If you have spent any length of time at Shawnigan Lake School in recent years, you are sure to have heard the phrase “the Shawnigan Journey” in even the most casual of conversations. Since formalizing the pathway that a student takes during their time at the School into this distinctive educational philosophy, it has come to live at the heart of all that we do at the School.
One of the key elements of the Shawnigan Journey is the alignment of each grade with a guiding concept, from the theme of Nurture in Grade 8, to Discover in Grade 9, Choose in Grade 10, Lead in Grade 11, and Inspire in Grade 12.
We have chosen to focus this edition of Black & Gold on the Grade 9 theme of Discover, knowing that it – like each of the other guiding concepts – transcends the grades. Situated as we are, in one of the most stunning places in the world, it is only natural that outdoor education plays an important role at Shawnigan. Indeed, we have created several programs around it, including a distinct Grade 9 experience. Discovery at Shawnigan, however, goes far beyond that. It is core to all of the School’s programming, from academics to athletics to arts to boarding life, and a challenge that we aim to instill in the hearts and minds of each student who passes through our gates.
Within these pages, you will find stories that are shaped by discovery, from learning about our history in the School museum to digging into sustainability in our on-campus growing dome to exploring Beyond the Gates, Shawnigan’s Grade 9 experiential education program.
I hope you enjoy the journey!
– Jenny Dunbar
EDITOR
Jenny Dunbar
WRITERS
Jenny Dunbar
Elliot Logan
Sorath Rakhra
Kevin Rothbauer
PICTURE EDITOR
Arden Gill
CONTRIBUTORS
Seb Ahumada
Nicole Bélanger
Richard Lamont
Owain Samuel
Desi Shaw
DESIGN
Jenny Dunbar
Advancement & Community Engagement Office
46 BIRDS DO NOT SING IN CAVES Sorath Rakhra ’25 (Renfrew) contemplates her future
50 SEEDS OF SUSTAINABILITY Inside Shawnigan’s growing dome
58 THE OAK ENDURES A reflection on time, tradition, and the roots we leave behind
60 CLOSING REMARKS From the Head’s Closing Day address to the graduates
62 FINAL WORD From our Co-Heads of School
64 SHAWNIGAN COMMUNITY Notable achievements 2024–2025
72 CLASS OF 2025 Academic profile
PREFACE
It is August 2025 and I find myself again on the verandah of the Head’s House, charged with the task of reading the draft of the next edition of Black & Gold
This edition speaks to the Shawnigan Journey and, in particular, the essential ingredient of discovery at Shawnigan.
Shawnigan Lake School’s unique educational philosophy, known as the Shawnigan Journey, emphasizes a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to equip students with the skills and competencies needed to thrive in a complex world. This journey is lived out day to day in boarding houses and classrooms across the campus as well as in various islands of pedagogical innovation within the School.
We continue to explore opportunities – both strategically and at ground level – to develop the carefully crafted and delivered Shawnigan Journey into an extraordinary, compelling, challenging, and unique educational experience.
The 2024–25 school year saw the launch of our Health and Well-Being Centre for students (and staff) and complementary programming, the collaboration and launch of the Shawnigan Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan, the best recorded academic results in our history, and extensive consultation on the next iteration of our strategic plan, Project Future 2.0 – and much more.
We are launching Project Future 2.0 this fall, and we are stepping towards our 110th anniversary year with clear direction and intent.
Our visionary founder, C.W. Lonsdale, had a dream of a school carved out of the Canadian wilderness. He dreamt of the possibilities of Shawnigan – and, 109 years later, we have over 8,000 graduates, a beautiful campus, a unique educational journey and value proposition, a global reputation as a leading boarding school, and a strategic roadmap to our future.
I love our tradition of the word shirt – and, in fact, this year we celebrated the 20th anniversary of its introduction to Shawnigan. At the start of each school year, we invite the new prefects to come up with a selection of verbs (and definitions) that they feel capture the spirit of the year ahead. They then put the words forward to their whole grade group and collectively choose one word from the list for the whole School. Our Chaplain is then invited to hone the definition for our world at Shawnigan.
Each student is given a T-shirt for the year ahead and the word acts as our inspiration. At the end of the year, we place a plaque with the word in the corridor of the Main Building. Looking back over the plaques, some of my favourites include “imagine” and “trust,” and I remember well the guiding North Stars of “hope” and “adapt” chosen by different sets of prefects as we navigated the pandemic.
I think my absolute favourite of the seven years I have been Head of Shawnigan is this year’s word, chosen by the grad class of 2025 – “dream” – and its definition, which invited all members of our community to imagine “a life full of promise and possibilities” and “to contemplate the future with openness of mind and largeness of heart.”
Our hope is that all of our students over this school year have felt that they have belonged here at Shawnigan and that they have discovered their people, their community, their home away from home, the wonders of discovery – and their dreams.
With students drawn from a wide compass of over 30 countries, we pride ourselves on the sense of belonging we strive to create for each student, from Grade 8 to Grade 12.
One set of parents wrote to me on the eve of Closing Day with this message:
“We find ourselves reflecting on the seven incredible years our family has spent with Shawnigan. Back when we dropped off two shy boys with oversized blazers and nervous smiles, we kept asking ourselves, ‘Did we make the right choice?’ Today, the answer couldn’t be clearer.
“Shawnigan has shaped them far beyond the classroom. It became more than a school; it became home.
“You were the steady hands and kind hearts that guided them. Our Shawnigan chapter is almost closed, but the warmth and lessons will stay with us always.”
Reading and editing this edition of Black & Gold has made my heart sing. I am certain you will enjoy the stories within. The articles speak to the moments of discovery on our campus (and beyond it). From Jenny’s editorial notes to the Final Word by our Co-Heads of School, from exquisite photography to an insightful portrayal of Shawnigan 2024–25, this is a publication full of history, exploration, joy, and stories. This edition captures the Shawnigan Journey and sense of discovery that makes Shawnigan truly unique.
We will continue to encourage our students to discover and to dream of life’s possibilities.
I like to think C.W. Lonsdale would approve.
Richard “Larry” Lamont Head of Shawnigan Lake School
MOMENTS
SHAWNIGAN IN PICTURES
the
Gates Beyond
STORY BY KEVIN ROTHBAUER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN
GILL
IT BEGAN AS A BOLD EXPERIMENT AS SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL LOOKED FOR WAYS TO DEAL WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BUT IT HAS EVOLVED RAPIDLY INTO THE SCHOOL’S SIGNATURE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM.
In 2021, when students were still wearing face masks to help prevent the spread of a virus that had shut down much of the world just a year earlier, Shawnigan embarked on an undertaking that saw a select group of Grade 9 students heading off campus and into the wilderness of Vancouver Island, combining their classroom education with outdoor endeavours. The creators of the program called it “Beyond the Gates.”
At its creation, the program consisted of just over a dozen students who spent the entire school year together in a cohort. A year later, it included the entirety of the Grade 9 class, and this year they all capped off the program with a grand rite of passage dubbed the “Week Without Walls.”
Because of its rural location and campus carved out of the woodland, complete with wetlands and forested areas, learning first-hand about nature has always been part of the Shawnigan experience, including trips off campus. Beyond the Gates has taken that to a new level. It started with some conversations between Galen Loiselle, a longtime teacher at Shawnigan and current BTG Coordinator, and then-Outdoors Coordinator Eric McDonald, while the education world was still figuring out how to deal with the pandemic.
“There was an in-house Shawnigan program at the time that allowed staff members to apply for grants if they had a project they wanted to launch,” Galen explains. “My application came at it from a curricular angle, and his came from the outdoors angle, and we wanted to marry them together.
“There were a lot of creative thoughts floating around. At the end of the day, we came up with a cohort model, which started in the fall of 2021.”
The original BTG cohort started with 15 students. One teacher – Galen – handled all the humanities courses, such as English and social studies, while another was responsible for STEM programming.
Students had to apply for the program. Most applied at the end of their Grade 8 year in 2020–21, but a few spaces were set aside for new students in Grade 9. Naturally, more students applied than the program had space for, so the organizers interviewed the applicants and asked their House Directors for input. Once the group was determined, the two teachers were 100 per cent dedicated to that cohort.
“We were kind of making it up as we went along because we didn’t know what we were going to be allowed to do – with COVID-19 protocols, we didn’t know what was going to be allowed or not, like sleeping in tents, for example. That first year, we planned on taking them up to Strathcona Park and doing alpine hiking for the September trip. And the weekend before, the forecast changed and snow was coming in. So we quickly flexed and did the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail with them.”
The first year of Beyond the Gates coincided with the implementation of the new position of Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education. The first holder of that role was Tom Hall, who had previously served as Head of Timbertop, the renowned outdoor campus at Geelong Grammar School in Australia. After joining the BTG cohort for their capstone hike on a portion of the West Coast Trail, Tom wrote a report suggesting that Beyond the Gates would be more valuable if it was offered to the entire Grade 9 class, rather than just a small cohort. The program was scaled up drastically for the next year, including September trips and regular outdoor experiences throughout the year – both on and off campus – for all Grade 9s, and a capstone trip for a small group of students in the spring that combined hiking and kayaking.
More than just growing from the small cohort to the entire Grade 9 class, Beyond the Gates has evolved from year to year. In spring 2025, the year-end activities were expanded to include all students, whether they went into the backcountry or not. Classes for Grade 9s were halted for a week – the Week Without Walls – and students were given a range of choices: staying on campus for daily outdoors experiences while taking hot showers and sleeping in their own beds, short (but still
intensive) overnight kayaking or hiking expeditions, or hiking the full 75-kilometre extent of the West Coast Trail over 10 days, something the School had no record of having attempted before.
The capstone trip has served as a rite of passage for the Grade 9s who opted into it, setting them up to make the step into Grade 10. The Week Without Walls and the additional opportunities that have come along with that have helped prepare more Grade 9s for the next level.
“The Grade 9 focus on the Shawnigan Journey is Discover, so that’s been the guiding theme,” Galen says. “It’s helping students discover where they are going to school and learning more about the southern part of the Island, but also under the umbrella of outdoor ed, where we push kids out of their comfort zone so they can discover things about themselves, their classmates, their teammates, and the staff they’re with.”
For Grade 10, the focus is Choose, and Beyond the Gates figures into that stage as well – especially this year.
“In the past we would say, ‘this is the trip we are going on this year,’ ” Galen explains. “This year, they’ve had a lot of choice. They can choose the level of challenge: they can go up to 11 days in the backcountry, or they can stay on campus if that’s their personal comfort level.”
“Part of the new iteration is kids becoming more involved in it,” Outdoor Education Coordinator Jessica Dick adds. “We’re trying to emphasize the idea of the teamwork and creation and planning that goes into these programs. Instead of them just showing up and not being connected to what they’re doing, they’re looking at the logistics of the trip plan, they’re helping with meal prep, they’re wearing their boots and packs before we go out onto the trail. There are more aspects to it.”
Beyond the Gates has always incorporated academics into the outdoor activities. The cohort model in the first year made that easy, but organizers have continued to push for it in the years since – not just bringing academics to the outdoors, but bringing the outdoor experiences into the classroom as well.
“A lot of people seem to be under the assumption that Beyond the Gates is only outdoor activities,” Jessica notes. “That’s a big portion of it, because we are encouraging people to discover outside. But there are all sorts of things that teachers can be doing in their classroom that are experiential and take the students outside of our little community, too.”
Part of going beyond the gates – leaving campus, going out of one’s comfort zone, experiencing nature – is leaving modern technology behind. It can be hard for the students
at first, but they learn to adapt, then learn the value of being screen-free.
“The longer you have the kids unplugged, the more they self-report how much better they feel and how, after the first 48 hours, they’re not thinking about ‘likes’ and TikTok and all the rest of it,” Galen relates. “The last couple of years, when students did hiking and kayaking, there would be a switchover in the middle at Pachena Bay, and we would arrange that they could have their phones and check in with their parents. After they started the next phase of the trip, they would often say they didn’t like it.”
This year’s backcountry trips were entirely tech-free, with the exception of some safety equipment, and digital cameras to record the experience.
The choice to implement Beyond the Gates in the Grade 9 year was a conscious and much-discussed decision. There were arguments that Grade 10 or 11 students would be more physically capable of completing the outdoor challenges, but at the same time, those students have more commitments in academics and sports. There are also more logistical complications in getting larger groups of students off campus.
“Through talking with the Timbertop crew and looking at the Australian model, we learned there are a lot of boarding schools in Australia that have a whole year where the Grade 9s go off campus,” Galen says. “That’s such a crucial year for them, as they become young adults, that there are opportunities for personal growth, and maybe a need to have something challenging that forces them to have to work together.”
“Part of the value of Beyond the Gates is that we’re providing them these experiences early on in their Shawnigan Journey,” Jessica adds. “From what we’ve seen of the students who have done something with Beyond the Gates in the past,
it changes their character in a good way, in a team-building, community-focused, broad, diverse way. I think part of it is from Beyond the Gates and just having that little push of their comfort zone.
“Lots of schools do big rite-of-passage trips. Oftentimes, they’re in Grade 11 or 12, and they take all the students off campus, but we wanted to give them an opportunity in Grade 9, so they’re still evolving and discovering themselves; the rite of passage is now moving past Beyond the Gates. We’re framing our year-end trip as everyone having some sort of shared experience.”
One parent of a boy who took part in the full West Coast Trail hike this year was stunned by the transformation she saw in her son after 10 days away in nature, without technology, surrounded by other students focused on the same goal.
“When I greeted my son upon his return, I saw a young man standing taller, with a smile that spoke of pride and peace,” she said in a note to the School. “His kind eyes and calm energy said more than words ever could. In just over a week, something within him had matured – and it was beautiful to witness.
“There is something sacred about being fully present in a moment – in nature, in community, in challenge. For a time, he experienced the raw emotion and clarity of simply being human: connected, capable, and aware. You gave that gift to our child. And for that, we are so profoundly thankful.”
Galen can recall some previous examples of watching students grow in real time, or find something deep inside themselves that either the students themselves or the instructors didn’t know was there.
In fall 2023, a boy signed up to kayak on the short trip that introduces students to the Beyond the Gates program. He was in tears the night before they set off, trying to call his parents or his House Director to get him excused; he was terrified of the water and the creatures that live in the ocean.
Galen alerted Gordon Brown – a former Shawnigan parent who still returns to Vancouver Island a couple of times a year to lead kayak excursions – about those concerns.
“When they came back, Gordon reported that he had so much fun,” Galen recalls. “There’s this image that Gordon described of him being on a log with two other kids, and they were trying to roll each other off. It’s on the ocean and it’s cold and he’s got his shirt off, laughing and hooting and hollering. In the spring, he signed up for the capstone trip. He wanted to kayak but he did the hike because we had a waitlist. But he obviously felt confident enough in his own abilities to go and to do this five-day hike on the West Coast Trail. That’s pretty remarkable.”
The year before, a student from Nepal took part in the capstone trip in the spring and rolled her ankle badly getting in or out of a kayak. The instructors talked about taking her out of the trip, but she wouldn’t have it, saying things like that happen all the time in Nepal and no one backs out.
“This is a kid who could barely put weight on her foot,” Galen notes. “They had one extra day to just relax, and so she did. They got back on the trail, and she was at the back of the pack, but she refused to let anyone carry her backpack, refused to let anybody carry any extra gear. She still had the pots and pans they needed for their team cooking. You hear stories like that, and it gives you the shivers; young kids being tough or being willing and open to try new things and to learn and grow.”
““There is something sacred about being fully present in a moment – in nature, in community, in challenge. For a time, he experienced the raw emotion and clarity of simply being human: connected, capable, and aware.
There are opportunities for students in all grades to experience the wilderness of Vancouver Island – such as the Outdoor Leadership and Development Club, athletics programs like adventure sports, and some science classes that go outdoors on and off campus – but there is nothing quite like Beyond the Gates that brings an entire grade together. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the remaining students from the original cohort – who graduated this year – wanted one last hurrah before they left Shawnigan altogether. From the original group, 13 were still at the School this year, and 12 of them reunited for an overnight camping trip in April to revisit some of the highlights of their Grade 9 year.
It’s no coincidence that the group includes several students who went on to leadership roles as senior students. For example, Seb Ahumada was one of two Co-Heads of School in 2024–25, Emma Hill led the Sustainability Council, Tate Ackermann was an integral member of the adventure sports program, and Talia Sveistrup Perk had a starring role in Chicago, the School musical.
Marin Dirksengale and Hattie Hayes, meanwhile, are preparing for a gap year at Timbertop, the Australian school from which Shawnigan drew so much inspiration in the creation of Beyond the Gates.
“It was just a really cool experience,” Marin recalls. “Grade 9 feels really far away, but we still felt a connection to Beyond the Gates. It was a cool opportunity for us to jump back into the past and relive the fun we had.”
The reunion tour included a night of camping by the beach near Parksville, hiking at Englishman River Falls, and reminiscing around a campfire about the original BTG experience.
“It was good to relive what we had in Grade 9,” Hattie says. “Nothing had really changed – we are still close, and it went back to where it was three years ago. We had to work as a team and go with the flow.”
The challenges the students went through as Grade 9s made them grow together, so Galen wasn’t surprised to see those bonds were still intact three years later. He compares it to the way students came together decades ago when the School was smaller.
“They had a very intense year together,” he reflects.
“It’s similar to when you get alumni who come back from the 1960s or the ’70s, and the grad class was really small, and they were here for five or six years or longer, and they’ve just had these really incredible bonding experiences: shared common experiences, especially ones that have this intensity where there’s an element of risk and shared understanding that just helps to bring people together.”
EXPERIENCE & Inspiration
STORY BY KEVIN ROTHBAUER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN
GILL
IMAGINE TAKING A WALK FOR 4.6 KILOMETRES, WHERE EVERY 100 STEPS REPRESENT 100 MILLION YEARS OF THE EARTH’S 4.6-BILLION-YEAR HISTORY.
It is an opportunity to reflect on what the Earth looked like when it was formed, what it looks like now, and how the different physical objects – trees, rocks, animals, soil – around you are linked to that history. It is a history lesson, a socials lesson, and a science lesson all in one, wrapped up in a stimulating outdoor experience.
“When I think about the best ways a young person can navigate the complexity of life – and that doesn’t just mean being an adolescent; it means the richness and complexity of the ideas and the world that surrounds us – it is difficult to capture that nuance in even the most beautifully decorated classroom with the best kind of projector and TV. Sometimes you just need to be immersed in the outdoors, or in a space beyond that somewhat sterile environment. There are amazing teaching tools where you help young people understand or tackle the notion of complexity.
“Although it requires a lot of knowledge from the teacher to facilitate, it gives a rich learning experience for the students, and it challenges them. It provokes them to think about, well, why is this particular valley or this particular field shaped the way it’s shaped? Why are there these particular trees? What was the contribution of this rotten leaf to me being alive? So there’s even philosophy, a kind of reflection on itself.”
Meet Dr. Alexei du Bois, Shawnigan’s Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education for the 2024–25 school year. Established in 2021 as part of Shawnigan’s commitment to the development of experiential education programming, the Heimbecker Chair is a one-year position that supports and develops experiential education programming at the School, helping students discover their untapped potential and learn through hands-on experience beyond the classroom walls.
Alexei took up the role at Shawnigan during a oneyear sabbatical from his position as Director of International Learning at Hilton College in South Africa. He holds a BA in English, history and music from the University of Cape Town, a PGCE from the University of South Africa, and both an MSc in Comparative and International Education and a DPhil in Education from the University of Oxford. Alexei came to Shawnigan already recognized as a leader in experiential education and the benefits it brings to communities, individuals, and the environment.
Alexei’s role at the School has been multi-faceted, as he has provided direct support to Beyond the Gates, Shawnigan’s flagship experiential program for Grade 9 students, while also using his own experience and expertise to come up with new ways for the School to think about experiential education.
For Beyond the Gates, Alexei has collaborated closely with that program’s coordinator, Galen Loiselle, the rest of his team, and the full complement of academic teachers who work with Grade 9s.
“How could they best work with Galen and his team?” Alexei asks of the teachers. “How could the experiences that he’s planned with that team support their curriculum, and how can their curriculum support those experiences? How can we build a bridge between formal classroom learning and transformational, outdoor experiences or experiential learning?”
Beyond the Gates began in 2021 – the same year the Heimbecker Chair was established – as an experimental program for a select group of Grade 9s, but was expanded the next year to include all students in that age group on the recommendation of Tom Hall, Alexei’s predecessor as Heimbecker Chair and the former Head of Geelong Grammar School’s Timbertop campus in Australia, which is globally renowned for its experiential education programs. Tom returned to Geelong Grammar School as its Vice Principal after his time as Heimbecker Chair.
Outside Beyond the Gates, Alexei has worked to bring new ideas to the School, not strictly limited to that program or even to experiential education.
“It’s around teaching and learning as a whole; the student experience as a whole,” Alexei relates. “My contribution here has been around helping to define what the student experience is: the Shawnigan Journey.”
The Shawnigan Journey, he explains, is the School’s philosophy that aims to inspire young people to understand the world around them and take action. Helping to define the Shawnigan Journey has taken Alexei on a journey of his own through the past, present, and future of the School.
“I’ve been consulting with teachers, coaches, librarians, and administrators, among others, to get a sense of what their understanding of the Shawnigan Journey is, and trying to articulate it in a way that’s fresh and easy to understand, which can be used as a reference point for everything we do.”
Head of School Larry Lamont also tasked Alexei with helping to put Shawnigan’s own stamp on the Career Education program. Career Education (for Grade 8s and 9s) and Career Life Education (for Grade 10s) are required parts of the BC curriculum, but the School wanted to present them in ways that are authentic to its own context and in a more experiential format. So Alexei collaborated with Environmental Lead Patricia Hanbidge to create a sustainability learning module for students in those three grades.
“What was new about that is that we partnered with the operations team – plumbers, carpenters, groundskeepers, our operations manager – who are all helping to co-deliver these lectures and get students to understand what it means to be sustainable in this place on campus,” Alexei explains. “What are the mechanisms that allow what is, basically, a small town to run, and how could we improve? It’s beyond the formal confines of the classroom; it’s not your standard teacher-student engagement.”
Alexei also worked with Indigenous Community and Engagement Coordinator Clay Panga to create programming in Hul’q’umi’num’ – the local Indigenous language – that goes beyond simply accessing Education Ministry resources or watching videos on YouTube. He helped secure grants and engineer a partnership with Vancouver Island University that funded intern Virginia Robertson – better known on campus by her traditional name, Siqultunaat – who is using distinct ways to share her language and culture with students.
“We have an authentic partnership with an amazing new emerging teacher, a Hul’q’umi’num’ language speaker who helped foster that connection,” Alexei details. “It will be through drama, so they’re going to be co-creating a Hul’q’umi’num’ play, and learning the language that way.”
The Heimbecker Chair was funded by a family with deep connections to the School. James Heimbecker ’21 (Duxbury) is
a graduate of the School, and his mother, Lisa Heimbecker, is a member of the Board of Governors. Elated with their son’s experience at Shawnigan, the Heimbeckers wanted to give the School an opportunity to expand its experiential learning programs.
“Shawnigan goes beyond merely academics to develop the entire person through athletics, the arts, as well as experiential learning in equal measure,” Lisa says. “It was important to us that our child’s education entailed more than sitting in a classroom all day. As most Shawnigan graduates will say, it is not necessarily the classes they remember but the extraordinary experiences such as enthusiastically singing their House hymn in Chapel, spending time off campus together during Ski Week, or counting salmon hatchlings. Little did we expect that boarding at Shawnigan Lake School would be a life-changing experience for our son – and us – but the four years spent at Shawnigan have moulded him into a confident, compassionate person with a strong sense of community.”
As much as he has done to help shape Beyond the Gates and the Shawnigan Journey, Alexei says that his year at the School has changed him as well.
“It’s been a transformative year for me and for my family,” he relates. “It’s hard not to resort to a cliché, but
Shawnigan is a really special place, and I’ve learned a lot from the School, from its teachers, and its students. I’m grateful for this opportunity; it’s been empowering, and everyone has responded positively and supportively to every new idea that I might be coming to the table with.”
Kindness is what sets Shawnigan apart from many other places he has worked with, Alexei says.
“It’s so hard not to make it sound cheesy, but it’s a real thing here,” he elaborates. “With my experience working in other well-resourced international schools, often the focus is all about results, and you don’t feel that kind of pressure in the wrong way here. It’s about being kind, and achieving, and having ambition, but in a way that brings up others. I think that’s really special. It’s not something I’d expected coming in; I’d expected to be connected to a group of amazing professionals and wonderful young people, but I hadn’t really thought about the social experience. That’s been amazing, and it’s something that Shawnigan should continue to celebrate and continue to push towards.
“When we think about improving what we do, it’s to not lose that foundational piece. Places change – and they should – but there are some fundamentals that you must keep on reminding yourself about: what this place is about.”
The Heimbecker Chair legacy is continuing in the hands of Emily Coolidge, who took over the position in May 2025. Emily came to Shawnigan after spending the previous 10 years at Pearson College UWC in Victoria. She holds a BSc from Acadia University and an MSc and BEd from UBC, and taught in Vancouver, Victoria, and Nepal before joining Pearson College.
Of everything Alexei has done in his time at the School, one memory stands out. He was on the Beyond the Gates capstone trip with other staff members and a dozen Grade 9 boys and girls, hiking on the West Coast Trail and kayaking the Broken Group Islands. The staff members hailed from Canada, the US, and South Africa, and the students were an equally diverse group from countries all over the world.
“A multinational group, all from Shawnigan Lake, attempting something that was quite physically challenging in a place of real natural beauty. I remember one morning waking up and hearing a boy from Mexico, who was standing on the beach with two other students – a girl from Pakistan and a girl from Germany – and he was saying to them as they were looking out at the ocean that when he was thinking about coming to school in Canada, he didn’t know it would be like this; he didn’t know that there would be this wonder and beauty. It really struck me that Shawnigan has this incredibly diverse group of students from all over the world, and this Grade 9 program of discovery that offers them an opportunity to get to know this amazing place that is the west coast of Canada, and to get to know themselves in a way that – maybe if we were less intentional – we wouldn’t activate, we wouldn’t have access to.
“It’s really helpful to have this grade-specific wording. The Grade 9 word, discover, is an important thing in adolescence; that could be curriculum, it could be the place, but it’s a fundamental part of growing up, and we are intentional about creating these opportunities for young people to discover themselves and the world around them.”
“ How can we build a bridge between formal classroom learning and transformational, outdoor experiences or experiential learning?
Value A Place of
COMPILED BY JENNY DUNBAR PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL
SHAWNIGAN’S CHAPEL SITS ATOP A HILL AT THE CENTRE OF CAMPUS, A LANDMARK VISIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE SCHOOL’S SPRAWLING GROUNDS.
In the far corners of campus, where the Chapel’s bell tower doesn’t quite clear the treetops, the bell itself rings strong and clear, warmly inviting the School community in.
Those familiar with the Shawnigan community know that this distinguished building not only lies at the physical heart of the School, but that it also functions as its heartbeat.
Here, the whole School has regularly gathered since the building was first completed in 1928, a mere 12 years after the School’s founding. It has been the site of countless moments, both significant and ordinary, that together make up much of the School’s history. Generations of students and staff have walked up the same steps, sat in the same pews, and sung the same hymns as part of their rhythm of life at Shawnigan.
As both a building and a program, however, Shawnigan’s Chapel has seen many evolutions. Over the decades, multiple additions – including the aforementioned bell tower – have expanded the building, while the frequency of services has changed, as have the services themselves. Today, the School comes together at least twice a week during the academic year for a mid-week gathering and a Saturday morning service, where we sing hymns, hear from staff and students, and enjoy musical performances.
The Chapel is also the site of many special events and ceremonies throughout the year – a place where victories are honoured, awards are given out, festivities are celebrated, and even where discipline may be delivered. Good or bad, this is where the School comes together.
It remains constant throughout the Shawnigan Journey: from the opening gathering on a student’s very first day at Shawnigan to the highly emotional graduation service on Closing Day to the annual Founder’s Day service when alumni eagerly return to sing the School hymn.
This spring, as we bade farewell to our longtime Chaplain, The Reverend Jim Holland, and warmly welcomed our first female Chaplain, The Reverend Ruth Dantzer, we asked a cross-section of our School community to reflect on the Chapel and what it means to them. Common threads run through their responses: the importance of coming together as a community, the valuable platform it provides to many voices, the joy of communal singing, the thrill of overcoming fears, the unity felt while marking occasions both sombre and festive, the deep relationships formed with generations of “Revs”, the emotion elicited simply from walking into the building.
These reflections also demonstrate powerfully that the School’s values of curiosity, compassion, community, and courage are embedded in the very fabric of the Chapel and all that takes place within it. As the School’s symbolic heartbeat, it only makes sense that they do.
Ruth
Dantzer
School Chaplain
When I describe Shawnigan’s Chapel to those outside of the School, words such as curiosity, community, compassion, and courage are all included in my description. I love that the School’s values also describe the Chapel experience. Every Chapel includes brave students who volunteer to speak. I have yet to meet a volunteer who is not nervous beforehand. They stand up to speak about something personal, meaningful, and close to their heart. In doing this, they are trusting the community. This voluntary act, repeated every week, speaks to the courage of the students, but also to the supportive environment in Chapel, and more broadly across Shawnigan.
Our Chapel nurtures a holistic educational model, emphasizing belonging and the well-being of the whole person. Learning is deeply relational and rooted in community and connection. When students speak from their heart, with vulnerability and authenticity, their peers are automatically drawn to a place of active listening and curiosity. These experiences foster not only a sense of connection with the individual sharing their story, but also compassion for groups who may have similar experiences or experiences that differ from our own. There is an intentional emphasis on the incredible diversity of our community in Chapel, so that we are exposed to different perspectives and ways of thinking and being.
As I once said in a Chapel service on the theme of courageous conversations, living in community requires us to be out of our comfort zones at times. Sometimes we might feel uncomfortable with different topics; this feeling of uneasiness should not prevent us from engaging, but instead we can forge ahead with courage and respect, curiosity and openness. The beauty of this community is that there is big love here. I see it. I experience it. With this strength, I know that our community is resilient enough to venture through the stormy lands of division that our world finds itself in. In Chapel, we strive to offer a brave space for all voices to be heard. To be a model of this in today’s world is no easy task, but Shawnigan students are enthusiastic participants in rising to the challenge. This is both hopeful and heartening.
Carson Arthur Class of 2025
The Chapel is so special because it’s where the entire School can be together. It’s where we get to listen to the stories of people from all different backgrounds, worlds, perspectives, and lifestyles.
Part of what I love about Chapel is the way in which it encompasses so much of what the School stands for. It gives us an opportunity to be curious, to discover, and to explore different cultures, world views, and perspectives. It allows us to be compassionate, to care for others, to help others, and to spread the word about how important it is to give and care about people in our day-to-day lives.
Chapel brings the entire School together, both literally and figuratively, through common ideas, interests, and values. It also gives us an opportunity to both be courageous ourselves, and to appreciate the courage of others. I know from personal experience that speaking in Chapel and performing in Chapel are both absolutely terrifying, but those experiences also gave me a deeper appreciation of the courage required of those who do end up at that podium in front of the whole School.
Chapel is an integral part of Shawnigan, and I’m just lucky that we get the opportunity to experience it.
Reo Triplow
Class of 2025
I knew from the start of my Shawnigan Journey that Chapel was something that I wanted to be part of, even though the idea of standing up in front of the whole School was terrifying. I was drawn in by the community aspect, and I was intrigued to know how the Rev never ran out of things to say each week. However, from day one, it was the music that really inspired me.
Singing in front of the School in Chapel started as a goal I made for myself as a wannabe performer, but it has become so much more than a manifestation of courage. Chapel is where I’ve shared stories about my culture and my experiences. It’s where I’ve sung songs dedicated to my family. I’ve sung arm in arm with my Housemates – my sisters –singing our House hymn with pride and, occasionally, tears.
Chapel at Shawnigan is unique because it’s something that everybody in the community contributes to in some way, whether big or small. It’s also where we share pieces of ourselves and learn from each other. We’ve cried as we listened to speeches about hardship and loss, shocked at the previously unknown experiences of the people we know. We’ve been fascinated by stories that sound almost like tales as people spoke of their adventures and places that are so different from Shawnigan. We are recognized for our dedication to our passions, receiving awards on the same stage as the many people who came before us.
The Chapel stands empty for the majority of the week, silent except for the odd rehearsal or visitor, but it truly comes alive for gatherings. I’m going to miss Chapel, not just because it’s an opportunity to perform, but because of everything it represents: the community and all that we stand for and encourage as a School.
Andrea Carballo Teacher & Parent
I have a favourite seat in the Chapel because when I sit there, the light from the windows dances at my feet. It reminds me of the light that filters through the trees in the trail outside my house. I go to both places for calm, connection, and renewal.
I love walking up the Chapel steps in anticipation of what is to come. The first joy is seeing who is in the God Squad and saying hi to the prefects, the Rev, and the Head of School. Of course, the exciting conversations with students and colleagues going up the Chapel steps is a fun preamble. The rest of the world falls away and we settle into communion.
You are never the same when you leave the Chapel…nor is the School. I have put names to faces of students I have never met, thanks to their courage in sharing a personal story. I have cheered, whooped, clapped, clutched my heart, and hollered after a jaw-dropping piano performance or rock and roll mayhem. I have had to escape with my husband, Paul, through a side door so that no one could see us heaving in sobs when Rev. Holland retired. I have said goodbye to students and friends who have passed. I have danced salsa down the aisle with Paul, dressed as a camel, and spoken at the lectern.
Through all of this, my favourite moments are the quietest and the most out of control. I love listening to the organ and remembering Graham Anderson. I loved it when Duxbury lifted Jackson Palmer up in the air when he was appointed Co-Head of School, or when Lonsdale’s House sprinted out of Chapel as winners of the House Cup. I secretly love it when the kids sway as they sing.
I am incredibly proud that we now have Shawnigan’s first female chaplain. Rev. Ruth is a friend, a beacon of light, and a force to be reckoned with. I am leaving for a few years, and Chapel will be what I miss the most. I will miss the hymns, the kids, the tears, the lessons, and the community. But what I will miss most of all will be the light.
Alan Roaf Class of 1963
I attended Shawnigan from 1959 to 1963, and the Chapel was as integral to the life of the School then as it is now.
We had a Chapel service every day of the week. Monday to Saturday, the whole School congregated after breakfast for a rousing hymn, a reading from the Bible, a “bash of prayer,” and a short announcement from the Headmaster or some other important person. Following this 20-minute event, we started classes. On Sunday, full services were held, usually in the morning but occasionally as evensong. This rhythm was repeated week after week throughout the year, creating a heartbeat of sorts that pulsed throughout the life of the School. I believe this daily coming together of the whole School –students and staff alike – strengthened our sense of community.
Pavarotti I most certainly am not, but I’ve always enjoyed singing with a group. Ian Galliford, our magnificent organist and choirmaster, gave me a chance in the choir, and I remain eternally grateful. It was joyful practising and performing anthems under his direction, and I gained a deeper purpose for attending Chapel. It also awakened a lifelong interest in choral music.
I was recruited by “the Rev,” Dick Stevenson, to become a server at communion services along with a few others. I always believed that he wanted to keep a closer eye on me; the Rev had my number, and I couldn’t get away with a thing when he was around. Of course, a bonus of being a server was that the Rev and Mrs. Stevenson had the boys back to their house following communion services to tuck into a delicious homemade breakfast. I’m glad I had the opportunity to learn more about the liturgy of the Anglican Church, an appreciation that grew well after leaving Shawnigan.
Remembrance Day services were conducted with the same reverence and respect in my day as they are today. Each year, as I listened to the bugler on the hill opposite the Chapel play the “Last Post” and “Reveille,” I was reminded of the courage of those Old Boys who gave their lives along with so many others in the Second World War and other conflicts, and I continue to be humbled by their sacrifice. I’m proud of how Shawnigan honours them still.
My most enduring memory of the Chapel is of the Christmas service on the last night of Michaelmas term (the first term) in 1959, my Grade 9 year. It was evensong. When I entered the hallowed hall, I was dumbstruck by the setting that awaited us. Candlelight alone illuminated the decorations of cedar bows and winter flowers; somebody had worked very hard to create a simple yet incredibly beautiful setting, one that I have remembered all my life. I was truly moved and remain so today. I’ve never considered myself to be a religious person, but I was aware of a special spirit in the Chapel that night.
I have experienced Shawnigan’s values of curiosity, compassion, community, and courage in various ways over the years, and I am grateful. Each time I return to the Chapel, as if following a homing beacon of sorts, I feel I’ve returned to one of my life’s centres, much like Head of School Larry Lamont’s analogy of magnificent salmon returning to their starting points. Our Chapel is a good place to be from.
LEGACY from Learning
STORY BY ELLIOT LOGAN ’10 (DUXBURY) PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL
EVERY SHAWNIGAN STUDENT GOES THROUGH THEIR OWN JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY.
For 13-year-old Billy Brooks, that journey began in 1925 with tears and homesickness, captured in a letter now held in the School museum: “The school is too much for me. I cried an awful lot when I got here and have nobody to tell my trouble to. I guess you all know how I am feeling.”
In fact, I do know how he was feeling, as I reflect back on the letters I wrote to my parents by lamplight in Room 201 of Duxbury House, 15 years ago. Many of us who grew up in boarding school understand that homesickness is a natural feeling when you are away from your family for the first time.
That said, Billy’s story, like so many others told in the museum, reveals what it was like growing up at Shawnigan back when letters were written by hand, and why the past still speaks to us today.
Before I take you on an adventure through the timeless halls of our museum, I want you to imagine a modern-day Indiana Jones with a particular love of jazz. That man is the late Lance Bean, a former French and music teacher at Shawnigan Lake School – a historian, a relentless collector, and the driving force behind the creation of the museum. Without the vision, initiative, and creativity of Lance Bean, the museum may not have been developed.
In 2001, when Shawnigan’s dining hall, Marion Hall, was under construction, Lance proposed to then-Headmaster David Robertson that the unused downstairs space be turned into a museum. With the Headmaster’s enthusiastic support and the help of the maintenance team and recent graduates, Lance, drawing from his personal collection, completely transformed the area. The result was far beyond expectations: a fully realized museum that left everyone in awe, marking the beginning of a lasting historical space at Shawnigan.
The Shawnigan Lake School Museum was officially opened in 2002, bringing the School’s rich history to life.
Filled with over 3,200 artifacts gathered from alumni donations and vintage collections, the museum captures the evolution of Shawnigan from its 1916 founding to its modern era as a thriving co-educational boarding school. Through detailed exhibits and recreated classrooms, dorms, studies, and personal memorabilia, it celebrates the people, milestones, and memories that have made the School what it is today.
Among the more curious treasures, you’ll find a dentist chair that resembles an ancient torture device and, nestled in the middle of the museum, a vintage car that feels large enough to have hosted the iconic love scene from Titanic. Down the hall, a workshop display features a worn handsaw, looking as if it could have helped carve the School out of the wilderness, guided by the determination of early students. A recreation of the lunch counter at Mason’s Store, just down the road from the School gates and a longtime destination for students needing to satiate their cravings for snacks, is stocked with tins, handwritten ledgers, and enough Coca-Cola to land you back in that dentist chair. Each exhibit offers a glimpse into the past, frozen in time but still full of stories waiting to be discovered.
Among these stories are tales of profound sacrifice and resilience, captured powerfully in the museum’s Second World War room, one of its most impactful exhibits. This area is a tribute to the 44 alumni and one staff member who lost their lives in the line of duty during their service between 1939 and 1945. The exhibit features letters written home by alumni during wartime, photographs of the students, and service uniforms that bring life to these stories. One iconic piece of memorabilia is an old, tattered bomber jacket that students can slip over their shoulders for an extra layer of immersion. Several times a year, various classes visit the museum as part of their Shawnigan Journey, using the space to explore history first-hand, connect
with past generations, and enrich their classroom learning with historical context.
“It’s about remembering their sense of duty to their country in a time of need, understanding how the world was turned upside-down, and helping students begin to appreciate how fortunate we are to live in peace,” explains Paul Klassen, Head of the Social Studies Department, who has used the space frequently as a place for discovery and learning.
As students explore the exhibits, trying to decipher the cursive writing of old, they are confronted by faces and stories of former students who, like themselves, lived and studied at Shawnigan. Can you imagine walking the halls of Shawnigan Lake School one summer, and then a battlefield the next? These are the types of profound questions that make the experience raw, allowing students to see the contrast between a peaceful time on campus and the brutal reality of those who answered the call.
In some cases, students will look upon the commendations of the fallen and notice that they shared the same titles nearly 80 years ago – titles such as Senior House Prefect, one of the more prestigious leadership roles in our boarding houses, or First XV Captain, an honour still awarded to those who lead our top rugby teams with distinction. These shared titles form a quiet bond across generations, reminding us that the legacy of leadership still endures.
As you explore the museum, you come to realize that every corner offers hidden stories and wisdom waiting to be uncovered. Former archivist and curator Rosemary Dolman shares her perspective on the importance of the museum: “Discovery is a young student realizing that they are part of something much bigger and older than themselves, and how, as they move forward in life, they will come to understand how much their years here shaped them.”
Each year, Lynne Grass, a longtime education staff member, dedicates a week with her Grade 8 students to study the history of Shawnigan Lake School. They explore archival photos; complete campus-based worksheets; watch Portrait of a Private School, a 1964 CBC documentary offering a rare glimpse into Shawnigan life during the mid-20th century; and even hear from past alumni.
The highlight of the year for these students is always the museum visit, where they are drawn to the artifacts and recreated spaces like the exhibit of antique musical instruments, an old classroom, a historical boarding house room, and the infirmary where students were once cared for. These visits spark a range of questions, about everything from daily routines and dorm life to food, communication, sports, and even how they got their laundry done.
“Learning about your school’s history is important because it helps you feel more connected to the school community,” says Grade 8 student Liv Srai Cheema. “When you understand how the School was founded, what it has achieved, and the people who helped shape it, you begin to feel proud of being a part of it.”
Students aren’t the only people discovering the hidden histories in the museum. Visitors, parents, and alumni are often guided to the unique space and quickly find themselves inside one of the more popular spaces: a recreation of the office of C.W. Lonsdale, the founder of Shawnigan Lake School, including his original desk. The exhibit offers a closer look at the man behind the School’s beginnings and the environment in which many of his early decisions were made. Old Boys who visit are often drawn to the cane once used by the Headmaster to discipline students, laughing as they recall the situations that brought them in front of the Headmaster in those days.
“Discovery is a young student realizing that they are part of something much bigger and older than themselves, and how, as they move forward in life, they will come to understand how much their years here shaped them.
There is a particular sense of humility kindled by a visit to the museum. Learning about how hard life was back then for both students and staff gives visitors a deep appreciation for the comforts we enjoy today. Staring at the old, dusty inkwells makes me grateful for my ballpoint pen. Seeing the vintage film cameras, still loaded with decades-old reels, makes me hold my digital camera a little tighter. The rickety old beds…well, let’s just say some things haven’t changed much. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, as a former student and now staff member, it’s just how easy it is to take everything we have here on campus for granted.
“The things I found most interesting were the old objects used for schoolwork, like a perfectly preserved typewriter,” Grade 8 student Marius Wilke reflected after visiting the museum. “Nowadays, no one uses a typewriter; the closest thing to it is a computer. I find it so amazing how far the technology of the School has advanced in the past hundred years, yet we are still able to use it for some of the same things.”
By now, if you are a Shawnigan graduate, you might be wondering whether that dusty uniform stashed away in an old cardboard box beneath the staircase could be of interest to the space. As the Shawnigan Lake School Museum continues to grow its collection, the Archives is always excited to connect with anyone who may have items or memories to contribute. Examples include old uniforms, pins, event shirts, magazines, posters, or anything that held meaning during someone’s time at the School. Even photographs or personal keepsakes would be considered wonderful additions to the collection.
“I’m always happy to have people come down to the museum or the archives to talk about their memories of Shawnigan; I find this can be a really great way to connect with an individual on a one-to-one basis,” says School Archivist and Curator, Sarah Teunis-Russ.
The narrative in the museum does not currently extend past the early 1980s, but this is something that Sarah hopes to expand on. If and when the space evolves, preserving the original vision of Lance Bean is of the utmost importance. So, what happened to Billy Brooks? Well, rather than fading away beneath the tear-soaked floorboards of the Main Building, Billy persevered. He overcame those early feelings of loneliness and anxiety and went on to flourish, remaining at Shawnigan for six years. Today, his story is shared as one of the first letters you read when you enter the museum, allowing us to discover a powerful example of facing true adversity. Billy’s experience encourages today’s students to face their own challenges with resilience and to know that growth often comes from moments of uncertainty.
“In order for us to know where we are going, it’s important to know where we come from,” Rosemary Dolman often said after introducing Billy Brooks’ letter to Grade 8s visiting the museum for the first time. It makes me think that deep down, there’s a little Billy Brooks in all of us, teary-eyed and uncertain of what lies ahead, yet brave enough to face the journey we call Shawnigan.
If you have questions or contributions for the museum, please reach out to archives@shawnigan.ca.
do not sing in
Birds CAVES
STORY BY SORATH RAKHRA ’25 (RENFREW) PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL
SAYING “I’M GOING TO BE A DENTIST” IS NOT THE SAME AS “I WANT TO BE A DENTIST.”
I’ve come to terms with that, as I’ve known what I was supposed to be from a young age, but it’s been a source of quiet discontent within me for years. Even with the footsteps of two parents, three older siblings, an aunt and an uncle, one grandparent, and a load of family friends to follow, I find myself unsteady. Now, in Grade 12, I’m finally forced to look into my future and come to terms with the path I have been set onto.
I am going to be a dentist. OK.
I am going to be a dentist.
From ages 17 to 22, I will be in dental school; at 23, I will work for a year; from 23 to 25, I will specialize in oral surgery, and from 25 to around 55, I will work in different clinics around Canada before starting my own and settling down in a nice town, like the one my parents found, then retiring. I may get into municipal politics and run for mayor in my town, or become a traveller and take trips to wherever I want to go. I will have a partner, I may have children, and I will get a dog when I’m older. Maybe a cat. I will be content with a life full of
stability, routine, and comfort. That’s not a bad life at all – far from it. I know all this, and I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’m looking forward to it, but I’m expecting it, and that’s enough. Submitting all these applications to various universities and selecting pre-dental as my major doesn’t feel like enough, however. Recently, I heard the adage “Birds do not sing in caves,” and it struck me at my core. Henry David Thoreau, the man to whom it’s credited, meant it in the context of his novel, Walden, and the ideas of freedom from the machinations of society within it, but I found a different interpretation. If birds cannot sing in caves, what hope do I have? Is the security of my future worth the sacrifice of my passion? Are the two mutually exclusive? I don’t know.
I could become a writer, or an actor, or a politician, or even get super buff and become one of those firefighters Mr. Anctil is always telling us about who drop out of helicopters. Thoreau made me realize that the cave I am building around myself may shelter me, but it will also block my view of these other paths. The world is not safe like Shawnigan, I know that, and this future that I have is secure, but I’m having to grapple with the priorities in my life, and whether security is one of them.
“
The cave I am building around myself may shelter me, but it will also block my view of these other paths.
Of course, I am only 16, so maybe this desire will mellow out. Graduating at the same age most people finish Grade 10 might not have been my best decision. Sure, I could blame my parents, but ultimately, I never asked for more time. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been running towards the finish line, pushing through my stumbles and never glancing back. Now that I can finally see it, I find myself looking over my shoulder instead of forward. I should have made more friends, gone to more Stag Café nights, taken more walks, etc. My vision may not be perfect, but my hindsight’s always 20/20.
I still remember all my HCE and CLE classes where Ms. Conroy would ask us what we wanted to be when we were older, and my hand was always the first up. I had so much faith in who I would be, when, really, that was the time I should have been questioning everything. I said earlier that it’s not my parents’ fault that I was never brave enough to ask for more time to figure out the rest of my life, but now, I’m still having to contend with the consequences. I’m grateful for the path they have so carefully paved for me, especially when their own was filled with obstacles. But the path is still theirs. I’m just one of the kids walking it.
At the risk of actually being sincere about my feelings, I digress. I realize that I am presenting this to a room full of students either younger than me or in the same boat. You probably don’t want to hear this, but I remember back in my day when I was still a junior and I thought that university was millions of years away. Two minutes later, I’m here submitting my own applications and wishing I had studied more in Grade 11, so the real point of what I’m saying is to impart a piece of unwelcome advice.
Shawnigan gives you so many opportunities to discover what you love. Do as many things as you possibly can, find out what that is, and then chase it until you get it. Don’t let anything stop you from that. At the very least, find a good reason to love whatever you do. Otherwise, you might end up giving a speech to your entire school about your latest existential crisis. Trust me, you don’t want to look back and realize you never gave yourself the chance to sing outside your cave. From a speech delivered in Chapel to
SUSTAINABILITY Seeds of
STORY BY JENNY DUNBAR
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL
FROM A DISTANCE, A BRIGHT SPOT OF LIGHT DANCES ON THE EDGE OF SHAWNIGAN’S LAKE OMAR, A MESMERIZING GLIMMER SURROUNDED BY FOREST.
As the eye is drawn in, however, this light forms a striking shape along the shore. This is Shawnigan’s growing dome: a solarheated geodesic greenhouse that has quickly become a hub of life on the School’s grounds.
Although a relatively recent addition to the campus –the dome was completed in early 2021 – it has already become an iconic part of the Shawnigan landscape. Its distinctive exterior is sleek and modern, yet harmonious with its natural surroundings and almost organic in form.
It represents an exciting step in the School’s journey of sustainability and innovation – a way to strengthen the connection between students and the environment while educating them about food sustainability and security as well as their own health.
The dome was a gift from the Brew Creek Centre, a serene 20-acre wilderness retreat and event centre near Whistler, BC that is committed to sustainable practices. Brew Creek has its own geodesic dome located at the heart of its 2-acre farm, which provides much of the food for its guests year-round. The success of this model – and the owners’ desire to educate and excite the next generation – inspired the donation to the School.
Made of triangular polycarbonate plastic panels, Shawnigan’s growing dome is both strong and efficient, designed to provide maximum light and airflow within. This enables the dome to maintain a stable growing environment for plants that require warmth and light year-round in a climate that can be cool and a location with fewer daylight hours than they need.
Upon entering, visitors are instantly transported to another world – one that is lush, humid, and fragrant, and one that feels far removed from the temperate Canadian west coast. Vegetation of all shapes and sizes rises to meet exotic-looking foliage trailing from hanging planters, while light streams through the panoramic exterior, amplified as it bounces off the pond and waterfall at the centre of the space.
Around the perimeter of the dome, raised beds are bursting with an assortment of vegetation, the cheerful green of leaves interspersed with flashes of brightly coloured fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Crisp lettuce brushes up against dainty dill, plump tomatoes nod at sweet peppers, and graceful flowers lend their beauty and fragrance throughout.
In addition to these shorter-lived plants, the dome also boasts a robust permanent plant collection, which includes tropical fruits such as mini bananas, passionfruit, and guavas, as well as a variety of citrus fruits, ranging from the more familiar oranges, lemons, and limes to the more exotic kumquats and calamondins. For those even marginally interested in gardening, this is a geodesic heaven.
The growing dome is cared for by Patricia Hanbidge, the School’s Environmental Lead and Horticulturist, and it is used by students across the grades in a variety of ways. Patricia works primarily with the Growing Green program, a co-curricular group that meets a few times a week. Growing Green brings together students of all ages, most of whom have no gardening experience. Together, they dive into the world of horticulture, learning how to care for plants from seed to harvest, and discovering the uses of each plant.
“Gardening was something I had never considered before, as I grew up in Tokyo, which is a big city. But it is something I’ve always wanted to try,” reveals Grade 12 student Sakurako Ishimoto, one of the Growing Green members. Many students in the Growing Green program come from urban environments around the world, and Patricia explains that, to a certain extent, the diversity of the students in the program inspires what is grown in the dome. “I try to grow things that might resonate with students from other countries, or maybe just things that they’ve never seen or tried before,” she says.
She is adamant that the program is about much more than producing food, however – it’s about forming healthy habits, understanding where food comes from, and learning about sustainability. These are just some of the topics that she carefully weaves into each session with the students.
“I learned how to properly take care of plants, like how much water and sunlight they need,” shares Grade 10 Growing Green enthusiast Aki Sugisaka. “But I also learned teamwork and patience, because we needed to work together as a team to manage the plants in the dome, and growing plants takes time and cooperation.”
While the heartbeat of the dome is the Growing Green program, the space is also used by other student groups throughout the year. Classes ranging from biology to environmental science to career life education take advantage of the experiential learning environment inside the growing dome. Whether they are researching beneficial bugs, participating in a soil evolution study, learning about climate change, or undergoing a plant propagation lab, students at all grade levels are thrilled to have the opportunity to get their hands dirty in the middle of their academic day.
Recognizing the benefits of slowing down, working with your hands, and being in nature, some groups also use the dome for health and well-being purposes outside of the timetable.
“I’ve had some parents reach out to say that the growing dome really helps their child because it takes away a lot of the stress of being an academic leader, the business of everyday life, or being away from home,” says Patricia. “It’s just another way to improve their quality of life spiritually, mentally, socially, and physically.”
The growing dome is part of a larger program on campus that extends to the outdoor organic garden, located on the far side of Lake Omar. This garden, which was a generous gift from a long-standing Shawnigan family many years ago, is filled with perennial edible plants that flourish in Shawnigan’s west coast climate, such as apple trees, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, jostaberries, and kiwis. In the garden’s raised beds, the Growing Green group cultivates seasonal produce such as garlic, squash, and other summer vegetables. The benefits are twofold: supporting plants that need more space than the growing dome can provide, and expanding the students’ portfolios.
“I love the diverse range of activities that we do, from tending plants in the growing dome to weeding in the organic garden to making amazing food out of the produce!” enthuses Grade 12 student Seb Jackson. “Having such a huge number of things to choose from has helped me gain a lot of very different skills that I may not have otherwise had the chance to develop.”
Like the growing dome, the organic garden serves many purposes. While it is largely used by the Growing Green group, it also provides different learning opportunities for classes across the grades.
By design, the dome is just a few steps from the School’s dining hall. While it could never provide enough food for the 800 people who dine at the School every day, it does periodically supply salad bar items such as lettuce and winter greens as well as herbs for the chefs to use in the kitchen.
The farm-to-table produce it does provide the dining hall is making a difference – particularly in flavour. “The students notice when our herbs are in the food, because it tastes better,” shares Patricia happily.
Next year, she is looking forward to adding a few different types of microgreens, such as sunflower and mustard,
to the list of items grown for the salad bar. She is confident that the School can grow large amounts from October to January, when the racks in the growing dome won’t be used for other crops.
In addition to these more standard offerings, the growing dome program is happy to fill special orders from the kitchen, such as edible flowers to decorate elegant petits fours on Closing Day. Most recently, the School’s Head Chef has placed an order for vanilla bean orchids, which will supply the kitchen with local, organic vanilla for special occasions.
Not all produce that is harvested makes it into the kitchen, however. Some things are grown simply for snacking, educational purposes, or the joy of trying something new.
The Growing Green group regularly takes the opportunity to celebrate holidays and other seasonal events with special food, from eating fresh salsa made with tomatoes and herbs grown in the dome to making pumpkin pie spice shakers when the tea tree in the organic garden is in bloom.
“Really, it’s just taking simple food that we can grow in a very easy fashion, and then building something nutritious and yummy that can supplement the students’ diet and bring a smile to their faces,” says Patricia. “One of the things that I find most effective when introducing a new concept or a different way of thinking is to involve something that makes it more meaningful. And a really easy way to do that is to make food.”
When questioned, the students are quick to share what they have learned in the Growing Green program and how impactful the growing dome has been.
“My time in the program has changed how I look at the food that I eat every day,” says Seb. “It actively reminds me that what I fuel myself with is cultivated with care by people around the planet. Realizing this has resulted in me appreciating the hard work that farmers put in to feed us.”
“I became more aware of where my food comes from, and I try not to waste food as much as before,” adds Aki.
Patricia has seen deeper transformations, as well. She has witnessed the students gain confidence, perspective, and a sense of responsibility thanks to their time in the program, and is confident that the way they view both themselves and the world around them has forever been changed.
“It’s really fulfilling to see the students just literally bloom,” she says. “To be able to touch a student in such a way that they have learned something substantive that’s going to affect the rest of their lives is so rewarding.”
Perhaps Sakurako puts it best: “I think it’s very important to step out and learn about these things, because flowers look different when you understand the effort behind them,” she says.
“They seem more valuable and vibrant.”
“It’s really fulfilling to see the students just literally bloom. To be able to touch a student in such a way that they have learned something substantive that’s going to affect the rest of their lives is so rewarding.
THE OAK
STORY BY OWAIN SAMUEL ’09 (RIPLEY’S) PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARDEN GILL
BY THE EARLY 1930s, SHAWNIGAN LAKE SCHOOL HAD ALREADY BEEN STANDING FOR OVER A DECADE.
Founded in 1916 by C.W. Lonsdale, the School had endured its share of hardship – most notably, the devastating 1926 fire that destroyed nearly every building on campus, sparing only the gymnasium, which was still under construction.
In the wake of that loss, a modest hilltop residence known as the H.T. Ravenhill home, later dubbed “Hill House,” became a place of refuge for staff and students. It was near this house, on the hill overlooking campus, that Lonsdale planted an acorn brought back from England’s legendary Sherwood Forest. It wasn’t a grand gesture or a bold declaration. It was quiet. Deliberate. The planting of something meant to last.
Whether the acorn was placed in the ground before or after Hill House itself was lost to fire in 1933 remains unclear. What endures is the intent behind it: to sow a symbol of resilience and hope, something that might outlast even the buildings around it.
What Lonsdale planted wasn’t just a tree. It was a symbol of continuity, care, and belief in what Shawnigan could become.
Though Hill House was destroyed, the Oak remained. It has endured nearly a century of Shawnigan life. Through fires and frosts, wartime years and waves of renewal, the Lonsdale Oak has stood unwavering.
Generations of students have passed beneath its canopy on their way to class, to Chapel, and to the sports fields beyond. Faculty have taught about it, and it has quietly watched over the School’s evolving identity from its all-boys boarding roots to the vibrant co-educational community it is today.
The building of Lake’s and Ripley’s Houses brought change to the hilltop, but the Oak remained untouched – a quiet reminder of what had come before.
Years ago, long-serving teacher Lynne Grass began collecting the acorns scattered at its feet and giving them to students and alumni, encouraging them to plant them somewhere meaningful. She still does so today. In doing so, a small part of Shawnigan, or perhaps Sherwood Forest, might live on.
Not every legacy leaves behind a plaque or a name etched in stone. Often, it’s quieter than that: a teacher, a memory, or a story told in a boarding house hallway.
In this way, the Oak reflects something deeper about Shawnigan’s character: a belief in continuity, in planting acorns today that will bloom in someone else’s time.
Legacy here is not simply about permanence. It is about intention. It lives in traditions passed forward, in buildings lovingly restored, in values revisited and renewed. It lives in every Shawnigan graduate who takes what they’ve learned here and carries it into the wider world with quiet conviction.
THE SHAWNIGAN OAK SOCIETY
It is in that same spirit that the School introduces the newly reimagined Shawnigan Oak Society – a fresh chapter for Shawnigan’s legacy giving program.
While a legacy society has existed for some time, this marks the first full expression of its identity. Rooted in the enduring symbolism of the Lonsdale Oak, the Society now carries a name and presence that reflect its purpose: to recognize those who, like Lonsdale, choose to plant with tomorrow in mind.
This is not a society of donors, but of caretakers: alumni, parents, staff, and friends who have nurtured the roots of something they believe in. Their commitments are quiet, personal, and deeply meaningful. Like the tree itself, their support is not about visibility, but about endurance.
As we launch the Shawnigan Oak Society, we do so with a renewed sense of intention: growing a community that believes in the School, its mission, and the idea that a Shawnigan education should continue to thrive for generations still to come. Planted with care. Preserved through time. Still growing. The Lonsdale Oak, and the Shawnigan spirit, endures.
To learn more about the Shawnigan Oak Society, please contact Owain Samuel at osamuel@shawnigan.ca.
CLOSING REMARKS
EXTRACT
FROM THE HEAD’S CLOSING DAY ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATES
It remains a mystery as to why our Founder, C.W. Lonsdale, chose our motto.
Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat can be translated from Latin as “Let whoever earns the palm (the reward), bear it,” referencing the Roman custom of awarding a branch from a palm tree to a victorious gladiator in the arena.
It became widely known and recognized as the motto adopted by Horatio Nelson, a British naval hero – by the end, a one-armed, one-eyed vice-admiral in command of HMS Victory and the fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Over time, the motto of Palmam Qui Meruit Ferat has been used as a watchword, a touchstone, a North Star – from the British Royal Naval School to military academies, from schools to universities around the world. C.W. Lonsdale even chose the motto for his gravestone.
As we step towards our 110th anniversary and establish our strategic directions, I have found myself returning, again and again, to our motto, its meaning, and significance. Our motto speaks to qualities that are as inherent to the School today as they were at its outset in 1916.
It is, however, more than a recognition of victory – it is about the journey and effort that underpin all achievement at all levels, both individual and collective. It is not about gladiatorial glory, the medals, winning at all costs, the narcissism of victory, et cetera – all uncomfortable interpretations which challenge what it means to be part of Shawnigan.
I like to believe that our motto speaks to striving for excellence, and, at the same time, recognizing and sharing in the success of others. One distinctive magical ingredient at Shawnigan is the way we celebrate the achievements of others, from musical performances to prizes to a shared and open-hearted story.
I know that many of you know by heart the mottos of your Houses, from Ripley’s challenge of Acta non Verba (“Actions not Words”) to Kaye’s declaration of Alis Volamus Propriis (“With Wings we Fly”) to Duxbury’s brilliantly ominous warning of Cave Lupum (“Beware the Wolf”). I wonder – if founding a school – what each of you here today would choose as your guiding motto.
Picking up my Class of 2025 kaleidoscope, there have been moments of playfulness, pure laughter, occasional madness, delight, tears, and heartfelt pride when I remember the time we have spent together.
For some of us, it has been five years together. Thirty-six of you started bravely in Levien and Stanton in 2020 – when the world was in the grip of the pandemic – and stepped courageously into a five-year Shawnigan Journey.
As the Class of 2025, you have brought a distinctive sense of belonging, community, laughter and, in particular, an invitation to each member of our community to dream.
Richard “Larry” Lamont Head of Shawnigan Lake School June 2025
FINALWord
FROM OUR CO-HEADS OF SCHOOL
We left our homes, both near and far, to come to this school to learn. Something here spoke to you, and made you feel that Shawnigan could be your home – a place to learn, a place to grow, and a place to become the person you are today. And you are truly a wonderful person. Today marks the end of our Shawnigan student journeys. Today you woke up in your Shawnigan bed for the last time, are wearing your number 1s for the last time, and for the last time, we’re all gathered here together in this space. But it isn’t the end of our Shawnigan Journeys. No matter the time or the place, we are connected. Your teammates, your Housemates, your friends, and everyone that shares the common Shawnigan denominator is here. Whether you end up in Japan, South Africa, Canada, or somewhere else in this big, big world, you have a family connected by these gates, this Chapel, the roots of this home, and you can always return to it. So as we leave these walls that have made up our home for the final time, we will do it together, stepping forward into our future but never leaving Shawnigan behind. Wherever the roads take you, Shawnigan is here for you. Every single one of us is always here for you. This is Shawnigan. You – each and every one of you – are Shawnigan. And I am so proud of you, and so proud to call this place home.
Desi Shaw ’25 (Groves’)
Extract from her Closing Day Chapel Speech to the Grade 12s June 2025
About 10 months ago, we were all sitting in the same room with the same people and singing the same hymns that didn’t hold as much meaning as they do now. Unaware of what the year ahead would bring, many felt excited, some felt nervous, and others were scared. But we were all together. As the year progressed, we grew closer to the people around us – may that be our roommates, our friends, our teammates, or our teachers. We welcomed new people into our lives, people who unexpectedly had a huge impact on us, and that regardless of what happens, we will not forget. We have learned so much from each other in this time, and today, as I stand in front of you, I know that we are more than just a school. Because where else can you find teachers and mentors so dedicated and passionate about what they do, who will go beyond expectations to help us succeed? Where else can you find people who have been there at rough times and have shared so many memories with us? Tonight, we are together for the last time. So look around and take it all in. Look at your friends who feel like family. Your teachers who you owe so much to. And look at this place. In times like tonight, there is no other place I would rather be.
Seb Ahumada ’25 (Lake’s)
Extract from his Year-End Speech to the whole School
June 2025
Community SHAWNIGAN
Notable Achievements 2024–2025
Achievements
1. Mackenzie Duncan ’01 (Lake’s) published his first book, an 84-page hardcover visual poem, A Run North, a poetic exploration of the sea, captured during a boat trip up the Inside Passage along the west coast of North America.
2. Kelly Quinn ’06 (Kaye’s) was named to the Business in Vancouver Forty under 40. Now the Director of People and Culture at Nurse Next Door, Kelly was Head of Kaye’s and a Prefect during her time at Shawnigan.
Career
1. Enyo Edeh ’16 (Strathcona) was featured in an Old Navy social media ad campaign.
2. Fido Fan ’22 (Lake’s) is interning as a Project Coordinator with Eventcore, owned by Omar Mawjee ’00 (Lonsdale’s), and had the opportunity to work at the 2025 US Golf Open as an Eventcore Project Coordinator.
3. Chelsea Gladstone ’15 (Renfrew) took her Oath of Allegiance as part of the call and admission ceremony to officially become a lawyer. Chelsea is now an associate with Boughton Law Corporation.
4. Grady Birk ’18 (Duxbury) joined the NHL’s newest franchise, the Utah Mammoth, as an Account Executive.
5. Jameson Parker ’06 (Lake’s) was named CEO of Vancouver-based Lighthouse Pictures Inc. in July 2024. Jameson was previously the VP of Production for the company.
6. Mikaela Reuben ’01 (Kaye’s) released a cookbook, Eat to Love. Mikaela has spent over 15 years working with clients around the world, amassing essential knowledge and hands-on experience with food and nutrition. In Eat to Love, she shares the recipes and insider tips she’s learned.
7. Christina Saldat ’16 (Kaye’s) was admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Queensland in November 2024.
8. Ben Ritter ’10 (Duxbury) performed at the Brit Awards 2025 in March as a dancer in the Sabrina Carpenter performance.
9. Neal Bledsoe ’00 (Lonsdale’s) acted opposite Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal in the Broadway revival of Othello that wrapped up in June 2025. After his time at Shawnigan, Neal attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and has since performed opposite actors like Jeremy Irons, Judith Light, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rufus Sewell, and Val Kilmer. He is also a published writer, with credits including Sports Illustrated
Sports
1. Sophie Miranda ’20 (Groves’) played in her first UEFA Women’s Champions League game on September 2, 2024. As a member of Peamount United (representing Ireland in this tournament), Sophie is Shawnigan’s first-ever professional soccer player.
2. Ava Ference ’23 (Renfrew) played with Rugby Canada in the U20 Women’s Rugby Transatlantic Quad Series in Wales. She also played for Canada in a win over Ireland in May. Now entering her third year at Harvard, she helped the Crimson’s XV and sevens sides to National Championship wins in her first year.
3. Maddie Nicholson ’19 (Kaye’s) signed her first professional hockey contract with the Uppsala Hockey Club of the Nationella Damhockeyligan in Sweden. Before joining the team, Maddie played 60 games with the Badgers at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. In early 2025, she was named Executive Director of Hockey Yukon. Maddie was a Sport Captain and Assistant Captain of the Female Prep Hockey team during her time at Shawnigan.
4. Sergio Pereira ’19 (Copeman’s) was named Canada West Men’s Basketball Player of the Week on February 18, 2025 after he put up back-to-back double-double performances. Sergio and the UVic Vikes men’s basketball team won bronze in the Canada West championship tournament to qualify for the U Sports Final 8, where they claimed the national championship.
5. Alexandra Nelson ’24 (Kaye’s) was a provincial recipient of the 2023 Premier’s Awards for Indigenous Youth Excellence in Sport for ice hockey and lacrosse. In February 2025, she received the Alex Nelson Ok’wilagame Award for Indigenous Female Athlete of the Year at the Greater Victoria Sports Awards ceremony for her achievements in sports during 2024.
6. Guiseppe du Toit ’13 (Duxbury), Jack Shaw ’18 (Duxbury), Seth Purdey ’17 (Copeman’s), and Djustice Sears-Duru ’12 (Duxbury) all played in Major League Rugby in the 2025 season.
7. Dylan Thygesen ’23 (Copeman’s) helped the California Golden Bears rugby team defeat the Life University Running Eagles 55–38 in the 2025 Division I-A championship final in Indianapolis.
Academic
1. Jenny Zhu ’21 (Kaye’s) completed a co-op with BC Cancer as a medical physics researcher as part of her honours physics studies at UBC. In a story on the UBC Science website, she discussed her research on breast cancer treatment and how her personal experiences motivated her to encourage younger girls to consider a career in science.
2. Nyah Miranda ’18 (Groves’) received the President’s Leadership Team Leadership Scholarship from the New England College of Optometry, where she is a fourth-year student beginning her externships with a contact lens-focused rotation at Chrycy Eye Group in Miami, Florida.
Life Updates
1. Ollie Nott ’13 (Ripley’s) married Jamie Derban on August 9, 2025 at Shawnigan Lake School.
2. Chris Linn ’08 (Ripley’s), son of current Shawnigan teacher Graham Linn, wed Georgia Quinlan on August 24, 2024 in Victoria.
3. Avasta Farboud ’14 (Lake’s) married Erin Farris on July 27, 2024 at Shawnigan Lake School.
attendance.
Ben Kingstone ’08 (Ripley’s), Brian Sirkia ’08 (Lake’s), Daf Samuel ’08 (Ripley’s), Josh Noble ’08 (Copeman’s), Hugh Cape
and friend.
4. Mostyn Findlay ’16 (Duxbury) married Moriko Schulte on August 9, 2025 on Pender Island.
5. Alex Housser ’08 (Duxbury) married Brigette in July 2024 in Victoria, with many Shawnigan alumni in
Group photo, left to right: Chris Linn ’08 (Ripley’s), Brendan Cook ’08 (Ripley’s),
’08 (Ripley’s),
Alumni Gatherings
1. In September 2024, the School hosted the Shawnigan Golf Classic at the University Golf Club in Vancouver. Over 135 alumni and community members came together for a day of golf, camaraderie, and fun. The golfers competed in two divisions this year: competitive for the seasoned golfers, and fun for beginners. Following the tournament, more alumni and guests joined for dinner and had the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate a successful day on the greens.
2. It was a special evening for the 2025 Copeman’s House Grade 12s on June 17 as Copeman’s alumni Marc Strongman ’83, David Beckingham ’83, David Beckingham ’23, and John Atkinson ’83 returned to present Copeman’s rings and House colour ties to the Grade 12 students – a wonderful celebration of legacy, tradition, and the next generation of Copeman’s grads!
3. Members of the Class of 1987 came together for a gathering in Whistler, BC in February 2025. Photo left to right: Ian Kennedy ’87 (Ripley’s), Mike Vopni ’87 (Ripley’s), Garth Friesen ’87 (Ripley’s), Ken O’Kennedy ’87 (Lake’s), Todds Sigfstead ’87 (Ripley’s), Mark Maier ’87 (Copeman’s), and Paul Robinson ’87 (Groves’).
4. In July 2025, members of the Class of 1971 gathered on Vancouver Island for a memorable four-day summer reunion. Highlights included an evening with Cliffside Preparatory School alumni, hikes, shared meals, a campus tour and dinner hosted at Shawnigan Lake School, and a special seaside concert.
5. The Class of 1969 celebrated their 55th reunion in West Kelowna, BC in June 2024.
6. The Class of 1975 came together in Vernon, BC to celebrate their 50th reunion. Pictured from left to right: Jim Witter ’75 (Ripley’s), Ron Fretwell ’75 (Ripley’s), Ash Varma ’75 (Groves’), Peter Clarke ’75 (Groves’), Daryel Gough ’75 (Ripley’s), Charlie MacLachlan ’75 (Lake’s), Kim Thorne ’75 (Ripley’s), Nick Banks ’75 (Lake’s), Richard Millyard ’75 (Ripley’s), Doug Knight ’75 (Lonsdale’s), John Sinclair ’75 (Groves’), and Ken Thorne ’75 (Ripley’s).
7. The Class of 1966 organized a reunion lunch on February 20, 2025 at the Cowichan Bay Pub. Photo left to right: Tom Davis ’66 (Ripley’s), Dennis Flynn ’66 (Groves’), Brian ‘Bugs’ Johnson ’66 (Copeman’s), Steve Housser ’67 (Groves’), Tim Rendell ’66 (Groves’), Victor Horton ’66 (Groves’), Laurence Fisher ’66 (Groves’), Pete Quinn ’66 (Groves’), Brett Sine ’66 (Lake’s), and Phil Head ’66 (Groves’).
8. Jack Colbourne ’83 (Lonsdale’s) and David Schieldrop ’82 (Groves’) cheered on the Shawnigan Lake School women’s quad at the 2024 Henley Royal Regatta in July. They are pictured with Grace Shepherd ’24 (Kaye’s). All three were Head of School when they were students at Shawnigan!
Approximate total value of scholarships and financial aid received by the Class of 2025 applications submitted in total to
3
University of British Columbia University of Toronto University of Victoria
$4.2M
6 AP International Diplomas
31 AP Scholars with Distinction
18 AP Scholars with Honour
22 AP Scholars
393 AP exams written
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NOTES
This magazine is a regular publication of Shawnigan Lake School. No material from this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission of Shawnigan Lake School.
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 millenia.
