Western Financial Group Recognizes a Record 93 Deserving High School Students

2014 bursary awards announced by the Western Communities Foundation.

Western Financial Group (Western) is proud to announce a record 93 winners for the annual Western Communities Foundation Exceptional Achievement Citation & Bursary Awards.

The $500 individual bursaries, totaling $46,500 in 2014, are made to Grade 12 graduates through Western’s charitable arm, the Western Communities Foundation. The bursaries are awarded to students who have overcome adversity, achieved success despite physical or mental limitations, displayed outstanding community or school spirit, performed an act of heroism or demonstrated leadership in a crisis.

“It is amazing to see that we are giving out 93 bursaries, a record number, to such a deserving group,” said Scott Tannas, founder and vice-chairman of Western Financial Group. “These awards are special to me and were created not with an emphasis on grades but to recognize students who are leaders in their community, have had exceptional achievements, or those who may have overcome adversity. My hope is that the bursaries will help these students who have lived Western’s values and contributed to each of their communities in many ways.”

This is the ninth year that the awards have been given to remarkable student leaders across Western Canada. Since its inception, the Western Communities Foundation has awarded more than 500 bursaries.

“The Western Communities Foundation is committed to giving back to the communities where we live and work, which includes through education and our student bursaries,” said John Jenner, executive director of the Western Communities Foundation. “These students may have overcome a hardship and have demonstrated leadership in their communities and we feel that it is important to recognize hard work and dedication. Through these bursaries we want to emphasize the importance of education, the individuals making a positive impact in our communities, and the strong youth leaders across Western Canada.”

The 2014 Western Communities Foundation Exceptional Achievement Citation & Bursary Award Recipients are:

British Columbia

Student	School	Hometown
Elanis McArdle	Peter Skene Ogden Secondary	100 Mile House, BC
Jessica Moriarty	Lakes District Secondary School	Burns Lake, BC
Emily Hazlehurst	Carihi Secondary	Campbell River, BC
Brittany Bodlock	Chase Secondary	Chase, BC
Christopher Zeglen	Cochrane High School	Cochrane, AB
Monica Wannop	Dawson Creek Secondary	Dawson Creek, BC
Nicole Fisher	Elkford Secondary	Elkford, BC
Chelsey Hill	Fraser Lake High School	Fraser Lake, BC
Jenny Jang	Fort Nelson Secondary	Fort Nelson, BC
Shaccara Orr	Fernie Secondary	Fernie, BC
Sarah Leach	Fort St. James Secondary	Fort St James, BC
Charles Allison	North Peace Secondary	Fort St. John, BC
Holly Wiens	North Peace Secondary	Fort St. John, BC
Heather Shutliff	North Peace Secondary	Fort St. John, BC
Katelynn Paynter	North Peace Secondary	Fort St. John, BC
Nathan Rendell	Houston Secondary	Houston, BC
Connor Oswald	JV Humphries School	Kaslo, BC
Dayna Schwarz	Rutland Senior High Svhool	Kelowna, BC
Nikita Taylor	Kelowna Secondary	Kelowna, BC
Tyler Logan	Selkirk Secondary	Kimberly, BC
Eve Riddler	Brockswood Secondary	Langley, BC
Julia Kadera	John Barsby High School	Nanaimo, BC
Madison Ginn	Cedar Secondary	Nanaimo, BC
Andrea Lee	Gulf Islands Secondary School	Pender Island, BC
Daniel Lam	Richmond High School	Richmond, BC
Nicole West	McMath Secondary	Richmond, BC
Trennin Lifely	Salmo Secondary	Salmo, BC
Kaitlin Greaves	Parkland Secondary	Sidney, BC
Conrad Anderson	EMCS	Sooke, BC
Taylor Syrja	Sparwood Secondary School	Spawrood, BC
Carly Clements	Clayton Heights Secondary School	Surrey, BC
Andrew Magdrululan	Princess Margaret Secondary School	Surrey, BC
John Kennedy	Semiahmoo High School	Surrey, BC
Nathan Lenz	Mount Douglas Secondary	Victoria, BC
Stephanie Clark	Belmont High School	Victoria, BC
Max Lumseden	Steily's Secondary	Victoria, BC
Bethany Langkamer	Spectrum Community	Victoria, BC
Dean Myhal	Reynolds High School	Victoria, BC

Alberta

Student	School	Hometown
Zachary Brooks-Poloway	Alix Mac High School	Alix, AB
Julee Roukena	Bashaw School	Bashaw, AB
Derian Measures	Barrhead Composite High School	Barrhead, AB
Melissa Yewell	Beaverlodge Regional High School	Beaverlodge, AB
Ella Cunningham	St. Joseph's Collegiate	Brooks, AB
Gideon Mentie	Brooks Composite High School	Brooks, AB
Madison Ginn	St. Michaels High School	Bow Island, AB
Katrina Marcotte-Kuflay	Our Lady of Mount Pleasant	Camrose, AB
Lane Verna	Willow Creek Composite High School	Claresholm, AB
Carlina Letourneau	Coronation High School	Coronation, AB
Kali Lynch	Drumheller Valley High School	Drumheller, AB
Travis Dietrich	St. Anthony's High School	Drumheller, AB
MacKenzie Burnnett	Parkland Composite High School	Edson, AB
Shelby Boehlke	J.C. Charyk Hanna School	Hanna, AB
Trainlina Hill	Highwood High School	High River, AB
Carley McKinlay	Notre Dame Collegiate	High River, AB
Kennedy Zaystoff	Holy Cross High School	Langdon, AB
Cassidy James	Medicine Hat High School	Medicine Hat, AB
Bradley Nelson	Morrin School	Morrin, AB
Alyssa Oulette	J.J. Foster High School	Nanton, AB
Grace Williams	Holy Trinity Academy	Okotoks, AB
Philip Taylor Smith	Highwood High School	Okotoks, AB
Joel Cooper	Strathmore High School	Strathmore, AB
Anna Ho	WR Meyers High School	Taber, AB
Kaiden Feil	Oil Fields High School	Turner Valley, AB
Amelia Gosselin	St. Jerome's High School	Vermillion, AB

Saskatchewan

Student	School	Hometown
Matthew Thomson	Assiniboia Composite High School	Assiniboia, SK
Mackenzie Shaver	LeRoy School	LeRoy, SK
Amanda Hetu	Holy Rusary High School	Lloydminster, SK
Joan Bedard	Melfort Collegiate	Melfort, SK
Tanya Quast	L.P. Miller Comprehensive	Nipawin, SK
Kyla Le Cuyer	L.P. Miller Comprehensive	Nipawin, SK
Mark Kramer	St. Mary High School	Prince Albert, SK
Jessica Schluff	Carlton High School	Prince Albert, SK
Dayna LaFortune	Rosetown Central High School	Rosetown, SK
Lacey Pritchard	Shaunavon High School	Shaunavon, SK
Sawyer Busse	Winston High School	Watrous, SK
Calyton Rondeau	Assiniboia Composite High School	Willow Bunch, SK
Tori Sautner	Wolesley High School	Wolseley, SK

Manitoba

Student	School	Hometown
Osvaldo Rodriguez Medrano	Crocus Plains High School	Brandon, MB
Ellen Lamont	Neelin High School	Brandon, MB
Brett Skibo	Vincent Massey High School	Brandon, MB
Harold Groves	Gilbert Plains Collegiate	Gilbert Plains, MB
Daniel Eyo	Goose Lake High School	Roblin, MB
Tyson McRae	Souris High School	Souris, MB
Chhya Kapoor	R.D. Parker Collegiate	Thompson, MB
Jadine Merasty	Churchill High School	Winnipeg, MB
Ryan Henrikson	Oak Park High School	Winnipeg, MB
Morgan Hrynkow	College Pierre Elliot Trudeau	Winnipeg, MB
Kate Hiscott	Sisler High School	Winnipeg, MB
Deanna DeMare	College Jeanne-Sauve	Winnipeg, MB
Cyrus Troche	River East Colleigate	Winnipeg, MB
Roi Mendoza	Maples Collegiate	Winnipeg, MB
Troy Bird	Dakota Collegiate	Winnipeg, MB
Tracy Francisco	Murdoch Mackay Collegiate	Winnipeg, MB

About the Western Communities Foundation

To express our appreciation and demonstrate our support for the western communities where we live and work, Western Financial Group founded the non-profit Western Communities Foundation in 2002. The mission of the Western Communities Foundation is to give back to the communities that we live and work in as well as promote pride in our employees through our involvement in a variety of charitable programs focused on public health, public housing, education and recreation. Donations are made to the communities through three core programs: community infrastructure grants, matching grants and Exceptional Achievement Citation & Bursary Awards.

About Western Financial Group

Western Financial Group is a diversified insurance company that serves more than 790,000 customers across western Canada. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western provides personal and business insurance services through more than 160 office locations and affiliates and online. With a skilled team of approximately 1,800 employees, Western is committed to building the strongest insurance brokerage network in Western Canada.

Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada.

GET A QUOTE