On June 17, 2015 SAMS students, staff and parents gathered in the NES Gym for the annual awards day ceremony. Miss Johnson did a wonderful job hosting the event. Proceedings began with the handing out of the athletic awards.
Most Improved Athlete male and female went to Gavin Tallio and Brianna Brown respectively. Parent Advisory Council sportsmanship awards male and female were awarded to Ezra Mecham and Breagha Koroluk while athlete of the year went to grade 11 student Lauren Harrison. Individual Most Valuable Player Awards for each sport were given to Taija Edgar and Christian Webber (basketball) and to Aaron Schieck and Lauren Harrison (Soccer).
From here the event moved on to presentation of the academic and citizenship awards. Citizenship awards were handed out to Orenda George (Grade 8), Breagha Koroluk (Grade 9), Hannah Le Bouder (Grade 10), and Lauren Harrison (Grade 11). The Scott Svisdahl Memorial Award given to the Grade 12 displaying values of citizenship was given to Thomas Northeast.
There are many talented artists and musicians within SAMS. The first music award presented was one named for former band teacher, Laverne Macdonald and this went to David Ratcliff. The Bella Coola Co-op Music Award was presented to Breagha Koroluk. The final music award, the Parent Advisory Council Achievement in Music went to Jacob Hall and Finn Carlson.
Switching to Art, the Parent Advisory Council Award for Achievement in Art, went to Grade 10 student Hannah Le Bouder while the NES Art Award was presented to budding young artist, Ruby Ratcliff.
The Nusatsum Elementary mathematics award was presented to Chase Younker. Most Improved student for Nusatsum Elementary turned out to be two students – Tamara Robson and Lu Bittner. The NES Academic Achievement Award was presented to Finn Carlson while the Delmar Solhjell Award which goes to the best all-around student in Grade 7 went to Ruby Ratcliff.
Wrapping up the awards, the Charlie Endicott Science Award went to Lauren Harrison, the Humanities Award to Hannah Le Bouder and the Ed Nash Math Award went to Jordan Tuck.
The Awards Ceremony ended with two very moving presentations to retiring SAMS secretary Heather Ross first by Board Chair, Nicola Koroluk and then by SAMS Principal, Jeremy Baillie.
To finish, Mr. Baillie, on behalf of the school, gave a heartfelt thanks to departing staff Ms. Sara Germain who is returning to her native Manitoba, band teacher Ms. Johnson who is heading to Surrey and Ms. Shannon Cherry who is taking a year’s leave to pursue her educational studies.