High school is almost done for Sabrina Sapienza and Sarah Lanteigne, but their commitment to being involved in their community won’t end when they start their post-secondary tenure at Brock University this fall.

The two 18-year-old girls were named as the recipients of the 2016 Principal’s Scholarship for Governor Simcoe Secondary School in St. Catharines Monday, May 2.

They are among a group of 58 high school students from across the Niagara region who are receiving $2,500 entrance scholarships from Brock this year.

The University’s recruiting team has had a busy couple of weeks visiting nearly every secondary school in the region.

Sapienza and Lanteigne were proud of what receiving the awards symbolizes.

“To me it means everything,” said Sapienza, who is enrolling in concurrent education. “It was always important to be involved in student activities. To know that my hard work didn’t go unnoticed is a really good feeling.”

Lanteigne, who will be taking kinesiology, said she’s looking forward to being involved at Brock.

“It’s good to know I’m not just going to be another student at Brock, but I am going to be part of the Brock community and an asset to them,” she said.

The recipients — two from each local high school — are selected by principals based on a combination of academic achievements and the students’ involvement in school and in the community.

“We want to seek the leaders who are graduating from high school because we want them to pursue both of those aspects in their development at Brock: their academic and intellectual development, but also their pattern of intense community engagement,” said Brock President Jack Lightstone. “We hope they will become the community’s future leaders.”

At Sir Winston Churchill earlier in the day Monday, when two graduating students were also presented with the awards, principal Carol Purcer called the Brock scholarships a “wonderful incentive for our students.”

She said picking the recipients wasn’t an easy task.

“Most kids who apply have done an awful lot at the school,” she said. “I have to weigh out those who really represent what the scholarship is all about – well-rounded citizens who we want to move forward.”

Brock’s recruiting team will continue to award the remaining scholarships this week.

Brock University President Jack Lightstone, front row centre, presented Principal’s Scholarships to graduating Ridley College students Liam Wilson, left, and Mackenzie Berkhout. In the back row are Steve Clarke, Deputy Head of Upper School, Ed Kidd, Headmaster and Matt Bowie from the guidance office.

From left, Boomer the Badger mascot, Sir Winston Churchill student Sydney Acott, Brock President Jack Lighstone, Joseph Gottli from Brock’s Recruitment and Liaison Services and Sir Winston Principal Carol Purcer.