McCall Huron County Scholarship Recipients 2026
This year’s ten recipients will be pursuing a range of programs, including chemistry, architecture, occupational therapy, and theatre, at a variety of institutions, including the University of Toronto Mississauga, the University of Ottawa, and Durham College.


Clara DeBoer
Central Huron Secondary School
Architecture – Construction Engineering Technology, Conestoga College
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| Clara is the Co-President of her Student Council, President of the 4-H Club, and a member of the school’s curling and tennis teams. Clara volunteers at the Blyth Lions Club and the Seaforth Agriplex Complex, where she has supported many community events for over five years. She was selected as a Seaforth Junior Ambassador in 2023 in recognition of her commitment to her community. Over the summer, Clara started her own up-cycling clothing line where she up-cycled clothes from thrift stores and garage sales in an effort to reduce clothing waste. She has also worked on a local farm for over 4 years and regularly babysits. |

Hannah Hewitt
Central Huron Secondary School
Theatre and Drama Studies, University of Toronto, Mississauga
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| Hannah is the President of her school’s Music Council, Section Leader of the alto-saxophones in the Concert, Jazz, and Honour Bands, and an active member in her school and community drama clubs. She helped plan a local edition of MusicFest Canada Regionals, which provided Huron County high schools and music programs with the opportunity to compete in the national festival and improve access to regional and national music opportunities more broadly. Hannah has also acted in training programs for local First Responders, helping simulate realistic disaster and accident scenes for community firefighters. Hannah also works at a local restaurant. |

Ashlyn Hills
F.E. Madill Secondary School
Human Kinetics, University of Guelph
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| Ashlyn has played minor soccer in her community for over a decade and is currently a U8 soccer coach. At school, Ashlyn is also a member of the Nordic skiing, basketball, and soccer teams. She is a swim instructor and the head lifeguard at her community pool, which she has worked at for over three years. Outside of sports, Ashlyn has volunteered at the annual North Huron Community Food Share for over 12 years, where she helps organize and distribute food to local food banks and families in need. She has also worked seasonally at a local farm as a hired hand. |

Sofia Kluz
St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School
Health Sciences, Western University
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| Sofia is Co-Prime Minister of her Student Cabinet, Captain of the Swim team, and a multi-sport athlete at her school. She founded the Mathletes club in her school with a goal of making competition math more accessible in rural communities. Sofia also works as the Master Head Coach at the local swim club, where she created the community’s first adult beginner swimming program. Sofia completed the required coaching courses to teach adults herself and also grew the program from four to thirty adults over a year. |

Clare McDade
St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School
Biomedical Sciences, University of Ottawa
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| Clare is the Co-Prime Minister of the Student Cabinet and an active member of the Anti-Racism and Culture Club. She attends Mathletes and Chemistry Club and plays soccer and tennis at her school. In her Student Cabinet role, she helped organize multiple projects and fundraisers, including the 2025 Advent Project, which donated menstrual hygiene products to the community, raising awareness of period poverty. Outside of school, Clare volunteers with the Alzheimer Society Huron-Perth and Community Living Central Huron, supporting children with disabilities. Clare also works part-time at a local pharmacy as a Student Assistant. |

Connor Moran
F.E. Madill Secondary School
Engineering, Western University
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| Connor has played Minor hockey with several community teams over the last 12 years and was a camp instructor and trainer at two hockey Goalie Camps over the summer. He is also a senior member of his school hockey and fitness teams, where he designed and built a budget-friendly machine for the school gym. Connor plays community baseball and golf and is part of the school golf team. He has worked as a camp instructor at a community golf camp. Outside of sports, Connor has worked at two local restaurants and has done sheet metal work at a local mechanics shop. |

Kate Reid
St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School
Chemistry, Carleton University
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| Kate is a competitive figure skater and volunteer coach, supporting the CanSkate program at her community skating club for over nine years. Through CanSkate, Kate helped coach multiple young skaters in her community and designed a special off-ice training program for the competitive figure skating team. At school, Kate is the Captain of the Rugby team and an active member of the Chemistry, Mathletes, and Anti-Racism and Culture clubs. She also plays baseball, badminton, and the guitar in her free time and works at a local restaurant. |

April Selkirk
Goderich District Collegiate Institute
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| April is the Youth Representative for United Way’s Mid-Huron Community Committee and has been volunteering with the organization for over four years. In this role, she reviews youth grants and funding proposals from community non-profit organizations, helping to identify and respond to community needs in housing and the cost of living. April was Team Captain for the Goderich Coldest Night of the Year team, where she led education days and coordinated Goderich students to raise awareness and funds for homelessness initiatives. She has also worked at local restaurants and as a co-op student at a university research lab. |

Ty Smale
Central Huron Secondary School
Powerline Technician, Conestoga College
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| Ty is a hockey player and cross-country runner in his school and community, and has a keen passion for music. Ty helps organize music for the Seaforth Summerfest each year, helping find local performers, setting up the stage, and performing at the festival himself. Ty also performed a one-hour set at the Tanner Steffler Foundation’s Six Strings event to raise awareness and funds for youth mental health and addiction support in the community. Outside of music and hockey, Ty enjoys hands-on and outdoor work, recently completing a co-op at Festival Hydro. He has also worked as a labourer at a local masonry firm for over four years and at a hardware store. |

Addison Thibeault
South Huron District High School
Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist Assistant, Durham College
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| Addison is the Co-President of her Student Council and a mental health student liaison. She is also active in several community sports clubs. In her Student Council role, Addison plans and implements school activities, fundraisers, and school spirit events aimed at making the student experience more inclusive and welcoming. In her free time, Addison plays golf and pickleball. She has volunteered for the South Huron Optimist Club and the North Middlesex Farmers Market as a vendor’s assistant. She has also worked at local restaurants and stores. |

