2026 Results
Arts Achievement Award
Arts Achievement 11-17 Winners: Jonas Giese & Jaslyn Jolicoeur
Jonas Giese and Jaslyn Jolicoeur both tied for Arts Achievement in the 11-17 category. Jaslyn couldn’t attend the ceremony, so her grandmother accepted the award on her behalf.
Jonas Giese is currently attending LCVI and is devoted to both drama and music. He recently played Professor Plum in a local adaptation of Clue, and multiple roles in his school’s Freaky Friday production. He’s also actually advocated for LCVI’s different arts programs. In terms of music, Jonas teaches friends and peers the guitar and bass, he’s writing and producing his own tunes, and is a member of the band Anthrophobia.
He also planned and hosted Clash of the Chords, a youth musical showcase held at the Victoria Park Armouries. This event was where young local musicians could perform in front of an audience, often for the first time.
Jaslyn Jolicoeur balances an intense training schedule as a full-time vocational dance student. She not only studies piano at a very high level but teaches younger students, showing leadership and a commitment to sharing her knowledge. She also plays the flute for the Kawartha Lakes Youth Concert Band and has her eyes on the Royal Academy of Dance and Royal Conservatory of Music. She booked exams at both places.
She played Schroeder in You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, where she performed demanding live piano accompaniment well above her grade level. She’s also been involved in A Christmas Story The Musical, and her high school’s production of Freaky Friday.
Arts Achievement 18-24 Winner: Neo Whitehead
If you ask any teacher at I.E. Weldon about Neo Whitehead, they can only speak on how creative they are. Though Neo celebrates their art, they also celebrate the art of others. They have their very own business selling art, and they have also presented their art in the Kawartha Art Gallery and at the Kindred Coffee Bar. Any guest can walk into Kindred and see their designs.
One of their works was selected by the local Art Gallery for an exhibition, another one they donated to the local Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) office, and they donated their earnings from another one to the local Humane Society.
Not only is Neo an experienced artist who hones their creativity to create original art in countless forms and mediums, Neo uses their passion and talent in art to convey meaningful, important messages and support their community.
Arts Achievement 11-17 Runner-Up: Jace Jolicoeur, Jaslyn’s brother
Jace Jolicoeur performed two lead roles simultaneously – Charlie Brown in Charlie Brown Christmas and Ralphie Parker in A Christmas Story The Musical. He has been an extraordinary example of leadership in theatre to younger kids, proving that no matter who you are, you can follow your dreams. He’s currently auditioning for professional film and TV. Musically, he is a member of the newly formed Kawartha Lakes Youth Concert Band, where he plays alto saxophone. And the band is with us today, as a matter of fact. He has also earned his Level 4 Royal Conservatory Certificate in Piano and is writing his first book. He does all of this while maintaining high grades and practicing martial arts, and he never brags about his accomplishments. That is just who he is.
Arts Achievement 18-24 Runner-Up: Elisha MacLean
Elisha MacLean grew up a little shy, but that’s what makes her determination to make herself heard through her art even more admirable. She goes to Ampere and has been willing to help staff with artistic aspects. They had an art project tied to a science and culture curriculum for the Government of Nunavut, and Elisha offered to assist, which helped them meet critical deadlines and impress their clients.
In the meantime, Elisha is also developing an admission portfolio. She dreams of working in animation, telling her own stories with a focus on diversity and inclusion and developing original characters. She’s also maintaining a solid academic standing, enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program at I.E. Weldon.
Outstanding Worker Award
Arts Achievement 11-17 Winner: Abeni Crandell
Abeni Crandell started her own tutoring business when just starting high school. Whether it was in reading or French, you can ask any one of the parents and they will say Abeni was the best tutor.
During this time, Abeni also volunteered at Ross Memorial Hospital in various departments – Continuing care, Diagnostic Imaging, Day Surgery, Emergency Department, everything. She put in over 150 hours of community service. She could always be relied on and always eager and willing to help.
She now has not one, but two jobs, at Adelaide Place and Income Tax Plus. At Adelaide Place, she works the dining area, helping the elderly with mealtime, and they love having her there. She was also a Link Leader at Weldon, and coach for the Lindsay Optimist Soccer Club for three years.
Her dedication and work ethic stand out, demonstrated by her effort to balance multiple roles and responsibilities at the same time.
Arts Achievement 18-24 Winner: Brooklyn Burdi
Brooklyn Burdi joined United Way HKL on a placement in September last year and made an immediate impact.
During her time, she has stepped up and taken on extra responsibilities with event planning, promotions, social media, data collection, website updates and more. She created and led a Holiday Trivia Night which was “a great success”.
When their campaign leader had to step away from their role on United Way’s organizing committee, Brooklyn enthusiastically stepped into the role. On their Coldest Night of the Year, which is the name of an outdoor fundraising event, she worked with other staff to set up and take down their start and finish locations, deliver coffee and hot chocolate to their rest stops, travel the route taking pictures, and she pitched in wherever she was needed.
Unsurprisingly, several have commented about her maturity, pleasant nature, intelligence, and desire to work hard and learn in her job.
Outstanding Worker 11-17 Runners-Up: Brooklyn Hackett, Aaron Marshall & Ryan Fraser
Brooklyn Hackett has been described as a dedicated team member and positive influence at the local McDonald’s restaurants, approaching every shift with effort and professionalism.
Through her actions, she demonstrates what it means to be a strong team player—working hard, being willing to coach newer employees, staying focused, and maintaining a positive attitude even during challenging or fast-paced moments. Other crew members naturally look to her as a role model because she shows that doing the right thing and supporting your team truly matters.
Even under pressure she’s been described as having a positive attitude, making customers feel valued and helping her teammates feel supported.
Now we go to Aaron Marshall, who you could say is a direct competitor to Brooklyn in this category, because he also works at McDonald’s locally. He started working there over three years ago, in May of 2023. Since then, he has been promoted to crew trainer and is now an area leader. As a seasoned crew member, he completes his own responsibilities while also there to support his fellow crew members.
He has been twice promoted in a three-year period, which demonstrates his level of excellence at his job. He’s been described as dependable, respected by colleagues and guests, and steps in when others need him.
Taking initiative without being asked and handling challenges with confidence, we can see why he was nominated too.
Finally, we go to Ryan Fraser, who won our Resiliency Award last year and continues to impress us. Ryan has worked extremely hard to get to where he is, a youth that has faced countless experiences that could have stopped him from becoming the dedicated young man he is. His caring and empathy towards others really stand out.
Ryan took it upon himself to enroll in the Adult and Alternative Education Centre to be able to continue his education in a way that was sustainable and beneficial to him, while also getting work at Canadian Tire. He also lends his time to BGC Kawarthas, helping support his peers and being a role model and mentor to the younger youth. To his peers he is not only their friend, but a reliable support who can be called on in moments of need.
Outstanding Worker 18-24 Runners-Up: Kaylyn Gould and Tristan Frost-McMahon
Kaylyn Gould is a valued employee of BGC in the after-school program at Coby and works full-time during the summer with the Coboconk & Norland Chamber of Commerce. In both roles, she’s been described as professional, reliable and fully committed to the community.
At our Club, Kaylyn consistently has crafts and activities planned for the participants which they enjoy. She also eagerly joins the participants in active games, leading by example and modelling appropriate play.
Similarly, at the Chamber, she represents the organization with confidence and professionalism. Over the past two years, she met up with 50, you heard right, fifty businesses to pass out a survey on what could be done to support the community. She’s created fabulous posters and is committed to all sorts of tasks.
Now we get to Tristan Frost-McMahon. Tristan recently finished high school a semester early, to begin an apprenticeship with MVW. He didn’t drop out or defer but actually accelerated his studies so he could do so.
During his secondary studies, Tristan successfully completed his Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), further proving his readiness to contribute meaningfully to his chosen field. Balancing school and intensive work demands, he spent his evenings and weekends employed with MVW, consistently stepping up whenever opportunities arose. In fact, just last week, he was working with MVW on the construction project at BGC Kawarthas, helping to build new child care spaces!
Prior to securing that position, Tristan showed entrepreneurial initiative by going door-to-door in his community with a shovel in hand, offering reliable snow removal services.
S.T.E.M. Award
S.T.E.M. 11-17 Winner: Jamie Jeffrey
Jamie is a part-time staff at Ampere’s Lindsay Makerspace. He helps run programs including Saturday Drop-Ins, After School Programming, Camps, Community Games Nights and Birthday Parties, most of which are centered around STEM Education.
One example of his work in STEM is explaining concepts of coding and robotics to young learners at Ampere. He’s also a participant in what’s called the CANSAT program. It invites teams of Canadian secondary-school students to design and build a “CanSat” – a small psuedo-satellite which is the size of a can of pop. They are then flown up into the sky by about one kilometer, and on their way down can create data. Past examples include gas and pollution sensors, accelerometers, and even a deployable drone. No surprise, he’s also part of the robotics team at I.E. Weldon.
Health & Wellness Champion Award
Health & Wellness Champion 11-17 Winner: Lucy Stephenson
From the age of four, Lucy Stephenson has participated in local girls’ hockey, figure skating and dance programs. As a wider array of sporting opportunities became available to her, including badminton, tennis, cross country running, rugby and soccer, Lucy’s passion for sport and wellness persisted. She has a record of gold, silver and bronze places in Tennis, Track & Field & Hockey, in every single one of her years at Weldon.
Also at Weldon, Lucy is an active member of the Weldon Athletic Union executive. Working collaboratively with other like-minded students, Lucy plans and facilitates events and activities for the entire student body, including the annual Terry Fox Run and the annual Weldon golf tournament.
She is actively being recruited by numerous university and college track and field teams, all-the-while maintaining a 95% average in high school.
Health & Wellness Champion 18-24 Winner: Grace Caffin
Grace Caffin became a Supervisor at BGC Summer camps, and her leadership skills were described as profound. She is known for her professionalism and the respect she shows for families, especially during difficult circumstances.
Grace also does ballet and is active in the Lindsay Dance Studio. She was described as “one of the most beautiful dancers I have got to watch, growing up at the Academy Theatre.”
She continued her love and passion for dance at the University of Alberta, where she joined the MOD Contemporary Dance Movement. Not only was she managing a difficult course load, but she would spend a lot of her free time in the dance studio. This supported her own commitment to health and wellness, and she continues to lead an active lifestyle to this day. Also, she will be the Camp Coordinator & Dance Instructor at the Triple Threat Theatre this upcoming Summer.
Health & Wellness Champion Runners-Up:
11-17: Caden Mabee
Caden Mabee was on the I.E. Weldon Cross Country team every year of his high school career, and in Grade 9 was given Athlete of the Week for it. He even volunteered to be a lead runner for the Elementary School Cross Country meet, which can require up to 18 km of racing in a day. He has a goal to run a marathon this summer. All 26 miles.
He describes one of his biggest accomplishments as swimming. Not only has he been on competitive teams, but he made places at numerous Kawarthas and COSSA swim meets and has even qualified for OFSAA 3 out of 4 years, which is the second largest high school athletic association in all of North America.
He was captain of his high school soccer team, helping to lead, strategize and motivate the team, and he is a part-time lifeguard and swim instructor.
18-24: Cooper Doyle
Cooper Doyle has been in the Sports program at BGC for over a year now and has worked with kids from Pre-JK – Grade 8. She brings positive energy each shift and brings strong leadership skills to our team. One of her strong suits is connecting with kids of all ages and being a positive role model for all of them.
Cooper is always willing to help out when they need extra staff which is very common especially during outdoor soccer when staffing is very intensive. Her ability to work with anyone and be a positive influence is valuable to the sports team.
Resiliency Award
Resiliency 11-17 Winner: Maya Ellery
Maya Ellery has grown up with dyslexia. From an early age, reading and writing did not come easily to her, and tasks that seemed simple for others often required extra time, effort, and creative strategies. Rather than allowing these obstacles to discourage her, she made the conscious decision to confront them head-on and gave herself the goal of achieving honour-roll status.
In the end, she met her goal. She has learned how to adapt, how to advocate for herself, and how to remain focused in the face of adversity, all while maintaining a positive attitude and a strong sense of purpose. Her perseverance has not only allowed her to meet her goals, but to exceed them.
Resiliency 11-17 Runner-Up: Dalton Bemma
Dalton Bemma has faced challenges that would have discouraged many people, yet he has continued to show determination, strength, and a willingness to grow.
What makes Dalton stand out is not only his ability to overcome obstacles, but the way he turns those experiences into leadership and positive action. He consistently shows initiative, takes responsibility, and works hard to improve himself and support those around him. Dalton has demonstrated that resilience is not just about getting through difficult moments — it’s about learning from them, growing stronger, and continuing to move forward with courage.
Humanitarian Award
Humanitarian 11-17 Winner: Katherine Guan
Katherine Guan’s parents immigrated from China to Canada, and when she moved from Toronto to Lindsay, she witnessed how her classmates believed professional careers were reserved for “urban students” and she was compelled to show them that they, too, could dream beyond perceived limitations.
She worked on various projects to support her fellow students, and eventually created VOICE, a club for social justice, which gave students the ability to advocate for causes they were passionate about. VOICE recently merged with the Green Advocates at Weldon to increase visibility and accessibility for students interested in social and environmental justice, and the Green Advocates afterward hosted a Valentine’s themed fundraiser for Cuddles for Cancer, a youth-run initiative that provides fleece blankets to cancer patients.
Katherine has also served as the President of her school’s Model United Nations in Grades 11 and 12, her mission to ensure it was accessible to all students. These activities helped foster connections among grades 9 and 12 and helped students gain the confidence to speak publicly.
Humanitarian 11-17 Runner-Up: Jonas Giese
You might remember Jonas Giese as one of the winners of our Arts Achievement Award. Well, he qualifies for this category as well.
Jonas is a proud member of the LGBTQ2S+ community. Whether it is “calling out” or “calling in,” Jonas approaches every situation with compassion, education, and respect. His calm but firm advocacy helps others learn, grow, and create safer spaces for everyone. His teachers and peers know him as someone who does not tolerate injustice.
Jonas is so trusted, that he has been selected, by LCVI, to attend workshops on behalf of the school for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, LGBTQ issues, and leadership. Many of his classmates, including those who don’t know him personally, seek him out in times of difficulty because they know he will listen without judgment.
Jonas recognizes that some of his classmates face poverty, food insecurity, or instability, and he quietly steps up to help—inviting friends over for a meal, sharing food from his own home, or simply offering kindness and dignity in times of struggle. His small, everyday acts of care often make a profound difference in the lives of others.
Leadership Winner
Leadership 11-17 Winner: Ella Wilson
Over the course of her high school career, Ella Wilson has grown from a quiet and thoughtful participant into a confident and transformative leader. She has been described as an integral member of LCVI’s Student Administrative Council for several years and served as president this year. Under Ella’s guidance, the council has grown to its largest membership in recent years, with more than 30 active students.
One of Ella’s most impactful initiatives was her leadership of the Great Grain Challenge, a board-wide campaign designed to raise awareness of food insecurity in our region. Ella independently coordinated the entire initiative at LCVI—organizing donation drives, promoting awareness, and mobilizing both students and staff. Thanks to her leadership, LCVI collected over 2,000 items, the highest total of any school in the board.
During the holiday season, she organized LCVI’s Recycled Gift Wrapping Drive, a program that collected gently used wrapping supplies and recyclable materials so that students who might not otherwise have access could still participate in gift-giving. She then established a free gift-wrapping station for students.
She also played a key role in organizing LCVI’s 12 Days of Giving campaign—an annual initiative where classes collect toiletry and self-care items for women and children in local shelters who have left abusive homes in search of safety and a fresh start. There’s so much she has done in a short amount of time.
Leadership 18-24 Winner: Kelsey Naismith
Kelsey Naismith was hired at the Kent st. McDonald’s when she was 16 and is now in a General Manager role.
She has worked very hard to build her leadership skills. Her work ethic, motivation and commitment to the crew was described as exemplary.
The younger crew respect her very much. She is always mentoring, coaching and motivating the crew to grow, and being open with them so they can be comfortable working there. Her leadership has proven to be a key success factor on a corporate level as well as in the community, with her commitment to planning and executing McHappy day for several years. She takes pride and care in her position and models what a leader should be.
Leadership 11-17 Runners-Up: Caden Mabee & Madison Routh
Caden Mabee told BGC Kawarthas that when it comes to Leadership, he often isn’t set out to lead groups but it sort of happens, through positive attitude, hard work, and the desire to try new things.
Whether it’s helping at school or helping with extracurriculars, Caden’s ready to do it all and has been praised by his teachers. He’s been especially involved in the acting world, participating in local productions since he was 9. He’s been in multiple recent musicals at Flato Academy Theatre and has loved being a good influence for his younger co-stars.
He was also valedictorian in Grade 8 and does gigs with his music. Whether he’s on stage with his fellow students, or performing or singing, he loves inspiring others who watch him as he does so.
When Madison Routh was 15, she was a patient at Sick Kids Hospital for 44 days, struggling to eat due to an unknown illness. While she was an inpatient, she met and quickly became good friends with a local 12-year-old girl from Oakwood, and she was recovering from cancer surgery which really messed her up. And Madison wanted to do whatever she could to help her.
It started out with baking her homemade treats, and eventually, Madison organized a raffle for a $500.00 gift card, sold 600 donuts, and then had a dance with over 70 donated silent auction items up for bid. All to help raise money for her new friend and her family. Madison organized an army to help her and successfully raised over $30 000.00 to help with the renovations that were needed to bring her friend home and also to help with getting her new appliances to help her with her mobility.
That’s not the only thing. In the past she won the Principal’s award at her public school as she took the lead to have a past classmate and friend who had been killed by a drunk driver at the age of 12, to be forever remembered at the school.
She helps young girls with skating as a junior instructor with Kawartha Kodiak Elite Hockey Development, she’s on the Patients Advisory Board at Sick Kids, and at school, her vice principal respects her and knows she can be relied upon.
BGC Club Spirit Winner
BGC Club Spirit 11-17 Winner: Avalon Loube
Avalon Loube was also our Guest Speaker for the night!
She makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable, whether she’s at BGC related events, or doing her job at Fenelon Falls’ Maryboro Lodge Museum. Avalon’s kind and caring personality comes across to everyone who meets her.
When BGC was working to expand its offerings to Fenelon Falls, Avalon signed herself up for the Fenelon Falls Youth Council. With her other peers on the council moving onto post-secondary education, Avalon has continued to help shape the program and advocate for community support. Just last week, she brought an audience to tears at a fundraiser for The Loft.
BGC Club Spirit 11-17 Runners-Up: Ray Lane, Erica Gilkes & Athena Evans
Ray Lane is a genuinely kind and respectful young person who treats everyone around her with care, compassion, and fairness. She has a natural ability to make others feel welcome and included, and her presence at the Warehouse Youth Centre is a true gift.
Ray brings light and positivity into the space that is felt by both peers and staff alike. Also, as an active member of the BGC Youth Council, she is always ready to step up and support others—whether it’s helping a peer, assisting staff, or volunteering her time.
Erica Gilkes is a leader at BGC’s after school program at Mariposa. Erica’s ability to make every child feel accepted and included is a prime example of belonging. She is often the first to greet new members of the Club with a warm smile, using humor and conversation to help them feel comfortable and valued.
Erica encourages cooperation among her peers through working together. Whether it’s helping tidy the classroom, resolving minor conflicts, or promoting good sportsmanship during games, she leads by example and promotes teamwork in a natural and supportive way.
Many children feel comfortable turning to her for help, and she responds with patience and encouragement—guiding them while also empowering them to try independently and seek help when needed.
The one who nominated Athena Evans wrote that when she is walking by, she always wants to say Hello, ask how things are, and make them and everyone else feel special.
At the Club, she’s bravely tried new things like skateboarding, no matter if she’s had a few bumps and bruises.
She is very helpful and outgoing at the Youth Centre. She occasionally helps with dinner, as well as cleaning up. She’s supportive in the kitchen, she’s always a welcoming hand to new youth, and she invites people to join new crafts that she’s doing. Athena proudly encompasses what it means to be inclusive and welcoming at BGC Kawarthas.
Ron Kennedy Award Winner
You may remember Abeni Crandell as the winner of our Outstanding Worker award in 11-17, who volunteered over 150 hours of work at Ross Memorial Hospital and tutored numerous children. She wants to go to Trent University for Kinesiology to become a physiotherapist. To her, physiotherapy is more than helping bodies heal- they help people find hope and strength again. Whether she is supporting sick people at Ross, coaching with the Lindsay Optimist Soccer Club, or helping children learn French and English, she lives for compassion, and we applaud her take on life.
Marcie Beall Scholarship Winner
You may remember Jonas Giese from Arts Achievement and Humanitarian. And something we haven’t talked about is he wishes to become a teacher. He’s currently enrolled at Trent University, and he hopes that this scholarship will help him in his goal to be an educator who is effective and compassionate, because let’s be honest. Having teachers who care about their children makes all the difference in their development.
2025 Results
Arts Achievement Winners
12-17: Caden & Cavan Mabee
Eight years ago in 2017, these two brothers were both cast as Oompa Loompas in the Fall Fundraising show, Willy Wonka. Since then, they’ve been involved in six different Flato Academy Theatre productions; The Little Mermaid, The Sound of Music, Seussical, James and the Giant Peach and The Wizard of Oz, and their roles have been both onstage and offstage.
While at Central Senior School, they each served as masters of ceremonies for events like Remembrance Day assemblies, Arts Gala nights and Holiday concerts. They both play several instruments, and have recently taken up songwriting. A song they composed called “You” earned third place in a local Singers and Songwriters contest, and have not only published it online but played it at the Pie Eyed Monk.
18-24: John Bolk
John is a multi-instrumentalist, proficient in piano, guitar and drums, with a deep passion for recording music. With this talent and passion, he plays an active role in various community initiatives. These include performing at the Flato Academy Theatre and cheering on others performing with less experience than him, fundraising for women’s shelters, offering comfort and engagement to seniors and those living with dementia, and many more.
He also inspires young minds at our youth centre. His dedication to promoting music in our drop-in programs has not only enriched the lives of countless youth but has also fostered a vibrant and creative community. He has organized music lessons during his employment with us but also outside too, providing a safe space for self-expression.
Outstanding Worker Winners
12-17: Eden Carter & William Latour
At the tender age of 14, William discovered his passion for lawn care. He started a post on a local Kawartha Lakes Facebook group in search of anyone looking to have their grass cut, he got a lot of responses in which he responded to each very professionally. The following summer, William was getting returning customers and he saved up some of his money for better equipment and treating it with the utmost care.
During the winter months, he volunteers with a Lindsay Police officer, Coach Kevin Walden for the Ontario Minor Hockey U9 and U11 teams. His enthusiasm for fire safety also led him to volunteer at the Little Britain Fire Hall open house, where he educated the public and children about fire prevention. Once William turns 18 he will apply to be a volunteer fire fighter in Little Britain.
Eden was nominated by two different people. One for her work at Browning Reptiles, friends of ours, and as a returning member of the Kawartha Lakes Youth Council.
She has been instrumental for initiatives carried out by the council in the past years. She’s always consistently at meetings and has excellent ideas to contribute to conversations. She has helped come up with and bring to life many ideas, like last year when the council put a group together to clean up Ken Reid Park, and deciding activities for the Teen Wellness Fair. She is a very cooperative and supportive person with a strong sense of responsibility.
And at Browning Reptiles, she is very diligent handler of the reptiles they have there. She goes above and beyond for the care and advocation of the animals. The owner of Browning Reptiles said of Eden, “She’s amazing. I have never had such an ambitious and caring person under my wing. She’s a staple here. I am thrilled.”
18-24: Bailey Bourque
Bailey has been employed with us since April of 2023 after graduating from Trent University with a Bachelor in Social Work. She came in at a time of change and poured all her energy into redesigning a program to meet the current needs of children and youth in our community.
Simultaneously, she took over the Youth Justice program, where she recruited and trained new program volunteers, who she now schedules and supervises. Bailey is a true team player; she is always open to supporting her fellow co-workers and works hard within the Club.
Humanitarian Winner
12-17: Avalon Loube
Avalon has been eager to do whatever she can to make people feel respected and deserving since a very young age.
She was once part of a drive to collect menstrual products for women who couldn’t afford them, and her rallying of the community and local businesses had her unit raise the most. She also volunteered at food banks.
Now, since starting high school, Avalon’s best involved in the Fenelon Falls Secondary School Social Justice Committee, bringing awareness to the entire school of the importance of recognition for marginalized groups. She regularly writes announcements for the beginning of school days to explain a day’s importance, and to encourage celebration of important events such as Truth & Reconciliation Day and Black History Month. She’s also part of the Connect Crew, which helps eighth graders get acquainted with the scary transition into high school.
She recently also had a friend who had back surgery and had specific requirements to make sure she didn’t harm herself, upon returning to school. Avalon carried her friend’s backpack every day, and she would leave class as quickly as possible and head straight for her friend every da to provide any required assistance.
STEM Winner
12-17: Julian Junkin
Julian works at Ampere, formerly Pinnguaq, as a Junior STEAM Educator, embodying the themes of this award in his day-to-day work, consistently demonstrating curiosity, innovation and a passion for discovery. He began as a summer camp counsellor, and he is now an educator inspiring the next generation.
Julian has taken the lead in planning and delivering Ampere’s after-school programming, including with robotics, coding, and multimedia programs that provide young learners with fun and practical experiences.
In addition, he commandeers Hackathons with local youth, Saturday drop-in sessions, summer camp leadership, and leads in teaching kids about 3D printing through the TinkerCad software.
Julian not only provides engaging, high-quality programming but also ensures that every learner feels supported and encouraged.
Health & Wellness Champion Winners
12-17: Sean Hayman & Karina Treiguts
Sean stays physically active and aware, and has continuously promoted this mindset in a world that he sees dominated by screens and electronics. At school he plays soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton and Track & Field.
He’s also a member of the Peterborough Pacers Track and Field Club and the captain of the Local Boys U18 Rep Soccer team at the Kawartha Lakes Soccer Club. His captain position has allowed him to take on leadership roles with younger teams within the Kawartha Lakes Soccer Club, showing young kids the importance of staying active.
He also uses his voice to promote physical well-being at the Club, as a multi-time sports leader and summer camp counselor. There have been previous sports-related Specialty Camps in the summer, where he’s been called upon to lead.
Karina has played for the Weldon basketball, tennis and volleyball teams as well as the Wildcats Basketball rep team. She also horseback rides, has been a part of the Weldon Athletic Union and is co-chair of the Student Council this year. Despite being busy, with schoolwork and sports, she also spends time volunteering for the Girls House League program at the Lindsay Wildcats Basketball Association.
She has also been an integral part of the Weldon Wildcats community encouraging their younger female athletes to step up for basketball. The Wildcats’ girls house league has younger players between grades 3 to 8 and they look up to Karina tremendously. She is a mentor to their young players.
The one who nominated her said that, as a female who organizes sports in the Kawartha Lakes community, honouring players like Karina is a proud moment, and these are the types of kids who will continue to share their passion for years to come.
Leadership Winners
12-17: Fenelon Falls Youth Council – Avalon Loube, Ella Austin Scollick, Sofia Entzin-Telford, Cooper Young
These four have worked tirelessly to bring a new youth program to Fenelon Falls, demonstrating incredible dedication. They met monthly to collaborate on ideas and strategies for creating meaningful opportunities for Fenelon Falls Youth. They contributed numerous volunteer hours, attending meetings with both the Fenelon Falls Co-Op Committee and BGC employees, visiting proposed sites, and exploring program options.
They also actively contribute to the Grove Theatre, the Fenelon Falls Museum, their school council and many other initiatives. Even parents picking up their younger children have expressed admiration for these youth.
Individually, Avalon and Sofia sit on the Social Justice Club at Fenelon Falls Secondary School. They have put together several events and campaigns at the school such as organizing orang shirt day initiatives. Cooper and Ella were both leaders on the REACH team. Cooper and Sofia both hold leadership roles on the student union and have contributed greatly to the school and student experience. They lead meetings, delegate jobs, but never hesitate to jump in and do hard things or support others. They are well respected by their peers and always ensure students have a voice. Ella cares so much about our community, she is a frequent fixture at the museum and has been a leader in many ways.
Resiliency Winner
12-17: Ryan Fraser
Despite being thrown into countless challenges and facing numerous obstacles in his life, Ryan has grown into an exceptional young man. Ryan’s childhood differed from that of the average child, having to bounce between homes, but despite all he’s been through, he’s not lost hope or his sense of compassion.
Last year, Ryan was appointed by other young in the community as our Teen Centre’s Youth of the Year for his kindness and willingness to help others. He consistently assists youth in fixing their scooters and bikes when in need. Ryan is known for taking new youth under his wing when these youth visit our centre for the first time, giving them their first friend in it.
Ryan’s been enrolled in our Leaders-in-Training summer camp program for the last two summers, and in addition to completing 119 community service hours in just one summer, Ryan once had strep throat, and came in to ask for a sick day rather than calling in, because he didn’t have a phone, and took the initiative to work extra shifts to make up for this even though it was not required of him.
In spite of all the immense hardships Ryan has been through, he has persevered and has come out the other side a strong, outstanding young person.
BGC Club Spirit Winners
12-17: Alexa Shvedenkova
Alexa is one of the kindest and most respected people there. During youth council meetings, they always try their hardest to support others, including a time when a friend of theirs was too shy to speak up during a council meeting and they helped her get the idea out. Alexa also has taken the time to welcome people into our Club that have been nervous about first attending.
Alexa also helps out at the Club at various opportunities, helping with dishes without hesitation, clearing the table, sweeping, putting things away and so much more, even though it’s not asked of them. They really embolden compassion at the Club.
18-24: Riley Cunningham
Riley’s been a part of many of our summer camps, and has been in our soccer and basketball leagues. He’s also been a volunteer for us in our Leader-in-Training program and was hired as both a camp leader and soccer coach. He describes his experiences here at the Club as helping him with his athletic and social skills, which have apparently carried into other areas of his life. At Weldon where he went to school, he received several awards such as the Outstanding Work Ethic in Business award from Baker Tilly, which recognizes hard work, dedication and personal growth. At his graduation last June, he received the I.E. Weldon Business Department award, which is presented to a student who has excelled in multiple business courses over their high school career and has applied their knowledge and skills to real-world business contexts.
Last year in his final year of hockey, Riley was selected by the coaching staff to receive the Most Team Spirit Award, recognizing a player that has an all-around great attitude. he thanks us for helping his in these achievements, and we are incredibly humbled.
Scholarship Winners
Ron Kennedy Scholarship: Sean Hayman
While working at our Club, starting last year in April 2024, Sean has helped countless children have a positive experience by encouraging safety, relationship building, and most of all, fun. While he was a couch in the Outdoor Soccer program, he encouraged the children on his team to converse and build great relationships they could take off the field.
As a 2024 Summer Camp leader, he had more responsibility with a bigger group of kids and a longer time period. He had to rarely write incident reports or talk to supervisors about misbehaviours, and he feels this came from leading by example. As the summer progressed, he was offered the chance to be a Specialty Camp counsellor on multiple camps due to his effectiveness. He feels this came from coming into the job with a sense of initative, and positive attitude, and a willingness to try new things, and this won the children over.
Marcie Beall Scholarship: Grace Freitag
Grace is a Weldon student who has made Honour Role, the Principal’s List twice, and multiple subject awards. She is also going to McGill in the Fall to enter into the field of medicine and hopes this scholarship will alleviate some of the financial burden.
She has been a part of multiple awareness and fundraising initiatives to support the Lindsay Lynx Girls Hockey Association, as well as other volunteering opportunities, and learned through them about how the dedication of so many people is required to make these organizations accessible to local youth. Her participation in various extracurricular activities, including being a member of the Green Advocates, and a Grade 9 Link Leader, and being on the Girls Rugby Team, has helped her grow into a confident leader.
2024 Results
Gabrielle Matthew
Gabrielle’s nomination focused on a single, stunning achievement. They wrote a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s All’s Well that Ends Well, produced the show and was involved in all aspects of the play at Weldon. Gabrielle also designed the production to raise money for a local charity, single-handedly gathering items for a silent auction. Those kinds of achievements are especially worthy of applause from a youth!
Logan Gerzymisch
Logan has racked up a lot of experience at the Lindsay Little Theatre. From light and sound technician, to stage manager, to producer, to director – she has excelled in every role. She has also mentored others and promotes an inclusive environment.
The other finalist in this award was Alyssa Codling, who also has lots of experience at the Lindsay Little Theatre. Logan serves on the Board of Directors and co-chairs the social media role with Alyssa.
Runners-Up
In addition to Gabrielle Matthew and Logan Gerzymisch winning the Arts Achievement awards, our runners-up were Jaslyn Jolicoeur, Henry Oliver and Alyssa Codling!
Jaslyn is a multi-talented musician and actor. She studies piano, flute and is in multiple choirs. She has also been in many theatre productions including James and the Giant Peach last fall. She’s been described as very encouraging of all those around her.
Henry is dedicated to his pursuit of theatre. His commitment includes the participation in the integrated arts program at Thomas A Stewart, meaning a daily commute to school. Over the years, he has also learned guitar and piano, and been a strong advocate for the arts.
Alyssa has developed a broad range of skills at the Lindsay Little Theatre from the early days when she began behind the scenes, to later as she became an accomplished director. Alyssa is studying arts at university and continues to secure opportunities in a highly competitive environment. She volunteers with the Lindsay Little Theatre and is a co-director of their social media alongside Logan Gerzymisch.
Ella Marsh
Ella has made waves with her business. She identified the challenges parents often face getting their children to swim lessons and created a new enterprise where she sends qualified swim instructors to them! Her Swim 2 You business was conceived and launched in the spring of 2023, impacting many children and families in the community. It is amazing seeing the difference a youth can make like that!
Jack Georgiou
Jack was an Ontario Summer Company grantee last year. He had a dream of creating a successful boat detailing company. From sourcing the best products and equipment to designing his own social media promotion, this candidate handled all aspects of his new business. If you’re in the market for a clean boat, you need look no further!
Runner-Up
Also nominated for our Entrepreneurship Award is the incredible Theo Ward, who frequents our Warehouse Youth Centre and is a delight.
Theo’s journey to create took him down the path of establishing a band. A dedicated musician himself, he used his creative energy to inspire others to join him. Like any new initiative, he tapped into his promotion and organizational skills to recruit other band members and plan a rehearsal schedule. Staff at our youth centre sang Theo’s praises in his nomination!
Leah Roxborough & Sage Stapleton
Their campaigns and activities have diverted garbage from the landfill through recycling programs and they’ve even prevented hundreds of socks from getting thrown out. By raising money at the school, they also were able to work with the Canopy Project to plant trees. And that’s just scratching the surface of all they have done.
Runners-Up
The runners-up for our Green Award were Eden Carter and Zoe McIntosh!
Eden has inspired action through her membership with the youth council at BGC Kawarthas. Not only does she frequently focus on issues related to the environment but through her intervention, the youth council spent some time at Ken Reid Conservation area and planted a tree there as well. She’s also dedicated to rehoming animals.
Zoe has been identified as a leader on green issues at Fenelon Falls Secondary School. She frequently brings ideas to the table of ways that school activities and initiatives can be more sustainable and have less impact on the environment. She’s also an active youth representative with the Horticultural Society.
Abbey Williams
Abbey is active in watersports and has dedicated her talents to teaching and mentoring others. As a certified swim instructor and lifeguard, Abbey teaches the fundamentals of the sport and also a love for it. As a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, she has also shared her love of canoeing with kids who have never before had the opportunity to try it.
Katelin Langford
Katelin has been competing on the ice since she was 10, through school and as a member of clubs in Lindsay and Peterborough. She’s a skip with a winning record including Gold at OFSAA this year. She even organized a program to introduce more kids to the sport. She’s learning as much as she can about curling and even the ice, achieving certification as an ice maker.
Runners-Up
In 12-17 we had Malcolm Johnson and Harrison Smeaton, and in 18-24 we had Abby McGinn and Kaylee MacKinnon.
Let’s start with 12-17. Malcolm is passionate about soccer. He’s a terrific player himself and shows exceptional leadership at his school, Jack Callaghan, where he mentors younger players in a recess soccer program. He makes a selfless contribution to school sports.
Harrison demonstrates respect on and off the field. As a baseball player with the Whitby Canadians and as a young coach with the Kawartha Cubs, he has consistently modeled this in team sports.
Now onto 18-24. Abby devoted many hours to playing hockey with the Lindsay Lynx, as well as other sports, in her lifelong commitment to staying active and fit for life. A role model for her brother as well as many others, she continues to make a commitment to physical activity while juggling her studies overseas.
As a BGC staff member, Kaylee is mentoring children in her care about being active for life. She has been an enthusiastic sport and camp leader for 3 years, teaching the fundamentals, and striving to make everyone feel welcomed. Kaylee is a positive role model for young people at BGC Kawarthas.
Rachel Goodhand
Rachel’s dedication to making the world a better place is evident in her contributions at school, church and in the community. The list of social justice activities she’s involved in is really long! One of the ones we liked best was the creation of a candy gram initiative that she and a few of her friends launched to raise money for school initiatives. She was also a volunteer with the Sparkle and Swagger event this year that raised $20,000 for school sports at our 4 local high schools.
Runners-Up
In addition to Rachel Goodhand winning the Humanitarian Award, our other nominees were Sophie Kaloudas, and the winners of the Green Award, Leah Roxborough and Sage Stapleton.
Sophie observed the effects of COVID 19 in her peers and was concerned about the lack of activities in school once they were back in person. So, she decided to do something about it! The number of initiatives she spearheaded is incredible. Athlete of the Week, Lunchtime Intramurals, Team photos, and an army of volunteer scorekeepers so teams could resume play. The result was a return to fun, active opportunities for her school community.
And as we learned earlier, Leah and Sage are eco warriors. Something we didn’t share was their advocacy efforts – they’ve organized letter writing campaigns regarding local environment policy, and about clean investment choices. They’re definitely willing to stand up for the things they believe in!
Angela Staples
The adversity Angela faced has been massive since April 2023 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. While undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Angela maintained a positive attitude that inspired all of those around her. Throughout it all, she kept up her marks, volunteered, and excelled at a new co-op placement, despite the challenge of the treatment. She is an inspiration to us all.
Runners-Up
Here are the runners-up for our Resiliency Award, Summer James and Reagan Lusted!
Summer approaches life with grit and determination and to know her, you wouldn’t know that she had lost most of her hearing as a young child. Today – Summer balances high school with 2 jobs – one at Extendicare in Fenelon Falls and the other with BGC. According to her nomination, “she loves working with children and the elderly and strives to make a difference every day”.
Reagan was a Physical Literacy award winner in 2022. Her nomination for Resiliency is from how she takes strength from her faith, and a belief in hard work and the importance of continuing to move forward. These are the qualities her nomination said make her resilient. Over the years, she’s faced numerous obstacles including bullying and anxiety, but she’s the first to extend a helping hand to a new student, or to local charity efforts.
Harrison Smeaton
Harrison demonstrates leadership in all facets of his life and says it has shaped him as a human being. Being involved in community events or with charitable work is important to him – one of the most impactful was delivering food to A Place Called Home. He’s also a leader in sports as we heard earlier, in the church, at work and at school. His leadership qualities have been recognized with greater responsibility at the school board’s arts camp.
Calisa Bean
Calisa has become a strong advocate for youth, noticed during her Co-op placement with the Kawartha Lakes Police Service. She jumped into the effort to engage youth in developing a pitch for a youth wellness hub in Kawartha Lakes. This was no surprise for those who know her since she has been a longtime leader with Brownie and Guide groups, and at school.
Runners-Up
In addition to Harrison Smeaton and Calisa Bean winning the Leadership award, the runners-up in 12-17 were Malachi Crandell and Gabrielle Matthew, and the runners-up in 18-24 were Corissa Bilodeau and Katelin Langford!
Malachi is described in his nomination as a natural born leader. A grade 8 student, younger kids at school look up to him, notice his attention and encouragement. A specific incident caught the attention of the principal who saw Malachi stand up to older kids who tried to bully their way onto the basketball court. Telling them to wait their turn, he spent time with the grade 5 children, supporting their right to play.
Gabrielle will be familiar to you from her Arts Achievement Award. You’ll remember that she wrote an adaptation of “All’s Well that Ends Well” which she mounted at school. Her nomination points out the elements of leadership required to pull off such an ambitious endeavour – persistence, organizational skills, problem solving, diplomacy – and so many more.
Corissa impressed the team at Kawartha Lakes Food Source with her kindness and compassion as she stepped up to support a variety of roles there. One of the most impressive things she did was to accept the role of coordinator of the Lindsay Community Food Market where she served vulnerable clientele with respect.
Katelin you’ve met in the Physical Literacy category. As a skip of curling teams for many years, she has had the important role of guiding a group of athletes through months of practice and competitions. She’s valued for her encouragement and mentorship, and as we know, the results speak for themselves as her teams have overcome adversity to achieve success.
Nikita Tamlin
Nikita is recognized as exhibiting the club’s core values inside and outside the Club. Working to create a positive environment at school which encourages participation in activities like spirit days, Nikita’s enthusiasm is infectious. In the classroom she’s respectful and speaks out about injustice. In her role as a sports leader for BGC, Nikita encourages participation and creates a welcoming environment.
Kaylee MacKinnon
Kaylee will happily describe her own journey with the Club from when she first began attending at the age of 3. For the last several years, she has proudly become one of those Club leaders she first looked up to as a child. Kaylee enthusiastically jumps into Club roles – from sports coach to summer camp leader to after school supervisor, embodying the spirit of the Club every day.
Runners-Up
In addition to Nikita Tamlin and Kaylee MacKinnon being our Club Spirit winners, our additional nominees were Alex Schvedenkova in the 12-17 category and Kathryn Elliott in 18-24.
Alex gets a big High Five from the Youth Warehouse team at BGC Kawarthas. New to our program this year, Alex is said to make it a better place. They are the first to volunteer whether to help prep dinner or clean up, or to participate in a new program or workshop. Alex definitely reflects the BGC core values.
Kathryn demonstrates her commitment to Club values in her involvement with the Warehouse and the Keystone Leadership Youth Council. She demonstrates respect and support for others. One of our favourite examples was her effort to learn to speak a bit of Japanese to see what it was like for our Japanese exchange student last year. Kathryn recognizes the importance of listening and giving space to others.
Ron Kennedy Scholarship
Our final Youth Awards winner to announce was the winner of our Ron Kennedy Scholarship, Sophie Kaloudas, who was also nominated for the Humanitarian category.
Sophie observed the effects of COVID-19 in her peers and was concerned about the lack of activities in school once they were back in person. So, she decided to do something about it! The number of initiatives she spearheaded is incredible. Athlete of the Week, Lunchtime Intramurals, Team photos, and an army of volunteer scorekeepers so teams could resume play. The result was a return to fun, active opportunities for her school community. She definitely has the traits that Ron Kennedy would be proud of.
We had eight other strong nominees – Katelin Langford and Abbey Williams, our Physical Literacy winners, Calisa Bean and Harrison Smeaton, winners in the Leadership category, Kaylee MacKinnon, winner in the Club Spirit category and the Marcie Beall scholarship, and Amy Lamb and Megan Prouse.
Amy Lamb was recognized last year as one of our Physical Literacy Award winners. Amy is a highly skilled athlete and has participated in a wide range of team sports. She’s a leader on her teams, at her school, and has a positive influence on others. And finally, Megan Prouse who is heavily involved in the agricultural community and 4-H. Last fall she was crowned Ambassador of the Fair for her outstanding leadership.