Tom Egan Award presented at CDDHS Royal Recognition Ceremony

June 7, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By MARNI WALSH

June 1st marked the first Royal Recognition Awards at Centre Dufferin District High School’s (CDDHS) Year End Assembly. With only 13 school days left, the full student body gathered in the gymnasium to support and celebrate the achievements of fellow classmates, including the recipient of the Tom Egan Community Service Award.

Principal Wendy McIntosh said the new awards ceremony is all about showcasing the students of CDDHS and taking a moment to recognize the great things they do for the community.

“It is not based on academic or athletic performance,” says Ms. McIntosh. “It is about work ethic, helping others, leadership, citizenship, volunteerism, respect and having a positive attitude.”

Three students per grade were recognized last Friday including, from grade 9: Franny McGowan, Krista Rambally, Adam Gill; from grade 10: Grace Manser, Noah Milsap, Laura Wagstaff; from grade 11: Wiley McGowan, Anniston Tyrell, Ethan Miceli; and from grade 12: Nick Bannon, Alli Litt, and Britney Dwomoh.

Four specialty awards included: the Stronger Together Citizenship Award presented by Councillor Steve Anderson to Tamaz Sellito; the Community Service Award presented by the family of Tom Egan and Councillor Wade Mills to Dorian Jeffrey-Jones; the One Voice One Team Award presented by Jermaine Fazier to Kimanie Turner, Kelly Portillo, Anniston Tyrell, Merida Moffat, Wylie McGowan; and the Winner of Pay-it-Forward submissions presented by Principal McIntosh to Sarah Bannon.

The late Mr. Egan’s son Tom spoke to the students about his father’s commitment to community, reminding them that something as simple as a wave to a passer-by was “an easy investment with guaranteed returns.”

Councillor Wade Mills spoke on behalf of the Town of Shelburne, where Tom Egan sat as a Councillor for many years:

“The Community Service Award has been created in memory of Councillor Tom Egan and honours the values that Tom espoused during his years of service to this community,” said Mr. Mills. “I had the pleasure to serve with Tom as a fellow Councillor and was always struck by his quiet, yet compelling presence.”

He added, “Tom was not a showman and his service to this community was never about self-promotion. Tom gave of himself selflessly, and he did so out of deep love for this community and the people who live here. Tom’s leadership style was characterized by a quiet humility. He didn’t always have a lot to say, but when he spoke he did so with a certain authority that people respected. This award is a way to honour Tom’s legacy of service to this community and it will hopefully inspire the same commitment to service among our young people.”

CDDHS teacher Jane Godbold opened her introduction to the recipient of the Tom Egan Award with a quote from Martin Luther King, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?”

“The answer to that question is a personal choice for each and every one of us,” said Ms. Godbold. “Mr. Egan answered that question through his years of service to the Town of Shelburne. Today, we are recognizing a student who walks tall among us.”

She continued, “He is involved in the school community through athletics and peer coaching, recently returning with our student athletes who participated at the Provincial Special Olympics. This student is respected by his peers and teachers. He is described as someone who gets along with everyone. Beyond the doors of Centre Dufferin, his dedication in the community of Shelburne has seen him as an active leader over the past three years in a youth sports drop-in program. His supervisor describes him as being an asset and great role model to the younger students he works with. He is very proud of the leader that he has become within the community. Giving back is not about the mandatory 40 hours of community service that you need to graduate – it is about asking yourself . . . what am I doing for others? It is with great pride that we recognize Dorian Jeffrey Jones for his service to the community.”

Congratulations to all the Royal Recognition Award winners of Centre Dufferin District High School from the Shelburne Free Press.