An astronomer on campus

My visit to Shawnigan Lake School was an impactful experience that enriched my entire family in myriad ways. From the first moments interfacing with the students on campus, I found that there was a culture of openness, respectfulness, and curiosity. I spent the most time with the students in the Astronomy 360 program, as one goal of my visit was to help build a scientific path forward for the Shawnigan Lake School Observatory. Students were competent, motivated, and a pleasure to work with. I was very impressed how far Mr. Nigel Mayes has carried his students in this program, and the evidence of their hard work and inspiration beautifully decorates the walls in classrooms and common areas. I very much enjoyed interacting with other students in various contexts including an open lecture on Soul Seeking day, presentations and open discussions in all Grade 10 science classes, and a few specialized lessons in the AP computer science class.

 

I was also happy to have been able to interface with the science faculty and share my passion for, and experience with, building digital literacy in teenage students during departmental meeting times. It was inspiring to interact with such a talented and dedicated faculty, and I hope that they found my insights and materials useful in some way. The AP Symposium for which I delivered a keynote talk also opened my eyes to the various ways that Shawnigan Lake School serves as a leader in the greater Vancouver Island community, and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work in solidarity with highly competent science teachers dedicated to delivering the best possible education to their charges. 

 

In addition to the beautiful scenery that my family partook in on a daily basis – from walks around the lake, to checking in on the salmon in Shawnigan Creek, to exploring the various bird and mushroom species – my family also had ample opportunity to immerse ourselves in the culture at Shawnigan. Grade 8 student Charlotte G. allowed my daughter Annika, 12, to shadow her for two weeks of classes and activities. While self-identifying as a math and science person, Annika found a new love for English and social studies in Mrs. Heather Wilke’s and Mr. Ralph Fraser’s classes. The most memorable experience for her, though, was probably the paintball activity with the entire Grade 8 class. Hard to beat that!

 

Ansel, nine, fell in love with squash the second he stepped onto the court, and spent most of his time either playing, being coached by Mr. Mike Johnson or Mr. Colin Whitney, or otherwise waiting around until the next time he was able to play. While we kept his mind active during our homeschool sessions, he revelled in the sport culture from day one when he was able to watch the boys’ ice hockey team win an intense and well-played match. 

 

My wife, Gloria, also had opportunities to touch base with faculty and staff in ways that enriched her professionally. Her highlight was meeting Ms. Patricia Hanbidge, who gave her an overview of the growing dome and planted many ideas she will bring to Thacher upon our return to Thacher from our sabbatical year.

 

Mr. Mayes, Mr. Justin Wilke, and Mr. Larry Lamont all went above and beyond to make our stay at Shawnigan Lake the most comfortable, memorable, and enjoyable time possible. This was quite challenging during our two-week stay when so much was happening – such as Founder’s Day, the AP Symposium, etc. – and people were stretched thin, but it was made worse by the fact that our car was in the shop with transmission trouble that restricted our mobility and ultimately required that we stay around for an additional week.

 

As we now drive back down the west coast all the way to Los Angeles, we are left with a feeling of warmth and gratitude toward the Shawnigan community, and we hope to be back soon. I am already planning a reciprocal visit for Mr. Mayes in the fall of 2025 where we can continue our astronomical collaboration.