It’s scholarship season! This summer, we’re celebrating many outstanding achievements from students and staff throughout the Vancouver School District. From scholarship winners to awards, and recognitions – many have gone above and beyond this past school year! Today, we are highlighting two recipients that won the VSB’s $2,500 Support Workers Recognition Scholarship:

Before he started high school, Alphonzo Carillo broke his arm in a car accident. “I had to go through 11 surgeries over two years,” he explains. One of the surgeries required taking muscle tissue from his leg which prevented him from playing his favourite sports throughout high school. “The accident took a lot from my life.”

When Carillo started high school, he was introduced to a team of support staff at Gladstone Secondary that helped him with his rehabilitation. But it was Aaron Dupuis that Carillo bonded with the most. 

Dupuis helped Carillo get his physical education credits by teaching him yoga, playing basketball and keeping him on top of his physiotherapy. “With Aaron’s support, I was able to find the emotional resilience to persist physical rehabilitation and to keep working on my academics and music,” Carillo says. 

After being awarded this year’s Support Workers Recognition Scholarship, Carillo says his goal now that he’s graduated is to pursue a career in the field of business and plans to attend Langara College in the fall. 

Another support staff worker that had an impact on a student is Maureen Black, an Indigenous Education support worker at King George Secondary. Scholarship recipient Leo Beaudry reached out to Black to develop a project on truth and reconciliation at school. 

Beaudry wanted to provide learning opportunities for younger students on Indigenous education and find ways on how to incorporate the Indigenous land acknowledgement into everyday life. With Black’s support, Beaudry created Interact Club to foster Indigenous education at school.  

“[Mrs. Black] kept me involved in Indigenous activities and opportunities [at school], which has been interesting and educational,” says Beaudry. 

The District would like to acknowledge the incredible work that support staff do in our schools. Thank you for contributing your skills and expertise, and for your commitment to ensure students can thrive.

In appreciation of all support staff, we also congratulate this year’s VSB Support Workers Recognition Scholarship winners Alphonzo and Emily! We wish you the very best as you continue with your education journeys.