Smithville Christian High student wins scholarship

A Smithville Christian High School (SCCH) graduate has received an $80,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship to study computing at Queen’s University.

Nathan Gerryts, a member of SCCH’s graduating class of 2021 was nominated by the school’s head of student services, Linda Booy-Korvemaker for his outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements.

Businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich established the scholarship fund in 2012 to encourage the best and brightest students to become Schulich Leader Scholars.

Through the Schulich Foundation, these prestigious entrance scholarships are awarded to 100 high school graduates this year, who enrol in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at 20 partner universities in Canada.

This is the second time a nominee from SCCH has won the Schulich Leader Scholarship.

Nathan said he learned about the award in a calculus class and was left in a “state of awe”.

“It almost seemed too good to be true!” he said. “I immediately left to go tell my parents the good news and they could not believe it either.”