Holy Spirit High School celebrated individual student achievements at its 31st Annual Scholarship & Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 26, 2009. Students, parents/guardians, family members and friends joined teachers and special guests to watch graduates of the Class of 2009 receive their diplomas during a traditional ‘Cap & Gown’ ceremony. Assistant Director of Education Eric Snow brought greetings from the Eastern School District and Trustees. The school’s Choral and Band Classes provided entertainment during the evening.
Assistant Principal Cecilia Kennedy publicly named winners of the school’s ‘internal’ major awards and scholarships, as selected by the teaching staff. The Rotary Avalon Northeast Club’s ‘Ross Reccord Memorial Scholarship’, valued at $1500, was awarded to Student of the Year and Class Valedictorian Chelsea Ash. Winner of the Conception Bay South Lions Club Memorial Award of $1000 for Highest Academic Achievement, and also winner of the Governor-General’s Academic Excellence Medal, was Ryan McCarthy.
Jordan Duinker was named Most Spirited Student and received the $500 Howard Perry Memorial Scholarship. Amy Christopher was named winner of the $500 Nita Chambers Memorial Humanitarian Scholarship. Monica Collins won the $500 Cabrini Mercer Scholarship for Community Leadership, and Alex Mason was awarded $500 as Outstanding School Ambassador, the William & Mary Mercer Memorial Scholarship. The Robert R. Regular Scholarships, worth $500 each, went to Most Improved Students Kelly Foster and Ryan Holloway. The $500 Darlene Howard Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding School Volunteer was awarded to Mark Smith.
Awards for excellence in the Visual/Fine/Performing Arts went to students Daisy Hurich (Art), Tracey Fowler (Choral), Erin Monahan and Melissa Mackey (Instrumental), and Alex Mason (Drama). The award for French Immersion Student of The Year went to Chelsea Ash. The Michael Gillingham Memorial Awards for Junior Athletics Excellence went to Mark Richards and Melanie Walsh, with the Wayne Mercer Memorial Scholarship Awards for Senior Athletic Excellence going to Julia Cumby and Michael Pittman.
Major school awards were also presented to Grade 9 students in June, each with a $50 cash award from the School Council. The award for Most Spirited Student went to Brandon Snow, and the Community-Based Leadership Award went to Victoria Sparkes. Most Improved Students were Tiffany Cooper and Robert Quilty. Grade 9 Male Athletes of the Year were Mitchell Rose and Mark Richards (tie), and Grade 9 Female Athlete of the Year was Shelby Sheppard. The winner of the award for Highest Academic Excellence went to Michaela Ryan in Grade 9, Samantha Pomeroy in Level I, and Alyssa Hodder in Level II, and Ryan McCarthy in Level III.
Special Recognition Awards were given to 21 students, and 17 cash awards, valued at $50 each, were given to students for academic excellence in Level III courses. They were provided by the School Council and retired teachers. There were 21 University Entrance Scholarships that went to students, 4 students received electoral district scholarships, and 3 students were awarded Centenary Scholarships.
Principal Scott Crocker concluded the evening by offering congratulations to the entire Class of 2009. More than 40 different students received $16,000.00 in awards. Of the 145 graduates, 40 of them (25%) achieved Honors status.