Northern Exposure

Many of our students come from the northern regions of this vast country. Communities scattered across northern regions of our western provinces are well represented at Brentwood College. Further north still, we currently have students from Mayo, Yellowknife, Anchorage, Juneau and Whitehorse; they bring a great perspective to our school and this was the main reason for my trip to this area this past week. Only when you visit these regions can you fully appreciate the absolute beauty of the landscape and be humbled by the extent of wilderness in the north. North America is so incredibly diverse and Brentwood’s student body reflects this diversity – culturally, linguistically, ethnically and geographically. Ironically, the reality is that to our American, Central American and South American students (other than our Alaskans), all of Canada is ‘north’! They are, however, pleased to know that our school in Mill Bay is in the warmest area of Canada, more temperate than most northern states. Students are generally surprised with the pleasant climate and stunning location of our school. But the real ‘north’ is different indeed: vast, rugged and timeless. Students who have come ‘south’ to our school are proud of their northern heritage and fiercely attached to their roots. Having visited them there, I can fully understand why.