Four Exceptional Student-Athletes Graduates Receive Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary
/Four graduating student-athletes were recipients of the annual Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame Bursary Award at a presentation ceremony at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Wednesday night.
(Left to right) Linda de Jeu, PDSHoF Second Vice Chair; Ireland Payne, TASS graduate; Ava Johnston, Adam Scott Graduate, Brynn Jenkins, Crestwood Graduate; Finn Hughes, Holy Cross Graduate and Tim Barrie, first vice chair. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Finn Hughes, Brynn Jenkins, Ava Johnston, and Ireland Payne were this year’s winners, taking home $2,000 apiece from the bursary. Each recipient was a graduating high school student that attending University in the fall.
This year’s winners will have their headshots commemorated in the Hall of Fame and their names etched into the history of the awards’ beneficiaries. The award has been given annually to four recipients since 1996 (with 2020 having six).
Hughes graduated from Holy Cross Secondary School, will attend Laurier University, study Business Administration and play rugby for the Golden Hawks.
He is an honours student with a 90 per cent average.
The Hurricane alumnus captained football, basketball, and rugby for Holy Cross. He was named senior athlete of the year and earned several MVP awards. He also served on the school’s student council.
In the community, he was a member of the U18 Team Canada rugby program, U19 Team Ontario rugby, Peterborough Pagans, Petes minor hockey and Otters football.
As a volunteer, Hugues was a link leader at Holy Cross, volunteered with special needs students, was an OFSAA lacrosse volunteer and gave back to minor hockey as a referee and scorer and timer.
“It's an honour,” explained Hughes. “I'd just like to thank the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame for thinking of us and getting us in here. It feels great.”
Jenkins graduated from Crestwood Secondary School this past summer with a 94 per cent average as an honours student. She is attending Queens University, studying Health Sciences and will play varsity rugby.
At Crestwood, she played rugby, basketball, volleyball, track and field and wrestling. She was captain of the rugby team and earned an OFSAA gold medal in wrestling. She competed at OFSAA in track and field for four years. She earned MVP honours in rugby and was given the Dysart award, one of the highest athletic honours at Crestwood.
Outside of school, Jenkins was a member of the Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club, played Kawartha lacrosse, soccer and has attended the Rugby Canada development academy.
Jenkins was an active volunteer. She worked with Kawartha Food Share, was a referee for junior rugby, coached mini rugby and advocated for black athletes on social media.
“It feels wonderful to be recognized for all of the hard work that I've put in and all of us,” said Jenkins.
Johnston is a graduate of Adam Scott Collegiate and is attending the University of Guelph. She will study Health Sciences and play rugby for the Gryphons.
The 96 per cent average honours student played high school rugby, volleyball, wrestling and ultimate frisbee. She was captain of several teams, leading them to OFSAA gold medals in Ultimate and Kawartha and COSSA championships in Rugby and volleyball. She was Adam Scott’s senior female athlete of the year and earned many MVP awards.
Johnston was a member of the Ice Kats for hockey, part of the Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club and has been a member of the Ontario Rugby program.
Off the field, the Adam Scott Lion alumnus was a Sunday school volunteer and assisted with the Million Meals program. She was also an active volunteer and referee at the KPR elementary rugby and ultimate tournaments.
“It's just really awarding putting in a ton of hours into both sports and off the field,” explained Jenkins. “It's satisfying knowing that you're getting recognition for all of it and it's awesome for all of us.”
