A former student from Holy Trinity is one of the 22 recipients across the country receiving the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.
Reagan Morris, who graduated this past June, was chosen for the scholarship which is worth $28,000 over the next four years.
This honour is given to students by the Terry Fox Humanitarian Foundation who share some of the same principles, values, and goals that the Canadian legend once had.
“I feel like this award isn’t just mine, this award belongs to the people that have helped me get here,” said Morris.
“Whenever I hear just my name associated with it I feel like it’s doing a disservice to my parents who pushed me to be my best, my teachers who encouraged me to find what makes me passionate.”
Morris applied for the scholarship after being persuaded by her guidance counselor. In May, she was asked to head down to Calgary for an interview.
A couple of weeks later, she received a call from John Kearsey, the Board of Directors for the program, telling her she was chosen.
Kearsey also told Morris that he doesn’t usually call recipients, however, Fred Fox, Terry’s brother, asked him to after she reminded him of Terry.
“To be compared to a Canadian hero like that is unbelievable, this entire situation has been unbelievable, but it’s very validating that the work that I’m doing is necessary and the work that I’m doing is actually making a difference,” she added.
Morris has been one of the main supporters for the LGBTQ community in Fort McMurray, even organizing a walkout at Holy Trinity protesting the provincial government’s stance on GSA’s.
She will be attending the University of Alberta where she plans to pursue a career in education.
Morris says the end goal for her will be to have a job in her field in Fort McMurray.
“My biology teacher that I’ve had throughout high school, Sandria Christie, wants me to be her student teacher when the time comes and I want nothing more. My hope is I’ll be able to do my practicum alongside her and come back here and become a teacher and one day a principle.”
Morris also thanked her grade 12 teachers, Susan Wilkie, Barb MacInnis, Jay Duffett, Chris Poulsen, Lisa Podor, Nancy Lawson, and Sandria Christie, who helped her throughout her last year of high school.