Francis Ekwunife is one of three Lloydminster students selected from across Alberta in a brand new provincial Catholic leadership award.
A Holy Rosary High School Grade 12 student is heading to Edmonton this week as one of the first recipients of a new provincial award recognizing Catholic student leaders.
Francis Ekwunife is among three HRHS students, Valentina Corredor and Milena Kokonas being the other two, chosen for the Archbishop Catholic Education Student Leadership Award – a recognition established this year by Archbishop and Most Rev. Stephen A. Hero. Valentina Corredor and Milena Kokonas also received the honour.
Every Catholic school division in Alberta selects two to three winners annually. The award was supposed to launch last year, but a vacancy between archbishops delayed it.
“Our new archbishop was really excited that this had been started and wanted to continue it,” said Wendy Orieux, an academic advisor and faith leadership team member at Holy Rosary.
A committee of 10 teachers nominated and selected the winners. Orieux said all three students stood out in different ways – through church involvement, school engagement, and how they live their faith day to day. The committee reached consensus without a formal vote.
For Ekwunife, the award carries a simple but meaningful weight.
“It means that I can represent the school and Catholic faith well,” he said. “I think it’s a really special honour from the Archbishop to notice the people who do a lot in the districts.”
When asked what that looks like day to day, his answer was grounded.
“Being a good student in school, helping out wherever you can in sports, cleaning up, answering questions in class – just being a general overall good person,” Ekwunife said.
His advice to younger students hoping to earn the recognition someday was equally straightforward.
“Live to the best of your abilities. Just live according to what Jesus calls us to live.”
The three students travel to Edmonton on Friday for a celebratory luncheon hosted by the Archdiocese. They have also been invited back in October for the annual Archbishop’s Dinner.
Orieux said the selection process was harder than expected – and that was the point.
“We want all of our students to be representing all of these qualities,” she said. “But we always know there are going to be leaders within it.”
She got emotional telling the students they had been chosen.
“I actually cried. They walked into the chapel and we told them, and their parents were there. Two of the moms cried when I told them on the phone.”
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