Christian high grad wins scholarship for leadership

Laurel Graham speaks from experience when she shares advice with future graduates: “Try as many things as you can while you are [a student], because it makes high school enjoyable and helps you decide what you want to do as you look ahead to your future.”

Graham certainly tried a wide range of things during her years as a student at Smithville Christian High School. In school she was involved in clubs, sports and extracurriculars, and in the wider community she provided leadership in church and in the hockey arena. From teaching Sunday school to taking part in her school’s art and photography clubs, her participation in the community stands out.

This recent graduate’s excellence hasn’t gone unnoticed; she is the winner of a scholarship in the amount of $8,000 from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association and Dairy Farmers of Ontario bursary program.

“This scholarship will help me because I want to be able to graduate debt-free,” Graham told CC. “It helps with the stress of how I am going to afford post-secondary, which will help me better focus on my schoolwork.”

With a passion for science, medicine and genetics, she will be entering the Neuroscience program at Brock University next year. And despite the pace of university studies, she won’t forget about hockey, as she plans on using her referee skills to officiate intramural games.

With over five years of hockey experience, she has gained a reputation on the ice for her hard work, sportsmanship and determination. These traits have carried over to the other sports she played in high school, from her participation on volleyball and track teams to her success in basketball and soccer, where she won gold and silver medals respectively.

Graham’s commitment to sports exemplifies her devotion to all aspects of life. This includes her faith.

“My parents decided to put me and my siblings through Christian education even when money was tight,” she says. “Because of that, I have been able to learn and work on my faith in an environment that encourages my faith walk.”

“I have been able to trust that God knows the plan he has for me because it was stressful choosing what I wanted to do for post-secondary,” Graham said when asked by CC how her faith has impacted her education journey. “I have a hope through Jesus that even when things are hard and challenging, I know the end of the story, and it is a happy ending.”