Lord Dufferin, Canada’s third Governor General after Confederation, created the Academic Medals in 1873 to encourage academic excellence across the nation. Over the years, they have become the most prestigious award that students in Canadian schools can receive.
For nearly 150 years, the Governor General’s Academic Medals have recognized the outstanding scholastic achievements of students in Canada. They are awarded to the student graduating with the highest average from a high school, as well as from approved college or university programs.
We are proud to share the winners of this year's Govenor General's Academic Medals in the Sooke School District for the 2022/23 school year:
Katelyn Vandermark – Belmont Secondary School
Katelyn demonstrates exceptional leadership, kindness, and possesses an impressive breadth of skills in addition to her academic prowess. Katelyn’s secondary school program included studies in languages (Spanish), Social Sciences (incl Pysch DC), challenging science and math courses, and music.
Katelyn is hardworking, and consistently demonstrated intellectual curiosity. She is a strong group member who demonstrated respect and inclusivity towards her peers. As an engaged listener, she added to discussions in a respectful and articulate manner. She was a role model at Belmont and above all, an exceptional human being. Katelyn is currently studying nursing in post-secondary.
Rylan Domenichelli - Edward Milne Community School
Rylan graduated from EMCS last year with a near perfect academic standing, achieving a 99.7% average, with her lowest grade being a 95% (which was only once in grade 10). As an academic student, Rylan’s sense of self, maturity, and drive are paralleled by very few of her peers. She is able to accomplish anything that she sets her mind to and works with a self-discipline and motivation that are both refreshing and astonishing.
The “academic” Rylan is only the tip of the iceberg. Rylan was an outstanding student in the Leadership Program and her organizational and leadership abilities impressed teacher and students alike. She thinks about all angles, able to see both the details and the “big picture” at the same time. She is able to work through potential issues and pitfalls before they even happen. Rylan is a unique blend of unparalleled work ethic and unrivaled organizational skills with strong interpersonal and collaborative abilities.
Naomi El-Nahas - École Royal Bay Secondary
Naomi graduated with last year with an incredible 4.0 GPA and academic record. Aside from being a very strong an engaged student Naomi is also a committed citizen of our communities, both in school and locally. Naomi was known for her exceptional work ethic during her time at Royal Bay. She was dedicated to helping others in and out of the school environment, being a piano teacher at JDF since she was 13 and volunteering within the Japanese community.
Naomi is currently attending the University of British Columbia, navigating her first year in Post-Secondary in General Sciences. Aside from earing the Governor General’s Academic Medal, Naomi was also the recipient of several academic scholarships through UBC and other agencies.