The Glyn Fitzgerald award has honoured Carihi graduates who excel in scholarship, sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship since 1966.
This year the award went to Charlotte Morrison, a student, who, throughout her time at Carihi, has contributed to the community and strived for excellence.
Glyn Cecil Fitzgerald was born on June 6, 1933 in Alert Bay. He attended school in Campbell River, and although he graduated from Lord Byng High School in Vancouver, he was well-rounded as a high school student. He was an athlete, an avid community volunteer, and the president of his student council in his Grade 12 year.
He went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree at UBC and graduated with honours in History and Mathematics.
Post-graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Canadian Navy. In 1963 he was appointed base manager and pilot of the Okanagan Helicopters establishment in Campbell River, and on Sept. 19, 1965, Fitzgerald was killed in a flying accident in rugged mountainous terrain in the Tofino/Zaballos region of Vancouver Island.
Jane Kolmatycki, a counsellor at Carihi explained the start of the annual award.
“His many friends in aviation and in the village community decided to set up a Memorial Fund for an annual award to the graduating Carihi student who best exemplifies the qualities of scholarship, sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship. So, in 1966, the year of our first graduating class, we honoured our first graduate with this award, a tradition we are still doing, some 48 years later,” she said.
This year, at the Scholarship and Bursary evening, Morrison received the Glyn Fitzgerald award. Sean Toal, the principal of Carihi, presented her with the award and spoke of the Morrison’s achievements.
“To be considered for the Glyn, it is imperative that the student demonstrate outstanding work ethic and performance in the classroom,” Toal said. “Charlotte consistently ranks at the top of her class and is described as hard working and conscientious - a student who strives to excel.
“We are also honoured to recognize her contributions to the school and to the community that show her to be a well-rounded individual, who seems to be at every event and function working selflessly behind the scenes in the spirit of service leadership. It has been a pleasure getting to know this young lady over the past three years. Her positive attitude, constant smile, and genuine care and support of her friends and classmates exemplifies her worthiness of this award. Even though, after a tough test this year, she joked with me about lowering her standards to becoming a ‘C’ student to relieve the pressure she puts on herself (she has been a principal’s honour roll student since she arrived here at Carihi), I am confident that she will continue to excel in whatever she chooses to pursue.”