Grade 12 students Benjamin Voysey and Kory Podrasky have been selected as the recipients of this year’s high school graduation scholarships.
Each year, the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, Crowsnest Branch (CIM Crowsnest), selects two recipients from a pool of applicants from the Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford and Crowsnest Pass Grade 12 classes.
The Academic Scholarship, awarded to Voysey, is for a student pursuing a mining-related degree, such as environmental science, engineering or geology. The recipient is awarded $1,000 the first year, and $2,000 during the second semester of the second year of university. Voysey will attend the University of Alberta for Mining Engineering this fall.
The Trades Scholarship, awarded to Podrasky, is $1,000 for a student who will pursue a mining-related trade certification in the fall. Podrasky will attend the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology for a Heavy Duty Mechanic program.
The CIM Crowsnest is able to provide these scholarships annually to local youth thanks to the generosity of local artists, businesses and individuals who contribute to the CIM Annual Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Tournament.
The CIM Crowsnest Branch has two purposes, education and fraternity. It supports education in mining for people currently in the industry and also for future practitioners. They do so by providing scholarships to high school students and co-op students, as well as bringing in speakers on a variety of topics. There is also a variety of events offered throughout the year to encourage fraternity, such as a poker nights, curling tournaments and hockey trips.