Making Positive Impacts for 95 Years…And Counting!
Story appeared in the 2016 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.
BY LEANNE SCHULTZ, OPERATIONS & HR MANAGER
Over five generations of students have graduated and gone forth to take their places in the world, spreading the influence of Queen Margaret’s School and our vision of creating lifelong learners making positive impacts in the world.
“ON MARCH 17, 1921, THE COWICHAN LEADER ANNOUNCED, “Miss Denny and Miss Dorothy Geoghegan, B.A., beg to announce that they will open on April 4th next a Boarding and Day School for Girls…” So began the history of Queen Margaret’s School, which celebrated its 95th anniversary in 2016.”
Queen Margarets at Itchimbia, Quito 2016
Did you know that every time you touch a Canadian coin, you touch a piece of QMS history? Renowned portrait artist Susanna Blunt graduated from Queen Margaret’s School in 1958 and has enjoyed an internationally successful career, capturing the likenesses of many heads of states and celebrities. In 2003, she completed a Jubilee Portrait of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, which was used on all Canadian coins from that year onwards. For another positive artistic impact, one need look no further than downtown Duncan, where murals completed by past and current Queen Margaret’s School students grace the buildings and contribute to the unique character of the city.
In the world of international busi-ness, QMS is represented by many graduates whose experience at an international boarding school has paved the way for global success.
Beverly Koo Schmidt (’95) is just one example. After she graduated from the School, she went onto to receive a Commerce Degree from McGill University, and then became a lawyer in her home city of Hong Kong. When she is not working with her clients on capital markets and acquisitions, she helps her family with their award-winning winery in France, Chateau la Bourguette.
As a renowned equestrian school, Queen Margaret’s has had its share of equestrian athletes who have made an impact in the world of show jumping.
In the beginning, our beloved Shirley Burr, the founding director of our Equestrian Program, brought her own experience to the School, having been a trainer/groom for the British Olympic Team in 1965 prior to coming to QMS, where she continued to make positive impacts on students’ lives here.
The influence of Miss Burr is felt strongly at the school. One of her students, Judith Bisiker went on to successfully compete for Canada at an international level after graduating in 1981. She has since opened her own world-class facility in Ontario and is training young students in the sport she grew to love at QMS. Each year, our field of elite equestrian athletes continues to grow. Just this year, Grade 12 student Kassidy Keith capped her riding career at the school with two national titles and a Rider of the Year award.
Service remains a foundational aspect of a Queen Margaret’s School education and its impact on our stu-dents can be demonstrated best in our alumni who have dedicated their lives to being of service to others. Retired Senator Ione Christensen, O.C., is one such example. Though she attended QMS for only three years, from 1945-1949, her passion for advocacy on behalf of her constituents in the Yukon and all across Canada is a shining reflection of the School. Prior to being appointed to the Senate in 1999, she was a trailblazer, serving as the Yukon’s first female Justice of the Peace, the first woman to be elected Mayor of Whitehorse, where she served two terms. In 1994, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for her accomplishments. After retiring from public service in 2006, she continues to be an advocate for northern development, children’s literacy, and families struggling with fetal alcohol syndrome.
Over the years, Queen Margaret’s School has produced a number of artists, athletes, singers, politicians and business leaders who right-fully take their place in the history books—but what we can be most proud of are the thousands of students, staff and alumni who make a positive impact on the world by consistently living their values and being their best selves every day. They take pride in their actions, sharing their passions with the world and inspire others to do the same, without regard for fanfare or acknowledgement.
This edition of Connections magazine celebrates all members of the Queen Margaret’s community whose actions and influence, whether loud or quiet, continue to make the world a better place.