Congratulations to the latest recipients of Red River College’s Lieutenant-Governor’s Medals for Proficiency, which will be awarded next week as part of the Spring 2016 Convocation ceremonies.

Each year, up to four medals (two in winter, two in spring) are awarded to RRC students who best combine good character, academic and technical achievement, and involvement in College and community activities. This year’s winners are:

Kelsey Henderson, Business Administration

Part of RRC’s latest crop of Business Administration grads, Kelsey Henderson was originally considering a career in human resource management, but opted instead to develop a broader understanding of business and how it could help her improve her future.

She describes her time at the College as “stressful, but rewarding,” noting that students who were willing to put in the work and effort were able to reap the benefits of a well-rounded education — in her case, one that included training in not just administration, but also payroll, marketing and human resource.

“It has helped me come out of my shell more — to become more sociable and less nervous to speak in front of an audience,” she says. “And it has helped to train me in time management skills, seeing as how you stay very busy, all of the time.”

Henderson was recently hired as the communications and office coordinator at the Macdonald-Headingley Recreation District, which plans activities, programs and recreational events in her home community of Headingley and the surrounding area.

Her role involves a wide variety of responsibilities, including administrative tasks, working with registered participants, and creating the program guide that’s distributed three times a year.

A graduate of Westwood Collegiate, Henderson enjoys spending time with family as much as possible, and is actively involved in the cheerleading community as both a Level 6 athlete and a coach for Kelvin High School. In the last year alone, she’s travelled to competitions in Regina, Vancouver and Walt Disney World in Florida — the latter, for the National High School Cheerleading Championships, where the Kelvin team took home a bronze medal.

“Since September, I have committed almost 500 hours to this team,” she says, crediting her parents (Leslie and Russell Henderson) and her co-coaches (Courtney David and Kelsi Holmberg) for helping her maintain balance. “This was obviously challenging for me, being a full-time honours student, having two part-time jobs, and being an athlete and a coach. It was hard work, but it was all worth it.”

Breanne Lachance, Child and Youth Care

Like Henderson, Breanne Lachance was also considering a career in a different field (this time, early childhood education), but switched her focus so she could make a difference in the lives of older children and teens.

She’s always loved the idea of helping and serving as a role model for youth — in particular those who come from tough backgrounds — and was drawn to the Child and Youth Care program because it allowed her to send a message of acceptance and support.

She sums up the vision statement for her career by saying: “I will continually strive to start fresh and see the bright opportunities in each new day. It is very important for me to work with at-risk youth and send them a message that they are not alone in their journeys. I want them to know I will be willing to walk down different paths, either beside them or behind them, with gentle encouragements. It is my goal to ensure that every youth I work feels heard by me, and that I accept them for their past and I believe in their bright futures.”

Lachance is currently working in two positions that allow her to help high-risk youth and those in crisis: as a community corrections worker for Manitoba Justice’s Intensive Support and Supervision and Youth Bail Management programs, and as a residential treatment worker for New Directions’ My Home Program.

When not at work or in school, she enjoys spending time outdoors with friends and family — in particular, fishing in lake country and being adventurous while exploring nature. She’s also very involved with ringette, having played for 14 years and represented Team Manitoba for four. She shares her love for the game by serving as a mentor for players aged three to 18.

“My passion for ringette is so strong, and I feel I would be a completely different person if it was not for this sport,” says Lachance. “It’s where I found my love for helping and advocating for youth, which helped guide me to the career path I have chosen today.”