FORT ST. JOHN B.C. -Former North Peace Secondary School student Autum Mischler has received the 2021 Governor General’s Medal for achieving the highest academic average.
Mischler had a 96 per cent average in her final year at NPSS, but says the award completely took her by surprise.
She didn’t know the award, established in 1973, existed until she received the call saying that she was the recipient.
“I was good in school, but I didn’t know I was that good to get an award. This award, it’s amazing.,” said Mischler.
Mischler is used to academic hardware, mainly surrounding computers and photography, but this award takes the cake.
“I’m just really happy. I have like a sense of accomplishment. I liked school, and to figure out that I did something with it, it hits deep.”
Mischler says she started thinking seriously about her future in Grade 9 but says her career choice kept changing until a couple of months after graduating.
“I decided, okay, I want to be a librarian, so that’s what I want to do. It’s the idea that it stuck the longest,’ said Mischler.
She notes that the award gave her more motivation to pursue a Master’s degree in library sciences at the University of Alberta.
Winning this prestigious award still hasn’t sunk in with Mischler after being picked out of the hundreds of other high school students across Canada.
Mischler is the sixth NPSS student to receive the academic medal.
