A “life-changing” scholarship program in reminiscence of a Sarnia choose has been introduced for Nice Lakes secondary college.
Printed Feb 07, 2025 • Final up to date 1 day in the past • 3 minute learn
Anne McFadyen Handout
Article content material
A “life-changing” scholarship program in reminiscence of a Sarnia choose has been introduced for Nice Lakes secondary college.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues beneath.
Article content material
Article content material
Advisable Movies
Article content material
In June, Anne McFadyen Scholarships is to start out awarding 5 annual $12,000 scholarships to college students graduating from the Sarnia college.
“I think this is life-changing,” mentioned principal Derek Stenton. “We’re just so very excited to have this opportunity.”
The scholarship was introduced to college students by college officers Friday, and to the group by the Sarnia Neighborhood Basis and the Lambton Kent District college board.
McFadyen was the Lambton Legislation Affiliation’s first woman president and the primary Lambton County lawyer elected to the board of the County and District Legislation Presidents Affiliation, the place she served till named the Ontario Court docket of Justice bench in 1998.
She retired in 2022, however continued to sit down as a part-time choose within the area and died in February 2024.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues beneath.
Article content material
“Anne was always a big proponent of education,” mentioned her husband, George McFadyen, a retired lawyer who initiated and is funding the scholarships. “I think she realized that it was sort of the key to success for so many students.”
McFadyen mentioned he select Nice Lakes as a result of it’s an amalgamation of the previous Sarnia Collegiate, which his mother and father and uncle attended, and his alma mater, St. Clair secondary college.
“I thought it would be something that would honour her and give the students something that would support them in their post-secondary education,” he mentioned.
McFadyen mentioned the scholarship program is meant to run in perpetuity.
The varsity was contacted by the inspiration simply earlier than Christmas and particulars had been finalized in latest weeks, Stenton mentioned.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues beneath.
Article content material
Principal Derek Stenton stands within the cafeteria of Sarnia’s Nice Lakes secondary college. Graduating college students will be capable of apply for $12,000 Anne McFadyen scholarships beginning this yr. (Paul Morden/The Observer) Picture by Paul Morden /The Observer
Stenton mentioned he was “floored” and college students had been shocked to be taught it might award 5, $12,000 scholarships a yr.
“I think it’s going to take some time for them to really understand just how big a deal this is,” he mentioned.
A $12,000 scholarship could possibly be the deciding think about whether or not or a pupil goes on to varsity or college, he mentioned.
“If you’re a student in Grade 9 who may face some financial hardship, but now you know here is a goal to work towards, . . . that changes life trajectories early and for the rest of those students’ lives,” Stenton mentioned.
“I wanted to make it meaningful,” McFadyen mentioned. “The cost of post-secondary education is so high.”
They would be the largest scholarships accessible via the college, and can primarily assist pay for tuition, books and residence charges. McFadyen students will probably be chosen by a faculty workers committee primarily based on tutorial excellence, group service, management and monetary want.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues beneath.
Article content material
Stenton mentioned he appreciates the choice course of will think about if recipients have given again to the group. “That’s really important to us at Great Lakes.”
Nice Lakes secondary college in Sarnia. (File picture/The Observer) Picture by File picture /The Observer
He’s from Petrolia the place a number of US$10,000 Nicol Scholarships have been awarded yearly because the late Eighties to Lambton Central Collegiate grads.
“This is the next Nicol, in my mind,” Stenton mentioned.
“I’m hoping it will be something that will encourage people to do what they can academically and also be good citizens,” McFadyen mentioned.
“I recognize that a lot of students these days can’t participate in extracurricular activities . . . because financially, they have to work after school,” he mentioned.
McFadyen mentioned Anne, who was 14 when her household moved to Sarnia, labored all through highschool.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues beneath.
Article content material
“Those are the kinds of people I’m looking to help,” he mentioned.
McFadyen mentioned he appreciated college officers’ response to the scholarship.
“Their enthusiasm was wonderful to see,” and he hopes the scholarships develop into “a point of pride for the school, and for the city as well,” he mentioned.
Along with her regulation profession, McFadyen volunteered in the neighborhood, acted in performs the regulation affiliation organized to assist native charities, and was a Sarnia Street Runners member and its 1985 runner of the yr.
“Anne McFadyen believed in the power of community and importance of education,” mentioned Mike Barron, government director of the Sarnia Neighborhood Basis. “These scholarships will help perpetuate that belief and inspire others to follow in her footsteps.”
“We know that our students will live up to that legacy and we just so very much appreciate the opportunity to show that to the whole community,” Stenton mentioned.
pmorden
Article content material
Share this text in your social community
