Stephen Wack “Confidence to Follow Your Heart” Award
The Stephen Wack “Confidence to Follow Your Heart” Award will be given to an individual who has the confidence to follow his or her heart. This award is intended to facilitate the recipient’s personal growth and development. The criteria for this award are as follows:
1. A student in grades 10, 11 and 12 at Paul Kane High School, Bellerose High School or St. Albert High School.
2. The Student must:
- Have maintained academic standing with a grade average of 80% or more in his or her current grade
- Demonstrate extraordinary commitment to personal growth in his or her daily life and strive to enhance his or her spirituality and relationships with family, friends and teammates
- Participate in hockey (in any community) and display an exemplary work ethic both on and off the ice. He or she does not have to be a leader in points, but rather demonstrates leadership qualities within his or her team
3. Priority is to be given to students who play hockey in the position of defence.
Applicants must submit all of the following:
- A short essay or video message (maximum of 5 minutes) demonstrating how they meet the above noted paragraphs 1 through 3 of the criteria
- A letter of reference from a person whom the applicant deems to be appropriate to comment on how the applicant meets the above-noted paragraphs 1 – 3 of the criteria
- A copy of the applicant’s high school transcript.
Background:
Above all else, Stephen Wack valued his relationships with God, family, friends and team-mates. Stephen always had a kind word or helping hand for others; he did what he could to contribute to the various communities he lived in as he progressed through his hockey career. A favourite phrase of Stephen’s that characterizes his values is “all roads lead back home”.
Stephen strived to live each and every day fully, and he worked hard to reach his potential and turn his dreams into reality. When asked to describe himself on University applications, Stephen wrote, “To put it simply, I am someone who loves the people close to me, loves life and enjoys working hard in all aspects of my life. I take pleasure in living a healthy lifestyle that includes playing competitive hockey, and I have been pursuing my passion for videography while running around various cities and places with a camera.”
Stephen’s love for the game of hockey, combined with his strong work ethic, guided him along his hockey path and eventually led him into the role of Assistant Captain and Defenceman for the Humboldt Broncos. Stephen was also an honours student, and his creativity and intellect led him to pursue photography and videography alongside hockey. He was a talented, self-taught videographer and intended to pursue a Business Degree and career in Videography.
In lending guidance to a fellow videographer, Stephen wrote, “I think it is almost human nature to feel this kind of pressure, as creators put so much of themselves, their time and energy into their work, and it can be somewhat of a vulnerable thing to put their art out there since it can be an extension of you. I sometimes go back to the phrase, ‘done is better than perfect’, which can definitely be true.”
The Stephen Wack Memorial Scholarship will be given to an individual who has the confidence to follow his or her heart. In his final video that he released shortly before the fatal Broncos bus accident, Stephen included a speech by Steve Jobs that states, “Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path.”
This scholarship is intended to facilitate the recipient’s personal growth and development in any area of their choosing. Examples may include, but are not limited to, development in higher education, sports, hobbies, training, classes or equipment of any kind.
