Shellbrook Chronicle

07/10/2025

Big River hosts Canada Day bash
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

At the start of 2025, Emily Davis set a goal for herself to do something that challenged her or pushed her out of her comfort zone. She could have done anything, but true to her small-town upbringing, she found a way to meet her goal while doing something to benefit her community.

“I grew up in a family where they were always involved in everything. Whenever there was anything going on anywhere, they’d help out,” she said of her parents, Jim and Shelly Willoughby.

“That’s just normal for me. Where’s there a need for something, and how can I do something about it?”

A wife and mother of three, who now calls Big River home, Davis noted that the town hadn’t hosted any special celebrations for Canada Day for a number of years (a familiar story in many small communities in the area, where such events are often seen as pointless because “everybody’s at the lake”).

Having long wished for the community to offer more activities for young families, Davis decided to look into bringing a Canada Day celebration back to Big River.

“I just wanted something for families to be able to do, and to draw people to the community,” she said. “It was just one of those things where if you want to see it happen, you make it happen yourself.”

Fortunately for Davis, she wasn’t entirely on her own. When she threw the idea out, in hopes of garnering some interest and a few helping hands, six others stepped forward to form a committee to plan the Canada Day celebration.

The committee began brainstorming and organizing the day in April, and the Town of Big River got on board with the idea, agreeing to bookend the celebration with a pancake breakfast in the morning and a fireworks show in the evening.

With it being her first time organizing a big event, Davis wasn’t necessarily sure what to expect when Canada Day rolled around.

Suffice to say, the reception blew her expectations out of the water.

“It turned out really well, especially for our first year,” she said.

“There were a lot of people from town that I recognized and knew, but there was a lot of people that I didn’t recognize. It was really awesome to see that many people come out.”

The day started off strong with the pancake breakfast at the Big River Community Centre, as approximately 570 people came out and devoured more than 2,200 pancakes. Indeed, when Davis swung by the community centre at 10:15, just 15 minutes before it was slated to end, the line-up was still out the door.

Once their bellies were full, the breakfast crowd headed outside for the Canada Day parade, which featured about 30 entries. Then, the focus of the day turned towards children with the opening of the Kids Zone, featuring a petting zoo, bouncy castles, yard games, face painting, and a treasure hunt area (a big pile of sand with $200 worth of loonies buried in it).

Other attractions on the day included a horseshoes tournament, local musicians, a beer gardens, a fundraiser BBQ hosted by the high school travel club, a home run derby, and the aforementioned fireworks show down by the lake.

“For the most part, everyone was really appreciative of what we did and said everything ran smoothly and were really happy with what was available,” Davis said, noting that it was a great way to connect with the community. “It makes it a lot easier to want to do it again next year.”

Though it’s only been a little more than a week since Canada Day, Davis says she and her committee members have already had conversations about things they’ll do differently next year.

“Now we have a bit of money left over from this year, so we’re maybe able to book things that we were too late to book last year, or that we weren’t able to afford.”
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06/26/2025

Blaine Lake School toasts Class of 2025
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

With another school year coming to a close, 300 proud parents, siblings, teachers, and communities gathered at Blaine Lake Composite School on Friday, June 13, to celebrate the nine graduates in the school’s Class of 2025.

In what principal Jessica Barrington calls a “beautiful ceremony,” the grads began by presenting a rose to each of their guardians as a gesture of gratitude before taking the stage for the official proceedings.

Hal Greyeyes was first to the mic, delivering the Treaty land acknowledgement and a few opening remarks. Meanwhile, former Blaine Lake Composite School teacher Jonathan Forbes, and current teachers Stephen Fritz and Tim Martin spoke on behalf of the staff.

Opting to forgo a speech from one of the graduates’ parents, the grads instead left the stage briefly during the ceremony to present a handwritten letter or card to their families, and enjoy a private moment of gratitude.

Other special guests at last Friday’s ceremony included Prairie Spirit School Division trustee Wendy Friesen, and the school’s partners in education from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation: director of education Paul Ledoux, and Kihiw waciston School principal Joanne Ledoux.

In a ceremony filled with special presentations, Mara Warkentin and Jaici Woytiuk shared honours as the Class of 2025 valedictorians, while Muskeg Lake Cree Nation graduates Jorja Greyeyes and Kaleb Michel were given Treaty medals and star blankets to celebrate their accomplishments.

There were also bursaries handed out, including the Bison Adversity Bursary, and the Bison Business and Innovation Bursary, both of which are exclusive to Blaine Lake Composite School and are worth $2,500. The adversity bursary went to Mara Warkentin, while the business and innovation bursary was awarded to Jaici Woytiuk.

“That’s something we’re really proud to be recognizing at our graduation. It started last year,” said Barrington. “It’s something to give them a start as they begin their post-graduation journey.”

While the graduates in the Class of 2025 will soon embark on their post-graduation journeys, wherever they may lead, one thing is certain: Blaine Lake Composite School will be a bit quieter this fall, without them.

“They have a lot of fun. They were known to break out spontaneously into song, and get really silly and animated during class readings of Shakespeare,” Barrington said. “They were a spirited group who were a lot of fun.”

Blaine Lake Composite School’s Class of 2025 is: Jorja Greyeyes, Ethan Ledoux, Leeland McCormick, Liam McCormick, Kaleb Michel, Jayden Stonehouse, Jordyn Verbonac, Mara Warkentin, and Jaici Woytiuk.
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06/19/2025

W.P. Sandin celebrates Class of 2025
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

The 26 graduates in W.P. Sandin High School’s Class of 2025 were toasted by the community with all the traditional pomp and circumstance during their graduation ceremony and parade on Friday, June 13.

The afternoon of celebration began in the school’s gymnasium, which was decorated and intimately lit, and filled with proud and supportive parents, family members, friends and school staff.

Serving as the MC for the ceremony, staff member Stephanie Kennedy offered a few introductory remarks before turning over the microphone to principal Tyler Kuzma, who began by encouraging the graduates to reflect on their achievements with pride before embarking on a speech centered around the theme of memories — those past, and those still to be made.

“The mentors who guided you, the friends who supported you, and the challenges that shaped you will travel with you as you head into college, careers, and the endless possibilities that lie ahead,” he said.

“As you now take on the complexities of the world beyond these halls, let the memories of your time here serve as a guiding light, reminding you to always seek joy, embrace spontaneity, and live each day with purpose and intent.”

Up next, the mic was passed off to teacher Pam Boettcher, who was selected as the class’s special guest speaking. Having gotten to know them well over the years, Boettcher shared a brief, personalized message with each of the graduates.

As the ceremony continued, graduate Marcail Philp was called upon to give the valedictorian address. As Philp is graduating a year early, and only joined the graduating class this year, she reflected on the many lessons she learned from her new classmates, including the importance of asking questions and speaking your mind.

“It might be easy to think that our thoughts don’t really matter. But they do, they always do,” she said.

“You’ve taught me to believe that, and you showed me that when we share opinions, we learn to see things from others’ perspectives and challenge our own thinking. We all get better when that happens.”
With her closing remarks, Philp drew inspiration from the quote “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid,” to encourage her fellow graduates to know their own worth.

“You’ve shown me that you shouldn’t let anyone determine your worth based on something you weren’t meant to do,” she said. “There’s value in creating our own goals, setting our own standards for success, and taking pride in our accomplishments.”

Following Philp’s address, Ezra Peake and Kamden Shewchuk offered a brief tribute to the girls of the graduating class, Leah Naumann and Jorja Boettcher returned the favour for the boys, and Kailee Cameron and Maddison Nelson offered a tribute to the W.P. Sandin staff.

Closing out the speeches, secretary Stephanie Caswell gave the reply from the staff, Taylor Henderson and Colton Sommerfeld offered a tribute to the graduating class’s parents, and parents Brandee Anderson and Chezanne Shewchuk gave the reply.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas and time for visiting, before the graduates gathered once more for the graduation parade to bring the celebration to the whole community.

W.P. Sandin’s class of 2025 is: Brody Anderson, Jaxon Boettcher, Jorja Boettcher, Emily Bruce, Danielle Cadrain, Devin Cadrain, Kailee Cameron, Sofiia Dunay, Cole Fisher, Austin Helm, Taylor Henderson, Casen Keyowski, Alyssa Lenz, Sawyer Mamchur, Molly Maynard, Leah Naumann, Maddison Nelson, Ezra Peake, Marcail Philp, Isaiah Reynolds, Yuri Rojero, Jack Sharron, Kamden Shewchuk, Cole Smith, Chase Smith-Hayden, and Colton Sommerfeld.
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06/12/2025

District 33 4-H Achievement Day draws large crowd
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By BEVRA FEE
Spiritwood Herald Reporter

The 4-H motto of ‘Learn to do by Doing’ was on full display at the Spiritwood and District Sports and Agriculture Committee (SAD SAAC) Grounds on the weekend of June 7 and 8.

Consisting of clubs from Spiritwood (Northern Spirit), Medstead, and Big River, the District 33 Achievement Day was the culmination of the year’s work by 4-H members. Each club hosts their own mini achievement day prior to the District event, where members have the opportunity for a trial run and to gain some experience showing their animals in a group setting, before gathering to compete in showmanship and grooming categories according to the members’ ages.

With Cloverbud, Junior, Intermediate and Senior age classes, the members from all three clubs vie for the top spot as the judge evaluates their skill, their animal training, and their show presence.

Staged at the former “rodeo grounds” area of SAD SAAC park in Spiritwood, life was pumped into the facility once again after years of idle waiting. Many hours of work by members and parents transformed the outdoor arena into a suitable backdrop for the weekend event, with an expanse of pens to house animals and a professional show-ring backdrop.

Sunday’s cold wind was offset by the sun shining, and a respectable crowd of local agriculture enthusiasts and grandparents braved the weather to enjoy the fruits of the 4-Hers’ efforts.

Judge Darren Tyler of Red Willow Ranch was assisted by ring men Cory Amundson and Mason Wiebe, while barn boss Aidan Neilson-Clark was everywhere at once as he oversaw the operations and managed the details at large. Judges for the sheep categories were Dr. Justin and Tess from Spiritwood’s Farm Docs veterinary practice.

Grooming competitions opened the Sunday events, with Seniors kicking off the agenda at 8:15 a.m. Following were the Intermediate, Junior, and Cloverbud categories, with all ages displaying the skills they learned over the project year. Washing, combing, fluffing and spraying help create the polished animal to show off to the judges.

With animals in categories spanning Current Year Male, Current Year Female, Cow/Calf (two-year old and three-year old) and Heifer, the judge had his work cut out for him as he carefully inspected animals and asked questions of members. Preparation of the animals saw Senior members assisting Cloverbud members (the youngest age group) in a display of genuine 4-H camaraderie, exhibiting the very core of 4-H values.

The outdoor activities were emceed by 4-H parent and volunteer, Larissa Swityk-Conacher, keeping the audience and the members on track by guiding them through the program and describing the proceedings of the day. Assisting Conacher in administering the cash prizes awarded in each category was Stacey Gaboury (making the soundstage a popular gathering spot for 4-Hers).

Following a break to the indoors for the awards supper, it was back out to the grounds for the sale on Sunday evening. As 4-H members reaped the rewards of their hard work by selling their market animals by live auction, they also experienced the bittersweet emotions of selling their prized companions as food. Possibly the hardest lesson in 4-H is also among the most important — the fact that food comes from the farm and often has four legs.

Since 1917, Saskatchewan has been a strong force in 4-H, a youth program where future leaders are molded through a hands-on approach to serving community while learning (primarily) agricultural life skills and selfless volunteerism. The realities of farm life are experienced as learning opportunities, and youth are strengthened in various ways — a first introduction to public speaking, knowledge of properly running meetings, fundraising — with guidance from adult project leaders and parents.

As 4-Hers mature, they begin handing down lessons to new members and guiding them as they were guided. Evidence of the evolution of 4-Hers was clear at the District 33 Achievement Day, as many of the parents who had official duties for the day were members themselves during their youth.
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06/05/2025

Relay for Life raises more than $15,000
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Shellbrook’s W.P. Sandin High School revived its Relay for Life fundraiser on Friday, May 30, and, with the support of the community, went the distance to raise more than $15,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society and cancer research.

Though blustery winds blanketed the area with wildfire smoke, forcing the event to move inside the school, 65 people still came out to walk for the cause and honour loved ones currently fighting through cancer, and those who have been taken by it.

“Everyone is affected by cancer in some way, whether it be personally or through loved ones,” said Relay for Life committee member Taylor Henderson.

“This event is so important because it builds up a community and helps foster an environment where people can be vulnerable and share their experiences dealing with cancer.”

The five-hour event began with a community BBQ from 5 to 7 p.m., with officers from the Ahtahkakoop-Shellbrook RCMP Detachment grilling up burgers for hungry Relay for Life participants and guests.

At 6 p.m., MC Marcail Philp got the opening ceremonies under way with a few quick words, before turning the mic over to the evening’s VIP cancer survivor, Tani Hamborg, who was once an EA at the school and agreed to make the trip from Edmonton to share her story.

Though people would generally think of a cancer diagnosis as devastating, Hamborg says learning she had Hodgkins lymphoma was a relief, in some ways.

For months prior to her diagnosis in July of 2019, Hamborg says she was more tired than usual and had lost her appetite, but either didn’t notice or chose to write off the signs that something wasn’t quite right.

“None of these things were alarming to me, but my family was noticing, and even at work, they were noticing personality changes in me, which I was unaware of,” she recalled.

Then, one night, her husband believed she was having a stroke and hurried her to the hospital. After two weeks of testing, Hamborg received her diagnosis.

“Getting that diagnosis was a relief to me, because it explained that this wasn’t just who I was morphing into,” she said. “The reason that my personality was going wild is I had Ophelia Syndrome, which is when your immune system attacks your brain.”

With strong support from her family, and an oncologist and healthcare team that catered her six-month treatment process to her needs, Hamborg says she could feel herself getting physically better with each chemo treatment.

Despite this, she admits she was gradually losing the mental and emotional battle against cancer, to the point where she had a heart-to-heart with her husband and confessed that she felt like it would be easier for everyone if she wasn’t around.

In the end, finding refuge in her family and her faith gave her the strength to fight on.

“I had a talk with Jesus and I felt that it was a decision I could make, either to fight through this or be done,” she said.

“At that moment, I decided I was going to power through. That shifted something in my head. It was enough to get me through to the end.”

Wrapping up her treatment in December 2019, Hamborg says she rushed to return to work at W.P. Sandin and reclaim a sense of normalcy and purpose.

She eased herself back into it, working mornings three days a week. And though this still left her exhausted and needing a nap when she got home from work, she pushed herself to agree to return full-time.

Then, the week before she was set to go back, a disaster — in this case, the COVID-19 pandemic — unexpectedly gave her what she needed.

“I was able to work from home. I still felt connected to work and I still felt like I had a purpose and I was contributing. But I still got be in my little family pod, which was really lovely,” she said.

Hamborg received a final confirmation that she was cancer-free in 2023.

Looking back on her experience, she says her message to others battling cancer would be to take advice she received from one of her nurses: that there’s no prize for taking the least amount of medication.

“Do whatever you need to do to be as comfortable as you can be,” she said. “Don’t be ashamed. It’s not going to look like anybody else’s [experience]. If you think you need something, go and do that thing.

Following her speech, Hamborg joined the evening’s other survivors to kick off the relay and lead the first lap around the school.

Throughout the evening, special themed laps (a Macarena lap and a three-legged race lap, to name a few) and activities like tug of war helped keep the night’s tone light and hopeful. Participants were also treated to a dance performance by Studio 747 dancers Airionna McQuillan and Kyra Parsons, and got to unwind with a yoga session led by Annette Beaulieu.

With the evening’s finish line in sight, teachers Marliese Kasner, Lindsay Kyliuk and Dianne Thorpe took the stage to share words of remembrance in the luminary speech. A luminary lap, which saw the school’s halls lined with glowing paper lanterns in honour of those who have been lost to cancer, followed to cap off the event.

“I could not be more happy with the turn out of this year’s event,” said Relay for Life committee member Taylor Henderson.

“It was amazing to watch the community come together and support those affected and fundraise money for cancer research.”
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05/30/2025

05/29/2025

Leask School celebrates grand re-opening
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Each year, as the school year comes to a close, Leask Community School opens its doors to students, their families, and community members, inviting them in for a BBQ.

This year, however, the annual open house and BBQ — which also served as a fundraiser for the school’s graduates and its senior boy’s basketball team — had a more celebratory atmosphere, as the school’s staff turned the occasion into a “grand re-opening” to mark the completion of the facility’s $6.5 million revitalization project.

Nearly 200 people came out for the evening, enjoying burgers and hot dogs with ice cream for dessert (courtesy of Pratts Wholesale Food), tours of the renewed school, and time to visit and reminisce about how the building used to look.

With costs split by the Prairie Spirit School Division and the provincial government, the revitalization project began in 2023. It included the demolition of two older wings of the building, upgrading HVAC infrastructure, completing structural upgrades, modernizing the building, enhancing land-based learning opportunities, developing play spaces, and supporting programming opportunities.

The history of Leask Community School dates back to the original one-room schoolhouse of 1923, which had just 12 students and one teacher in its first year. The current Leask Community School building was constructed in 1954, with some additions made in the years that followed to accommodate a growing student population at the time.

However, like many smaller communities in Saskatchewan, Leask’s population has gradually shrunk in recent years, meaning the building no longer needs to serve as many students as it once did. This year, the school has about 150 students enrolled from pre-kindergarten to Grade 12.

“There were lots of spaces in the building that weren’t being used, and it was becoming too costly to maintain,” explained principal Lindsey Burym.

“It was a fairly new building still, and because of where the students come from they weren’t going to tear it down. So they decided to do a renovation and revitalization here, investing money into a building big enough for 200 students, rather than 400 or more like we used to have.”

The school was renovated and modernized throughout, with repairs and upgrades made from floor to ceiling.

The original kitchen was moved across the hallway from where it once was, making space for a bright and airy student commons area; an outdoor learning space was constructed behind the school; the science lab was modernized with proper setups for gas, sinks, and fumigation; a large classroom boasts ample space for cosmetology and home economics students and their equipment; and a new community and meeting space at the front of the building was built to resemble a medicine wheel, using timbers from the old elementary wing that was torn down.

Some of the most notable changes to the school took place in its gym, which was stripped down and completely redone.

The walls, once a “pukey” shade of light green according to Burym, are now a darker green, grey and white, and the formerly orangey floor has been restored to its original wood colour. Elsewhere, the school’s stage, which was only used a couple of times each school year, was replaced with a workout room that overlooks the gym (the school acquired a portable stage and curtains that can easily be set up for special occasions).

With only minor touch-ups left to be finished, Burym says the revitalization project has already had a profound impact on the school.

“It’s changed the atmosphere in our building. There’s a lot more pride in the building, and the kids are excited about what they have,” she said.
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05/22/2025

Shellbrook doctors get taste of farm life
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

If you were born and raised on a farm or in a small town in Saskatchewan, you’ll be well accustomed to its unique way of life. But coming here from a city, or another country, can feel a bit like setting foot on another world.

A small group of local healthcare professionals got to experience this world firsthand on Saturday, May 10, when R.M. of Shellbrook Reeve Christine Strube and her husband, Glenn Strube, opened up their Foxdale-area mixed farm and ranch for the day.

Christine says she and her husband do this periodically for people who have an interest in the farm life but don’t have any means to experience it. Serving on the board of the Parkland Physician Recruitment and Retention Committee, she proposed the idea of having the doctors and their families come out for a visit this past winter, when the board was brainstorming ideas to help make the doctors and their families feel at home.

“In the past, I’ve just seen how people from towns, especially immigrants to our country and province, don’t get to have the opportunity to experience the farm life,” Christine said.

“I thought it would give them some familiarity with the surrounding area, and allow them to meet people from the area, and also give them a time to visit with the councillors from both the R.M. and the town.”

Christine’s idea was received with enthusiasm, and Town of Shellbrook CAO Kelly H***e helped coordinate everything from the town’s side, with councillors Cheryl Ledding, Brent Miller, and Tim Settee all agreeing to play a part in making the day happen.

Taking advantage of the offer were Dr. Eseosa Aghedo and his wife, Rodah, Dr. Christine Ryan and Taylor Provencher, and nurse practitioner Megan Fleury, along with their families.

The day began with a welcome to the farm, followed by an opportunity to visit with the Strube’s horses and a tour of their cattle operation, during which Christine explained the differences between the heifers, the bulls, the steers, and the cows, and fielded questions about how the beef industry works.

Kids, meanwhile, got to enjoy lawn games, as well as horseback rides, with assistance from helpers Walter Johnson (Christine’s dad), Bella Ledding, and Anna Voyer.

Though a fire ban extinguished any hopes of enjoying a fire, there was still plenty of opportunity for visiting and enjoying a good, home-cooked meal of burgers and hot dogs, thanks to the efforts of Councillor Miller.

“It was a perfect day, weather-wise, and everyone really enjoyed talking about the farm life and sharing bits and pieces about their own history, where they came from, and what life was like for them,” Christine said.

Later in the day, Christine’s husband, Glenn, took the guests on a drive to see the surrounding community — in particular, the infamous Canyon Road — and learn about its history. During a stop at the Sturgeon River Rock Crossing, Dr. Aghedo even tried his luck at catching some fish by hand.

“I hope they got the sense of community we have in Shellbrook,” Christine said. “I hope they got the sense that we are very welcoming in this community, both in the town and outside, and that we have a lot to offer.”
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05/15/2025

Philp wins National Model UN award
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

W.P. Sandin High School student Marcail Philp says she’s always been interested in politics and current global events. So, when the opportunity to join her school’s Model UN club arose, she took it.

Unfortunately, her first year with club, in 2024, was cut short after only a month due to teachers’ sanctions. So, in what was to be her first and last full year of participating in Model UN, Philp was expecting she’d just be learning the ropes when she attended the District Model UN Assembly (MUNA) in Prince Albert in April.

“I really had no clue [what to expect],” she said. “I had never been to one or seen one, so I just kept an open mind and thought I would go there to learn the process and what to do.”

Modeled after the actual United Nations, MUNA introduces students to global affairs and politics. Prior to the gathering, student delegates from each school are assigned a country to represent at the assembly, as well as two resolutions that will be discussed and debated.

At this year’s assembly in Prince Albert, the resolutions were centered around sustainable energy and immigrants and refugees.

Philp says her strategy going into the District MUNA, where she was representing France, was to prepare all her information as well as she could. This proved to be effective, allowing her to catch on quickly and find her place among her fellow delegates.

Still, Philp says her first MUNA experience wasn’t without its challenges.

“The most challenging thing is when delegates from other countries bring up points you know your country wouldn’t agree with and you have to find ways to rebut them,” she said. “Sometimes, you’re even arguing for things you wouldn’t necessarily agree with, but you have to argue on behalf of the country you’re representing.”

While she says it’s tricky to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, Philp was a natural fit. So much so, that the Prince Albert Rotary Club, which runs the District MUNA, selected her as the winner and paid for her trip to participate the National MUNA on May 2 and 3.

Philp admits that winning and advancing to Nationals wasn’t on her radar, but says she was excited for the opportunity — even as it came with the challenge of a complete perspective shift in having to represent China.

For the National MUNA, more than 150 student delegates from across the country were gathering to discuss and debate resolutions pertaining to the global refugee crisis and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to combat food insecurity on behalf of their respective countries.

Mirroring her approach to prepare for Districts, Philp says she did a lot of research to figure out where China would stand on the proposed resolutions.

“Looking from different perspectives, I would look at articles produced by Western nations to get their views of China, but then I would also find the articles that China had produced and translated to English,” Philp explained.

“It was very interesting to see the difference between what China believes of themselves, and what Western nations believe of China. To get all those different perspectives in my research was helpful.”

Despite all her research and preparation, Philp says her expectations for the National MUNA were similar to those she had going into Districts.

That’s because, in addition to being a larger gathering, the National MUNA has a different format. Where the gathering in Prince Albert saw delegates spend the entire day discussing and debating the resolutions at hand, the assembly in Winnipeg had them split into smaller groups.

There, they were given the preamble clauses for the resolutions and tasked with writing clauses that would outline steps to reach the resolutions’ intended goals, before gathering in the assembly chamber on day two to discuss, debate, and vote.

“It was very informative and very cool to hear all the perspectives — perspectives you don’t even think about when we live here in Canada,” Philp said, noting that all her fellow delegates brought interesting points and arguments to the table.

In addition to learning and growing a lot, Philp also exceeded her own expectations once again, by being selected as the recipient of the Bert Friesen Award for the Best Prepared Delegation. The prize is presented to the delegation that exhibits strong knowledge of the UN Charter and procedures, as well as knowledge of their assigned country and the resolutions, and demonstrates awareness of the broader global context.

“It was really exciting. When I was going there, I knew the process was different and I had just kind of learned how Model UN works,” Philp said. “But after the first day, I realized I was doing okay. I knew what to do and what to say, and I just kept that going.”
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