In this series, we applaud the difference-makers who have graduated with honours across the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) community of high schools. These outstanding students were recognized with an OCSB graduate award at their graduation ceremony this year. Congratulations to all the graduating students who received awards this year. We celebrate every bit of progress you made towards a promising future!
The Director of Education Award for Academic Perseverance
This award is given to a graduating student who has persevered in completing all the requirements for obtaining an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, including the community service component and has demonstrated courage and determination while facing and overcoming adversity. Recipients of this award will receive a certificate and a $1,500 bursary.
Here are this year’s recipients:
| Kayleigh Bourgaize | All Saints High School |
| Maya Hamad | Holy Trinity High School |
| Ferdous Sediqi | Immaculata High School |
| Téah Forbes | Lester B. Pearson High School |
| Genet Abraham | Notre Dame High School |
| Emily Lawson | Sacred Heart High School |
| Evandro Mpembele | St. Francis Xavier High School |
| (Student Would Like To Remain Anonymous) | St. Joseph High School |
| Dalal Kulaib | St. Josephine Virtual High School |
| Lauren Beavis | St. Mark High School |
| Emma Flynn-Mantyla | St. Matthew High School |
| Nabhan Hamid | St. Mother Teresa High School |
| B’Elanna Robinson | St. Patrick’s High School |
| Izzy Wasilka | St. Paul High School |
| Julianna Umadac | St. Peter High School |
| Ava Pallotta | St. Pius X High School |
The Director of Education Graduate Student Award
These students exemplify the Ontario Catholic School Graduate expectations and have been accepted at a university or college. Each award winner achieved a high academic average in their Grade 11 and Grade 12 subjects and completed all Ontario Secondary School diploma requirements while consistently demonstrating positive social attitudes throughout their high school years. They are self-directed, responsible, lifelong learners who develop and demonstrate their God-given potential. They are caring individuals who attend to the needs of their family, school, parish and community. Recipients of this award will receive a certificate and a $1,500 bursary.
Here are this year’s recipients:
| David Rosocha | All Saints High School |
| Hephzibah Omunizua | Holy Trinity High School |
| Melody Berhane | Immaculata High School |
| Pablo Gonzalez | Lester B. Pearson High School |
| Ralf Mitchel Burlas | Notre Dame High School |
| Troy Arambulo | Sacred Heart High School |
| Lilly Meechan | St. Francis Xavier High School |
| Erika Murphy | St. Joseph High School |
| Monica Dimitrova | St. Josephine Virtual High School |
| Amelia Hines | St. Mark High School |
| Lauren Unger | St. Matthew High School |
| Gemma Valliere | St. Mother Teresa High School |
| Gabriella West | St. Patrick’s High School |
| Ansh Kakkar | St. Paul High School |
| Amy MacDonald | St. Peter High School |
| Amanneet Sandhu | St. Pius X High School |
Walking Towards Reconciliation
The winners of this award have been involved with an initiative, project or event that has tried to encourage reconciliation, demonstrating empathy and understanding of the context, culture, perspectives or history of Indigenous peoples. Through daily actions and behaviours, they have shown an appreciation of the value of Indigenous cultures to Canadian society. Recipients of this award will receive a certificate and a $1,000 bursary.
Here are this year’s recipients:
| Celina Nguyen | All Saints High School |
| Rileigh Sandeman | Holy Trinity High School |
| Alu Mary Unimna | Immaculata High School |
| Flavia Ingaribe | Lester B. Pearson High School |
| Iya Mendoza | Notre Dame High School |
| Gabriella Reitano | Sacred Heart High School |
| Abbey Richards | St. Francis Xavier High School |
| Trevor Ng | St. Joseph High School |
| Sharaphaajan Sivapalan | St. Josephine Virtual High School |
| Alice Nesrallah | St. Mark High School |
| Jenny Bangoub | St. Matthew High School |
| Lily Cyr | St. Mother Teresa High School |
| Angelina Squirrel | St. Patrick’s High School |
| Léonie Christelle Lado Nguedam | St. Paul High School |
| Josefine Lukaszek | St. Peter High School |
| Taylor Thibodeau | St. Pius X High School |
Inspire Award
The OCSB Inspire award is sponsored by multiple donors, including Deloitte and Kanata Forming LTD. The successful candidate will be a graduating student in an Inclusion, DE or ECL program who was eligible for “school to 21” programs. The recipient of this bursary displays a positive attitude toward their studies and demonstrates good citizenship through a positive contribution to life at school and/or in the community.
Here are this year’s recipients:
| Ziggy Becker | Immaculata High School |
| Jocelynne Petelle | Lester B. Pearson High School |
| Ariana Boyce | Notre Dame High School |
| Chloe Lawson | Sacred Heart High School |
| Hayward Barrows | St. Mark High School |
| Noah Chodnicki | St. Matthew High School |
| Daniel Baldwin -Cunningham | St. Mother Teresa High School |
| Halim Bitar | St. Patrick’s High School |
| (No students eligible this year) | St. Paul High School |
| Ben Bourassa | St. Pius X High School |
| Hailey Frost | St. Francis Xavier High School |
Destination Employability Award
This award is given to graduating students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the Destination Employability program at their high school. The following students have completed their Ontario Secondary School diploma or certificate requirements and show exceptional talent for their chosen pathway. Recipients of this award will receive a certificate and a $500 bursary.
Here are this year’s recipients:
| Kaden Miriguay | All Saints High School |
| Efrem Tewelde | Holy Trinity High School |
| Miguel Heredia Tobar | Immaculata High School |
| A.J. Lamothe | Lester B. Pearson High School |
| Mohamed Elagami | Notre Dame High School |
| Kierran O’Donnell | Sacred Heart High School |
| (Student Would Like To Remain Anonymous) | St. Francis Xavier High School |
| (Student Would Like To Remain Anonymous) | St. Joseph High School |
| Casey Wilson | St. Mark High School |
| Damian Rochon | St. Matthew High School |
| Aleksandr Ten | St. Mother Teresa High School |
| Ali Abood | St. Patrick’s High School |
| Adoni Zito | St. Paul High School |
| Joseph Gaudreau | St. Peter High School |
Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Award
This award is given to graduating students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program at their high school. They have completed their Ontario Secondary School diploma requirements, including the community service component and demonstrate a special dedication to pursuing a career in the skilled trades. They also have:
- attained outstanding success in the view of their employers and cooperative education teachers;
- demonstrated a well-rounded achievement in their education and community involvement; and
- attained exceptional achievement in the context of economic, cultural or social barriers.
Recipients of this award will receive a certificate and a $1,000 bursary.
Here are this year’s recipients:
| Samuel Pampena | All Saints High School |
| Nicholas Le’Count | Holy Trinity High School |
| Ameer Issa-Thageel | Immaculata High School |
| Keren Katungu | Lester B. Pearson High School |
| Kenneth Meier | Notre Dame High School |
| Wyatt Belanger | Sacred Heart High School |
| Gabriel O’Byrne | St. Francis Xavier High School |
| Leah Crane | St. Joseph High School |
| Christopher Gillis | St. Mark High School |
| Jodi Beltran | St. Matthew High School |
| Holly Stoyles | St. Mother Teresa High School |
| John Byrnes | St. Patrick’s High School |
| Katelin Laflamme | St. Paul High School |
| Nicholas Rino | St. Peter High School |
Want to see more High School Honours recipients?
Check out all the recipients of the 2023 High School Honours in these additional posts.