| May 28, 2009


Back to HomeFeature Article - May 28, 2009Limestone School Board Honours Student Acheivement

Sharbot Lake HS Acheiver: Jeremy Lemke

Sydenham HS Acheivers:Drew Cumpson & Shannon Walsh

Jeremy Lemke wins Limestone Achiever AwardBy Chava Field-Green

Former SLHS Teach Collen Allison with Jeremy Lemke in Toronta after receiving  his Herbert H Carnegie Scholarship

For Sharbot Lake High School student Jeremy Lemke, working with kids has always been a part of his extra curricular life. He has been a part of the Plevna Pioneer Club Youth Group for many years. After two years with the club he became one of its leaders. He has also worked at summer camps and is a Lifeguard with the Sand Lake swim program.

The logical next step was to continue his post-secondary education in well, education - which is exactly what he plans to do at Trent University next year. Jeremy will be studying towards an Honours Bachelor of Science, Emphasis in Teacher Education.

Jeremy’s hard work in and out of the classroom has paid off, and he has been awarded a Trent University entrance scholarship. He also won a national scholarship from the Herbert H. Carnegie Future Aces Foundation.

The Foundation honours students who have shown strong citizenship and positive daily life skills. Herbert H. Carnegie combated racism and prejudice playing hockey and became the first black Canadian to be offered a contract with the NHL in the late 1940s.

Lemke traveled to Toronto to accept the award with Head of Student Services Liz Steele-Drew and former Math teacher Colleen Allison.

“If I have to choose one teacher who has been an inspiration to me, Mrs. Allison would be that teacher”, Jeremy said late last week, “I hope to be as commanding and understanding as her. She was a really good teacher.”

The staff at Sharbot Lake High School also nominated him for the Limestone District School Board’s Limestone Student Achiever Award, which he was received on Wednesday May 27 at the board office in Kingston.

The awards are presented to 10 students in the board who exhibit exemplary achievement in the arts, athletics, leadership and academic standing. Jeremy was nominated for his ability to include everyone in the school and to provide support for staff and students alike.

“We were surprised about this award,” Jeremy’s mother Laurie said, “We did not know that the school had nominated him; it was much easier than essay writing and repeating his life story for the other applications.”

Jeremy is taking all the attention rather modestly, “I’m just psyched for university, I chose Trent because it’s a smaller school and has the same family feeling as Sharbot Lake High school, where I’m thinking of returning as a teacher”. As for all of the awards, he said, “Every little bit helps.”

Sydenham High School Student Achievers: Drew Cumpson and Shannon Walsh.

Drew Cumpson has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to his school community and has balanced academic success with strong participation in all aspects of school life at Sydenham High School.

As the clothing minister with the Students’ Council this year, Drew was responsible for designing the logos and worked closely with suppliers to distribute the clothing orders. He also assisted other ministers with dances and spirit days.  

He was instrumental in the creation of the Swim Team at Sydenham High School this year and won Gold in the 200 m Free-style and the Relay at EOSSA. Recently, Drew helped to organize and was the spokesperson for the “Inside Ride”, a cycling fundraising event offered through the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation to raise money for young people living with cancer.

In his four years at Sydenham, Drew has successfully balanced his academic achievement with his strong participation in the arts, athletics and leadership activities.  

Shannon Walsh’s academic accomplishments are impressive.  She earned the Gold Award in grades 9 and 11 for achieving the highest academic average in each year, and a Silver Award in Grade 10 for achieving the second highest academic average of her year. In addition, Shannon earned the award for highest academic achievement in each of the most of her high school courses.  

What makes Shannon’s academic success even more outstanding is that she has balanced her passion for athletics along with her course work.  Throughout her four years at Sydenham High School, Shannon has participated on the volleyball, basketball, soccer, badminton and track and field teams.  In Grade 9, Shannon earned the distinction of “Grade 9 Top Female Athlete” and in Grade 11, she achieved the highest distinction a female athlete could receive: The “O.H. Berry Award for Top Female Athlete”.  Now in Grade 12, Shannon is the Co-President of the Student Athletics Association, which focuses on events that unify the school community and recognize individual student achievement.

Shannon consistently demonstrates the qualities of a strong student leader. She acts with a quiet, calm determination and serves as a positive role model to her peers. Last year, Shannon participated as a peer tutor in the “School to Community” classroom, assisting students who have academic and physical challenges. This year, she served as the assistant coach of the Junior Boys’ Volleyball team. Shannon also helped to coordinate Sydenham’s Fall Student Leadership Conference, and she has been an active member of the school’s concert band for the past four years.

 

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