Four Brantford high school graduates receive prestigious scholarships

Four of the brightest young minds among Brantford high school graduates have been awarded prestigious scholarships.

Since 1996 the James Hillier Foundation has presented a total of $1.33 million in scholarships to 74 area students, each receiving $5,000 per year over four years.

In his opening remarks at a ceremony on June 14 at Apotex Pharmachem on Spalding Drive, James Hillier Foundation selection committee chair Peter Dennis said the team was concerned about whether the quality of the candidates might have been adversely affected by the pandemic’s impact on education.

“I can assure you that was definitely not the case,” he said. “As usual we were blown out of the water by the applications and especially the interviews.

“Our future is in good hands.”

TORRIN BIGRIGG

Torrin Bigrigg, 18, is graduating from St. John’s College with an average of 97.

She is heading to Queen’s University this fall in the engineering program.

“I want to focus on environmental engineering and engineer economical, effective, and worthwhile means of reducing carbon emission, conserving water, creating more sustainable alternatives to plastics, and producing cleaner energy,” Bigrigg explained. “I have always been really passionate about the environment and have known that’s what I want to go into.”

She was involved in an eco team in elementary school and started a similar effort at St. John’s College last year to collect batteries for proper recycling, clean up the community, and plant trees.

Bigrigg has been on students’ council since Grade 10, serving as an events coordinator, and is currently its co-president.

“I plan on being involved in clubs and areas at university where I can advocate for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) where there is under-representation.”

Not only did Bigrigg receive a James Hillier scholarship, but she is one of five entrants to the engineering program at Queen’s – and the only female – to be awarded a prestigious Schulich Leadership Scholarship valued at $120,000.

Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded annually to 100 entrepreneurial-minded high school graduates enrolled in STEM programs at 20 partner universities across Canada.

“Now I’ll be part of this network that started in 2012, so there’s hundreds of Schulich Leaders from the past decade,” she noted. “I’m really excited to connect with them.”

The daughter of Kent and Gillian Bigrigg, Torrin has worked part-time throughout high school, including two jobs over the past two years.

“The fact that now all my tuition and residence is covered, it feels like all the hard work has paid off,” she observed. “It still hasn’t set in and (doesn’t) feel real.”

Bigrigg said she is so grateful to the James Hillier Foundation and the Schulich Foundation.

“I don’t think I will understand the impact it’s had on me for years to come. It’s really life changing and will definitely continue to have a huge impact on my life for many years to come.”

TATYANA ZEBROSKI

Tatyana Zebroski, 18, has maintained a 98 average throughout her years at Brantford Collegiate Institute.

She is heading to Western University in September to study medical sciences.

“For as long as I can remember it’s been my interest,” she explained. “I had a kid’s book, The Human Body, when I was two or three, and I just loved it. I had a stethoscope and thermometer and would go around checking my family members.”

Working with Montessori kindergarten students while in Grade 8, Zebroski discovered she loved working with children, sparking her interest in pediatric medicine.

She also did volunteer work at Brantford General Hospital in the surgical in-patient cardiovascular-respiratory wards and at the cancer clinic.

“These volunteer experiences have further strengthened my career goal to be a pediatric oncologist and childhood cancer researcher,” she shared. “I want to be able to help bring hope and healing to really young patients and their families.”

In the summer of her Grade 11 year Zebroski attended a Harvard pre-college program where her passion for medical research blossomed.

As part of the course, she created a research proposal on Sanfilippo Syndrome, a devastating pediatric neuro-degenerative disease with no cure and a life expectancy in the teens. She plans to continue that research at Western University.

“I’m so grateful to the Hillier Foundation for awarding me the scholarship,” said the daughter of Thadeus and Sandra Zebroski. “I also feel very grateful for all the support and opportunities I’ve had to learn about science.”

Zebroski was also awarded a President’s Entrance Scholarship from Western University valued at $50,000.

“I have always had a good work ethic and have been very driven to do well in my courses.”

JEREMY HOARE

Jeremy Hoare, 17, is graduating from Paris District High School with an average of 94.

He is enrolled in Materials and Nano-Sciences at the University of Waterloo in September.

Hoare plans to attain a master’s degree and PhD, then gain experience to pursue a career in research and development of materials for the nuclear and defense industries.

“I’m thinking I want to do something with making stronger, lighter, and cheaper materials for shielding the exterior of jets, or shielding nuclear reactors, finding ways to make them more cost effective and better,” he explained.

Hoare recalls speaking with a professor at a university fair that shone a light on a career in science and research.

“I wasn’t just interested, I was hooked,” he shared. “It was a breath of fresh air hearing about her education and her career path because it sounded exactly like what I wanted to do.”

Design Technology teacher Andrew Bernardo described Hoare as “an incredibly bright, young person.

“At heart he’s an ideas guy who doesn’t just stop at the idea,” said the PDHS teacher. “He pursues it, creates it, and will not let go until it meets his incredibly high standards.”

Hoare, the son of Mike Hoare and Sara Waite of St. George, said receiving the James Hillier scholarship is a boost of confidence.

“It’s helped me relax a bit when thinking about next year,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about money, and I can focus on going to school, doing well, and preparing for the future.”

NOAH GONCALVES

Noah Goncalves, 18, graduates this year from Assumption College School with an average of 98.

He is enrolled this fall in biological, biomedical, and life sciences at McGill University.

“I’ve always been attracted to medical science because my dad is a Doctor of Chiropractic,” he explained. “Ever since I was a little kid I would go to his clinic, and I have these excellent memories of being in a place where people are healed.

“That’s always been in my heart. I want to help people and through research I can help people who currently can’t be helped if they have a disease that is difficult to, or can’t be, treated.

“Scientific research is one of the things I cherish most in my life.”

Goncalves said achieving academic success is directly co-related to your work ethics and applying yourself.

“I’ve worked very hard to get the marks I have, that reflect the work I’ve put in.”

He hopes to play a role in cementing morality at the research level.

“Scientific research must always have humanity’s best interests at heart and should not be done solely for the sake of profit.”

The son of Dan and Sylvie Goncalves, Noah said he had to pinch himself a few times when he got the call announcing he had received the Hillier scholarship,

“It’s a huge honor and I’m really thankful to have been chosen,” he shared. “I’m not going to let this opportunity go to waste.”

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