Penticton Herald - Rotary Student of the Month for November 2023
The Rotary Club of Penticton Sunrise is delighted to select Graci Gallicano – an immensely gifted, industrious and compassionate grade 12 student at Princess Margaret Secondary School – as Student of The Month for November.
The selection of Gallicano is a slam dunk, given her tireless commitment to, and key role in, numerous extracurricular activities – musical theatre, athletics and Indigenous leadership, to name three – not only at Maggie but also across School District 67.
Her zeal to freely serve as a strong and effective advocate for the rights and reconciliation of her Syilx Okanagan people has led her to become an admired cultural leader and role model in her school and native community.
Principal Bo Boxall said: “Graci’s ability to transcend so many diverse areas of interest, to connect with everyone she meets, and to offer insight into all aspects of our education system defines her uniqueness. Her reflective initiatives to increase our insight into the truth and reconciliation movement and how actionable steps can be taken to fulfill our duties are highly valued by all.”
Gallicano is the youngest of six children with caring and supportive parents. After moving from Vernon to Penticton at age three, she attended Outma Sqilxw Cultural School on the Penticton Indian Reserve before switching to Skaha Lake Middle School in Grade 8 and then Maggie in Grade 9.
“Although it was scary going from my reserve school to one in town, I succeeded,” Gallicano said.
In fact, she excelled, as she captured the Top Student Award in her only year at SLMS.
Gallicano’s passion for musical theatre is baked in her DNA. At age four, she first sang the Okanagan Song and often starred in short plays at Outma. As a long-time member of Maggie’s Horseshoe Theatre, she was part of the ensemble in the Broadway musical “Grease” in Grade 10 and played a lead character, Audrey, in the comedy musical “Little Shop of Horrors” in Grade 11. She will cap off her stellar performing career at Maggie as the lead female character, Rosie Alvarez, in the production of “Bye Bye Birdie” next semester.
Drama/theatre teacher Lori Grant said: “I am so proud of Graci having seen her mature in drama these last few years. She has such a lovely, graceful way about her. Kind, thoughtful and mindful of her influence on others, she has spoken so confidently on Indigenous-related matters and her words have definitely resonated with her audiences. Graci will surely go on to do great things.”
Gallicano’s acting talents extends to modeling. In July 2022, she auditioned for a vegan cooking show at the urging of a model placement agency (DEJA VU Model Management, West Kelowna). She and a partner were selected over several hundred other contestants. The show has been filmed and is now being edited.
She also placed second in a “cold reading” contest at the Faces West Model & Talent Convention held in Vancouver a year ago in which 20 models from across Canada were given a four-page script to memorize 10 minutes before acting it out on stage.
A fiercely competitive and versatile athlete, Gallicano shines in volleyball and basketball, playing on both junior rep teams in Grade 10 and both senior rep teams in Grade 11. At five-foot-eight, she plays the power position in volleyball and shooting guard in basketball. She was also on Maggie’s track and field team in Grade 11, participating in the long jump and 4x100-metre relay events.
Both theatre and team sports are a major part of Gallicano’s life.
“In both cases, I am having fun working hard with close friends to achieve a common goal, while keeping myself physically healthy and mentally alert,” she said.
Gallicano is also a key player on Maggie’s dynamic leadership team, routinely taking part in such major fundraisers as 10,000 Tonight Food Drive and Terry Fox Run. She was a lead actor in the recent 2023 Haunted House Fundraising event and will MC the upcoming Christmas Concert.
And she is the driving force behind Maggie’s enlightened Indigenous leadership program, and it is this pivotal role that sets her apart.
This past year, she MCed the Truth and Reconciliation Day assembly, spoke at the Orange Shirt Day, and sang the Okanagan Song at various events. At the district level, she helped to design and implement the strategic plan, took part in the flag raising ceremony and created Nsyilxcen language resources. She will also be speaking at the 2023 BCSTA Trustee Academy on the topic of engaging student voice in district and school planning. This expansive body of work in leadership garnered her the Top Senior Service Award in Grade 11.
Indigenous support worker Jolanda Poetsch said: “An inspiration to us all, Graci radiates an infectious blend of kindness, empathy and dedication. Her readiness to freely share her family’s story of courage and hope has shed new light on the intergenerational impact of the residential school system and charted a path forward in reconciliation. Her legacy is one of tireless devotion to improving the world around her.”
Given her hectic agenda, it is not surprising that Gallicano listed time management as her biggest challenge, compounded by an underlying perfectionist bent and a tendency to procrastinate.
Although she no longer takes lessons, Gallicano loves playing the piano, as well as the ukulele and hand drum for relaxation. She said she is “very big on learning about human rights and different cultures around the globe.” Having travelled in Central America and Africa, she has found that “you can learn more about how people actually live from poor than from rich countries.”
Upon graduation, Gallicano plans to attend UBC, majoring in the performing arts and minoring in social justice while pursuing a modelling career.
Regardless, great leaders are forged in a crucible of challenges and this young lady has the mettle to defy the odds and leave an indelible mark that reverberates well beyond the majestic shores of her Syilx people’s storied Okanagan Lake.
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Student of the Month is a Rotary Club of Penticton Sunrise project. The award aims to recognize outstanding students for unique achievement in scholastics, extracurricular activities, community involvement, leadership, and service to others. The club is pleased to recognize Penticton Secondary School and Princess Margaret Secondary School as project partners, and Cascades Casino Penticton for generous financial aid.