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Local high school students honoured for outstanding work

Jun 10, 2016 | 12:00 PM

Awards for academics, athletics and leadership were some of the accolades given to North Battleford Comprehensive High School’s top students at the Student Hall of Fame last night at the Battleford Arena.

“It’s an important event to honour our students and to bring all the schools in the division together,” Shannon Lessard, communications coordinator of the Living Sky School Division, said. “A lot of our students really look forward to it and I think it’s something that takes good students and makes them great students.”

There are no scholarships directly attached to the awards Lessard said the recognition will give the student a leg up when applying for one.

Battleford native Sheldon Gardiner, a graduate from the school, was the guest speaker of the event which had roughly 900 attendees. He shared all his ups and downs from high school to where he is now in a 20-minute speech.

“I struggled my first year of university,” Gardiner said of his time at University of Saskatchewan studying commerce. “Some of the students here have a 95 (per cent) average. My first three exams didn’t add up to 95. I kept working hard. I partied less and studied more. I started to understand. The semesters got easier and that’s what perseverance can do.”

Gardiner spent four years working for corporations after graduating. He decided to pursue his dream of owning his own business and never looked back. He is currently the ‘chief idea officer’ at Volinspire, a tech company focused on connecting volunteers, non-profits and businesses.

“Finally if there is anything you take home with you let it be these six things. Lesson one, give and you will get. Two, always over deliver on promises. Three, hard work pays off. Four, your attitude will take you further than anything. Five, find your purpose and passion and you will find happiness. The last is to start with the end in mind,” Gardiner said.

 

ghiggins@jpbg.ca

@realgreghiggins