Napanee teen Jack Madden has a passion for helping people.
Whether it’s in the classroom, in the community or on his hockey team, it’s a trait that is noticed by everyone around him.
As a result of his excellence on and off the ice, Madden was selected for the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) and Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) Bursary program. The program selects five high school graduates from across the province, who have made a big impact in their schools and in their communities in the 2022-23 school year. Recognized for their roles as players, coaches and referees in the OMHA, as well as their grades and extracurricular work outside the rink, each winner will receive $8,000 to go towards their post-secondary education.The graduate of Napanee District Secondary School will be enrolled in the Health Sciences program at the University of Ottawa next year, where he will continue his interest in biology, medicine and chemistry.
“I really like the process of going through labs, and learning about the human body fascinates me,” said Madden.
“His passion and his drive in everything that he does, whether it’s community activities or his academics or being engaged in NASA sets Jack apart,” said his teacher, Jody Bensall.
NASA is the Napanee Academic Science Association, a club set up at his high school. The students work together on everything from peer tutoring to dissections to chess tournaments, all of which Madden has taken a leadership role in.
Madden is also a member of the school’s baseball, basketball and hockey teams and won a national championship in softball with the Napanee Express.
His other extracurriculars include volunteering at hockey camps and baseball diamonds, along with initiatives that provided meals to the homeless.
“He offered a lot more than just on-ice capabilities. He really is a leader,” said his hockey coach Dan Dowling. “He takes what it is we’re trying to offer the rest of the team and breaks it down for some of the younger guys.”
Along with playing for the Napanee Stars in the OMHA, he also suited up for the Quinte Red Devils and Kingston Jr. Frontenacs (now Jr. Gaels).
“On behalf of DFO and Ontario’s 3,273 dairy farmers, congratulations to this year’s OMHA-DFO Bursary program winners for their achievements as outstanding students and athletes,” said Cheryl Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Dairy Farmers of Ontario. “In partnership with OMHA, the bursary program recognizes five youth with tremendous resilience, sportsmanship and leadership on and off the ice, and who have shown dedication to their studies and commitment to supporting their communities. We hope the $8,000 bursaries will help the recipients’ reach their post-secondary goals.”
“The OMHA and Dairy Farmers of Ontario share a goal of developing great people who will become the next generation of leaders,” said Ian Taylor, the Executive Director of the OMHA. “It’s impressive to see what our players are doing to make their communities a better place – whether on the ice, in the classroom or through their volunteerism. The five recipients chosen this year for the OMHA-Dairy Farmers of Ontario Bursary program are shining examples of what it means to be a student-athlete and good citizens.”