Meet Sprott Shaw’s 2026 Vancouver Island Valedictorians

We are proud to introduce our 2026 valedictorians who graduated from our Nanaimo and Victoria campuses, marking the culmination of months of hard work that has now paid off! During their graduation ceremonies, they celebrated with their classmates, campus staff, family, and friends to honour the determination, passion, and resilience it took to cross the finish line. You can find a short excerpt from their valedictorian speeches below.

We are incredibly proud of all our graduates, and we can’t wait to see what they do next. Congratulations Class of 2026 — you did it!

Nanaimo Valedictorian: Jeremy Cook – Community Support Worker – Social Services

Jeremy Cook, our valedictorian representing the Nanaimo campus, reflected on his journey of going back to school and the challenges and achievements he experienced along the way. He also thanked his teachers, mentors, family, and friends.

“I doubted myself constantly. Could I really do this? Was I too far behind? Was I going to fail before I began? But then something incredible happened — I did it. One day at a time. One assignment at a time. One late-night study session at a time. And with every small victory, the doubts began to fade and the confidence grew.”

Victoria Valedictorian: Madeline Hope-Irwin – Paralegal

Madeline Hope-Irwin, our valedictorian representing the Victoria campus, expressed her pride in herself and her classmates for the effort they each put in to reach such an important milestone. She also shared her gratitude for people who helped her along the way and her excitement about what comes next.

“I am excited for our future, because I believe we are stepping into a world that needs exactly what we have to offer: our creativity, our courage, and our willingness to imagine something better. We are not just entering the future; we are shaping it.”