       


SCHOLARSHIPS

Governor General's Award
Madi Binks

Schulich Leader Nominee
Simon Thon

Premier's Citizenship Award 
Victoria Gorgichuk

Shell Education Scholarships 
Simon Thon
Kiana Gerard
Larissa Fehr

Rotary (Service Above Self) Scholarship
Madi Binks
Simon Thon

ConocoPhillips RAP/CTS Awards
Josh McNeill
Arianna Shields-Gaetz

PWA Cosmetology Bursary   
Dakota Dreger

Merit Contractors Association Award
MichaelJabs

Morgan Brian J. Diesel Bursary
Grant Calvert         

Grande Prairie Minor Hockey               
Brittney Commet

Harvey's Humanitarian Award
Leena Schmidt

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