From April 27 until May 3, Smile Cookies will be available at both Gravenhurst locations for $2 each, with any number of cookies over four being tax free. 

The campaign to help local schools was started by former operator Ashley Hrinkanic in 2022, with owners Paul Stevenson and Tammy Jacklin opting to continue it when they took over in 2023. 

Gravenhurst Tim Hortons raised $22,202 for Muskoka Beechgrove, $19,806 for Gravenhurst Public School, $18,494 for KP Manson, and $18,051 for Glen Orchard. Kristina Brownlee, General Manager for the Gravenhurst locations, said that the last four years have raised way more than was expected for all of the local schools. 

“This is our final year for our local schools being the recipients of the Smile Cookie campaign, so we are looking forward to seeing how much the high school can raise this year!”

GHS guidance counselor Carol Kent said that this year’s campaign is significant because of the connection between GHS students and Tim Hortons.

“It means a lot, especially because a lot of our high school students work at Tim Hortons, whether it be after school jobs, summer jobs, or co-ops. Students will also be volunteering to decorate the Smile Cookies all week, which is really great because of the 40 hour community involvement requirement for graduation.” 

Kent said that because they are unsure of how much money will be raised, the school hasn’t narrowed down what the funds raised will go towards yet, but that they will go towards things that benefit students at GHS. 

“Some of the ideas that have come up are a set of bleachers for the field, the bursary fund, or supporting students who need access to different opportunities within the school that don’t have the funds to support it. Once we know how much money we’re working with, we will be able to determine what is the best use of those funds, because it really varies, but it will be towards supporting student life at GHS.”

According to Kent, GHS has already received pre-orders for more than 30 dozen Smile Cookies. She said the hope is that the same momentum continues into next week when sales officially begin.

“We hope that a lot of past students and past staff support. We’ve reached out to our feeder schools to support us as well because, although we are separate schools, we really do work together and they’re preparing the students to come to GHS, so hopefully they support us. We hope everyone goes out and purchases.” 

To support Gravenhurst High School through the Smile Cookie campaign, visit the Gravenhurst Tim Hortons locations at 150 Talisman Drive and 2329 Highway 11 South from April 27 to May 3.

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In the finals, in front of family, friends and Muskoka basketball alumni, the Boone Plumbing Ballers withstood a furious fight from Family Place Restaurant and Pizza to win 70-54 and are the 2026 Champs.

The Bracebridge Medical Centre Thunder beat Clear Lake Brewing Company 64-45 to claim 3rd place.

Thanks to all the other teams and sponsors, Unity Group Financial, Huntsville Hurricanes Basketball Club, Fike Masonry and Rosseau Lake College. We would also like to thank all the officials, scorekeepers, players and the local media outlets for another terrific season of Basketball.

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Since 2019, the Gravenhurst High School (GHS) visual arts and ceramics program has made hand crafted poppy pins for purchase to support the local community.

This year’s program has a total of 80 students who made between 12,000 to 13,000 ceramic poppies! Each poppy was hand crafted, glazed, and assembled by students.

“The poppy project has been a tremendous success this year and we are so excited to have had so much help and support from our community partners,” expressed program teacher, Aimée Bulloch-Moore. “We saw so much collaboration from GHS, with students and staff offering their help with selling poppies, volunteering time on weekends, and dropping off poppies and donations.”

This year’s initiative also saw a special partnership between the school’s Tech Club, who offered to create 3D printed cookie cutters in the shape of the poppy to help streamline the process, allowing the students to make poppies with more consistency and professionalism. As a result, the school raised the price per poppy to $10 each – an adjustment allowing for more income and money raised for the local legions.

The following businesses and Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) schools and offices helped sell poppies for this year’s fundraiser:

• Arts at the Albion – Gravenhurst
• Barrie Colts U16 AAA Team
• Bracebridge Public School
• Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School
• Family Place Restaurant – Huntsville
• Film screening of “Lend a Hand the story of the Farmerettes” – Opera House, Gravenhurst
• Holiday Market – Canadian Raceboat Hall of Fame, Bracebridge
• Relish – Gravenhurst
• Riverside Public School Craft Show – Huntsville
• Silver Pines Restaurant – Kilworthy
• TLDSB Lindsay Education Centre
• TLDSB Muskoka Education Centre

“Making poppies is a bit labour intensive, but a rewarding process if you have ever taken a look around the class when we are making them. It was almost peaceful making them, keeping in mind who I was making them for, and taking the time and care knowing how important they are to the community,” said Grade 12 visual arts and ceramics student, Ruth Miladinovic. “It feels really great to contribute because I know how much they are loved, and highly sought after. It’s an awesome, fulfilling way to contribute.”

In total, the 2025 project raised $11,346, which has been split between the Bala, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, and Huntsville legions! This is the highest amount of money that the fundraiser has made since it started.

The post Gravenhurst High School 2025 Poppy Project Was A Huge Success appeared first on Muskoka411.

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On May 23, the Gravenhurst High School Grade 10 careers classes had the privilege of attending the World of Choices Skilled Trades Summit.

The event took place at the Georgian College Muskoka Campus and was hosted by the college and Junior Achievement, an organization whose mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Throughout the day, students learned about the local labour market, and the tremendous opportunities in the skilled trades. There were many hands-on learning opportunities, including lab experiences, facilitated by skilled trades instructors. In the carpentry lab, students actively constructed and tested scaled roof trusses for their ability to withstand force. They also utilized the computer numerical control (CNC) machine to craft personalized nameplates for the wooden totes they precisely cut and assembled. Meanwhile, the electrical lab offered students the chance to interpret plans and experiment with circuits, successfully lighting up various fixtures.

Students also got the opportunity to hear from a panel of skilled tradespeople who shared information, insights, and career advice, highlighting the important role that skilled trades have in our community.

“This immersive day not only highlighted the vital role of skilled trades, but also empowered students with hands-on learning, potentially sparking new passions and guiding their educational and professional journeys,” said Trillium Lakelands District School Board experiential learning consultant, Katie Albisser.

The post Gravehurst High School Students Take Part In The World Choices Skills Trades Summit appeared first on Muskoka411.

“We are pleased to provide this $2,000 bursary to a Gravenhurst High School graduate,” Mayor Heidi Lorenz said. “The purpose of the bursary program is to help a graduate achieve their goal of furthering their education at the post-secondary level.” 

The application form and related information is available on the town website.

Along with completing the form, applicants must draft an essay. A letter of support from an educational professional such as a principal, teacher, or guidance counsellor is also needed. 

The essay topic this year is: What makes you (or what situations make you) proud to be Canadian?

Bursary applications are due May 31. 

“Good luck to all applicants – your interest in post-secondary education is certainly commendable,” Mayor Lorenz said. 

The post Gravenhurst High School Bursary Applications Available appeared first on Muskoka411.

The first ever GHS Pathways Week matched local professionals with subject-aligned classes, to present on topics applicable to the class. Muskoka411 presented on the topic of journalism to English students.

Students learned about careers in the field, and received insight into the day-to-day aspects of working in journalism, media, and communications. They were then tasked with writing a news story, based on a fictitious Holiday-themed press release.

“The community will always see the content we produce but if we can show or teach people how it all works it might benefit them to see if they are interested in a media career,” said Stefan Ottenbrite, Muskoka411 President and CEO. “It takes a village for small towns to collaborate and work well together, and I feel it’s important the media step up and help in any way we can.”

Winners of the news story writing task were awarded local Muskoka Springs craft sodas, and a Muskoka411 pen, to inspire their budding journalism careers.

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Alex Kerswell died by suicide one week after his 17th birthday on Sept. 20, 2019. His parents Leanna and Shawn created the Legacy for Alex Kerswell charity in his memory. The organization held a fundraising dinner and silent auction on June 24. Along with 180 reservations, 39 community businesses donated items to the silent auction, which raised over $3,000. In total, over $12,000 was raised with a net income of over $11,000 from dinner ticket sales, the silent auction and donations made in June. Leanna said they raised more than they thought was possible.

“It was an amazing feeling to raise over $11,000 from the fundraising event,” she said. “We had such incredible community support. They recognize the need for youth mental health supports, and we are so thankful that our community was behind this initiative.”

Leanna said it was rewarding for her and Shawn to present a $7,000 cheque to Mind-Aid on July 21. The organization provides free services to youth in Muskoka to help them navigate the mental health care system on their journey to mental wellness.

The Kerswells also presented a $3,000 cheque to Gravenhurst High School for the Legacy for Alex Bursary Fund. The bursary is in memory of Alex and the struggles he faced. Staff select two graduating students who have overcome adversity throughout their high school career as recipients each year.

The remaining money is in the charity’s general fund for now. The Board is considering other charities that align with its goals for future donations.

“Mind-Aid is such a wonderful organization that really does help our youth who are struggling with their mental well-being,” Leanna said. “And the Legacy for Alex Bursary fund really helps graduating students who have demonstrated their ability to overcome adversity while continuing to keep our son’s memory alive at Gravenhurst High School.  We believe that these are two very worthwhile causes.”

The Kerswells and the charity’s Board Members would like to thank everyone for their support along with the volunteers who made the event such a success. The purpose of the event was part of the charity’s goal to turn tragedy into awareness and to support organizations that provide mental health support to youth. 

The other goal is to keep the memory of Alex Kerswell alive. Alex struggled with anxiety and depression. His parents found it challenging to navigate the mental health system in order to get him the help he needed, and he did not always want the help when it became available. The stigma was too great. His struggles resulted in him dropping out of school.

Alex’s death haunts his family every single day. They do not want anyone to have to go through what they did. They want to ensure that our youth have the support and resources they need to help them on their journey to mental wellness. As a community, more discussions need to take place around mental health issues to end the stigma that keeps our youth from getting the help they need.

Alex’s parents are trying to turn their son’s tragedy into awareness. They have a Facebook group Legacy for Alex where they support members with inspirational posts and resources. The charity also has a website where events are posted and where donors can contribute through Canada Helps and receive tax receipts.

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The Great Immensity follows a woman named Phyllis who sets out to find her husband, a documentary filmmaker that has gone missing while on assignment. She crosses continents in search of him and uncovers a mysterious plot along the way. The drama department at GHS used to put on a musical every other year, but due to COVID disruptions, there hasn’t been one since 2018. Now, musicals will return to the school with pay-what-you-can performances of The Great Immensity at 6 p.m. on June 8 and 3 p.m. on June 10. Drama teacher Earl Sacrey first came across the show during the closures and downtime caused by the pandemic.

“I was really moved by it and I fell in love with it, just as a fan,” Sacrey said. “Then when it came time to sort of get our school year up and running and pick some projects, I looked at the crew of interested students I had, and I thought, ‘Actually, this would be a good fit.’”

The musical has the right number of cast members and the right tone to fit the students’ abilities, he said, along with having an important message. It gives them a chance to work with issues-based material that highlights the impacts of climate change while still depicting some goofy, light-hearted moments.

The Great Immensity also presents an opportunity for the cast and crew to work on a more tech-forward show. The increased use of technology in creating the multimedia experience means there are new problems to solve, Sacrey said, but it’s also been an entertaining exercise for the students.

“One sequence, for example, has a singing shark in it, so we had to figure out a program that could map someone’s face onto a cartoon shark and film and record all that,” he said. “There’s been a lot of tech learning and just a lot of fun with some of the different effects that we can play with.”

The cast and crew have been working on the musical all semester, meeting a few nights a week after school to rehearse and run songs. In addition to being a fun extracurricular for drama lovers, the show has been a great chance to create new friendships and renew others while making something great, he said.

With less than a week left until they take the stage, nerves are running high. They still need to build a few set pieces, lock in their lines and smooth out the tech side of the production, but Sacrey said he knows stress will turn into excitement as they near their performances.

The Great Immensity first appeared on stage in 2010, so it’s a newer show that isn’t performed often. On top of seeing something unique, Sacrey encourages people to see the show to benefit from the energy and enthusiasm of the students.

“It’s material that not very many people have seen before, so that’s kind of exciting,” he said. “If you don’t come to school theatre a lot, and you don’t even know any teenagers, I think it’s easy to forget how [exciting] things get and how passionate they are. From my perspective, at least, it’s a real panacea to just be in a room with them all the time.”

Grade 11 student Oliver Gonneau plays the elusive filmmaker Karl in the upcoming show. Though he’s been involved in theatre for years, this is his first school production.

“The best part has definitely been some of the other cast members and some of the other people there,” Gonneau said. “It’s been a great opportunity to meet people with similar interests as me, and it’s quite the talented cast, in my opinion. It’s been a lot of fun to learn from them and all put on a great show together.”

The musical is bigger and more formal than the student productions he’s been a part of in the past. Credit for the professional nature of the show goes largely to the excellent direction of Sacrey, Gonneau said. 

Practicing the songs, especially the ones that include more cast members, has been one of his favourite memories so far. Preparing for next week’s performances has been a lot of fun as well as a lot of work, so he’s excited to show people what the cast and crew have been up to.

“I would encourage them to come out and just to see what it is that a bunch of high school students can do, what kind of show they can perform for you,” he said. “Not just to make you laugh, to make you smile, but also to make you think, to take a current issue and put it in a form of theatre that’s both easy to understand but also leaves you thinking.”

The post Musicals Return To GHS With The Great Immensity On June 8 And 10 appeared first on Muskoka411.

The National Theatre School of Canada has been running DramaFest, formerly known as Sears Drama Festival, since 1946. Each year, students submit 40-minute plays to a district-level competition, finalists are chosen for regionals and the top two entries from each region move on to the provincial showcase. Kelly Hamilton, theatre operations supervisor at the Opera House, said the idea to bring the festival to Gravenhurst came up last summer. She was chatting with her colleagues, one of whom was involved with the festival before, and they agreed it would be a great addition to the Opera House’s post-COVID lineup.

“We opened up March last year and have been doing very well,” Hamilton said. “The seasons have been well attended, and there’s absolutely a thirst and a desire, I think, for people to get back out and enjoy and get involved…People are definitely anxious to have fun again.”

After coordinating with the town and event organizers, they were able to secure Gravenhurst’s place in the festival. DramaFest is completely different from most productions at the Opera House, Hamilton said, because it’s intended to be a learning opportunity for the students. 

Professionals who work on stage and behind the scenes help guide students through what it’s like to put together a production. Having the event at the Opera House gives the students a special opportunity to practice these skills in a setting that’s much more professional and manicured than any high school auditorium.

The festival is sure to offer a lot of variety, she said, and with support going back to the students and the theatre community, she hopes for a good turnout.

“It’ll be a very busy hub next week,” she said. “Lots of students and lots of teachers and people hanging around, so it’ll be good fun.”

Gravenhurst High School (GHS) drama teacher Earl Sacrey was involved in the festival back in his student days, and he’s been experiencing DramaFest from the teacher’s point of view since he started at GHS in 2011. Due to the break caused by COVID, they’ve done about eight productions in that time, and now they have a new set of students to contribute.

“Typically, when I take a play to this festival, it’s a bunch of kids that have done it before and then a couple of new Grade 9s, or something like that, who are involved,” Sacrey said. “But this time, there’s only been a few kids who remember what the festival was, so it’s been really exciting because it’s been about reintroducing new people to the traditions of the festival and seeing some opportunities for new angles on things.”

Most portions of the festival are held at high schools across the province, so when the Opera House came forward with the idea to host regionals, Sacrey and others involved jumped at the chance. He said he does his best with the equipment they have, but working with their four or five lights on a small school stage just isn’t the same as going to a real theatre with professional lighting, equipment and staff.

The play written and performed by the students at GHS didn’t make it to regionals, so Sacrey is glad that his students are still able to get involved, emceeing the festival and running the show behind the scenes. They’ve already spent some time preparing things backstage, but the real work won’t start until regionals begin next week.

“We’ve had just about every local theatre person you can imagine agree to run a workshop for the kids or to adjudicate the festival, so I just really appreciate the whole community coming together to support the endeavour,” Sacrey said. “It’s been a good feeling to have that unfold for us.”

The eight productions are coming from St. Peter’s Catholic Secondary School in Barrie, Collingwood Collegiate Institute, Stratford District Secondary School, St. Michael’s Catholic Secondary School in Stratford, Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School in Angus, Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus, Nelson High School in Burlington and Burlington Central High School.

Sacrey wants to thank the Opera House staff for all their work in bringing the festival to town as well as the local businesses that have offered deals to help students and their families stay for the entire event. Between the volunteer hours and the beauty of the Opera House itself, he doesn’t think the kids from other areas know what a treat they’re in for.

“We’ve had some businesses give coupons for festival participants,” Sacrey said. “We’re going to do a sort of Gravenhurst Amazing Race, so we’re just excited to show off our town, especially to show off our Opera House, which is just a fantastic, phenomenal theatre space.”

Most festival entries are written and directed by students, and the content can vary greatly from one show to the next. The students at GHS wrote a goofy comedy about friends banding together at the end of the world, Sacrey said, which was followed by an artistic movement piece with no dialogue and a serious documentary-style entry at the district competition.

The festival allows students to express their voices in such wonderfully different ways that it’s easy to forget it’s a competition, Sacrey said. The judges may choose who moves on in the festival, but there’s a genuine celebration of each piece.

Sacrey encourages locals to attend the festival because there aren’t always opportunities to hear from the next generation. At $5 a ticket, it’s a quick and cost-effective way to hear what today’s high school students are thinking about.

“I typically try to take in most nights of the festival, even when it’s not in Gravenhurst, and you just see a real variety of stuff,” he said. “It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you think, it’ll make you really excited about what the kids are up to.”

For more information on the Western Regionals of DramaFest, visit the Town of Gravenhurst’s website.

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