One of the most moving moments in Hawthorn’s Upper School Graduation and Closing Ceremony is the Special Recognition Awards, and particularly Virtue Recognition. This honour is given to students in gr 8-12 who have been noted by two or more teachers, staff, or mentors for displaying virtue at various times this school year.
This year seven students were named for having shown exceptional goodness and integrity. Our Director of Character Education, Ms Yu, had the distinct pleasure of presenting these young women with a Virtue Recognition Award, something unique to our school and in which we take great pride. Because alongside the pursuit of academic excellence, Hawthorn knows that character counts, and we go out of our way to nurture and celebrate it.
Here is the description of the qualities that determined the choice of each of this year’s deserving award recipients. Congratulations, girls!
Simona ’28 – Kindness
One volunteer said the following about this student: “By her warm friendliness, sunny personality, and sensitivity, she notices others, even the volunteers in the school, and she goes out of her way to make them feel welcomed, included, and valued. Her genuine kindness scatters joy all around her like the petals of a flower.”
Ebunoluwa ’27 – Leadership
She is always cheerful, positive, and gives people the benefit of the doubt. She is not judgmental and she supports her friends in academics as well as in social settings. A few months ago, some of our students went to a social event at Crescent School, and before we left, this student wasn’t shy in approaching Crescent School’s Assistant Head to thank him and share some thoughts with him. After their brief exchange, he turned to me and said, “You have a leader there.”
Maria Daniela ’27 – Gift of Understanding
Thirteen students attended the March for Life in Ottawa. After the experience, this student said that the trip was life-changing. She said, “One thing is learning about our faith in a book, and another thing is seeing it lived by others.” A week or two later, an adult who hardly comes to Hawthorn, said that she had asked this student about her impressions of the March for Life. The student then gave a summary and explanation of all the events and talks that she had attended. This adult was so impressed with how much this student had remembered about the talks, and how she articulated what she had learned.
Martha ’27 and Yuna ’28 – Responsibility
To have been able to participate in the March for Life, we needed the support of many individuals and organizations. Mr. Buda, one of our generous chaperones, bought thank you cards that all of us could sign for two special supporters. One student was given the task of asking all the other participants to sign the cards by a certain day. Two days before the deadline, she got the cards and left them for the last student to sign. The next day, however, the cards were nowhere to be found. This student looked all over the school, asked everyone, and asked that an announcement be made over the PA, but the cards didn’t appear. [Sorry Mr. Buda!] After school, the student who had not signed the cards apologized for the missing cards, bought two new beautiful cards, and the next day she ensured that all the other students signed the cards in the morning. Sometimes I wonder if people do things because they’re asked to do them by their parents, so I asked this student, “Why did you decide to buy the cards yesterday?” She said, “It was my fault. I lost them.”
Ximena ’25 and Anna ’25 – Courage and Dependability
An essential part of the Upper School play was paying the bills and ensuring that there would be enough money in the bank for next year. These two students devised a plan to get businesses in the plaza to pay for advertising space in the program that would be distributed to everyone in the audience. Before going to the stores, they changed into their #1 dress, printed out a sponsorship letter, had a handout with the pricing, and had complimentary tickets for the play to give out, and everything was neatly placed in an envelope. They spoke respectfully, confidently, and eloquently. Minimum wage is $17.20 an hour; they spent less than an hour talking to two businesses. From the first store, they got $175. In the second shop, they walked out with a $500 cheque and a necklace for the gala’s silent auction. One of these students ran for student council at the beginning of the school year, and said that she would approach businesses for sponsorship as Treasurer. She didn’t get elected as Treasurer, but she followed through in getting sponsorships from businesses.