APEX winners awarded

Advance Photo by Meg Noguchi. CONGRATULATIONS: The APEX Youth Awards Celebration was held on May 27 at the Dreaddy Room of the Taber Police Station. All APEX Youth Awards nominees gathered for a group photo. (Left to right) Sebastian Hoekstra, Lilly Bennett, Ivy Hughes, Jasmine Downey, Zuri Gardner, Kaydence Smith, Torynn Plumb, Tate Nakashima, Brilynd Unser and Nikolas Binnie. The APEX Committee consists of Henk DeVlieger, Wilco Tymensen, Jodie Gross, Sheila Laqua, Pat Bremner and Dorthea Mills.

By Cal Braid
Vauxhall Advance
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On May 27, the three winners of the 2025 APEX Youth Awards received their honours at the Taber Police Station.

Tate Nakashima received his award from Tamara Miyanaga, M.D. reeve, Lilly Bennett received her award from Andrew Prokop, Taber mayor, and Ivy Hughes received her award from Wilco Tymensen, APEX committee member.

When the committee announced that the awards were coming back to Taber and the MD after a four-year hiatus, member Dorthea Mills said, “(They) were created to recognize individuals that represented the best qualities in our youth from Taber and area; youth who unselfishly give of themselves in the service of others and who have shown resilience when faced with adversity.”

Ten nominees were chosen from division schools and the committee and its sponsors handed out $1,000 bursary awards to the three winners.

Reeve Miyanaga congratulated Tate Nakashima, saying, “He exemplifies the qualities celebrated by the APEX Youth Awards. His leadership, dedication, and character made him a standout to our judges. He is making a difference in his community and for that reason Tate is one of our 2025 APEX Youth Award winners.”

Upon presenting to Lilly Bennett, Mayor Prokop said, “Beyond her athletic abilities, Lilly is a quiet leader with a positive attitude that uplifts those around her. Even with her personal struggles, Lilly keeps showing up and is an important part of her school, church, and teams. She gives willingly of herself to help others and goes out of her way to invite others to join in, to be kind and to lead by example.”

Wilco Tymensen awarded Ivy Hughes, saying, “Ivy’s personality and attitude were the key drivers behind her nomination. Ivy faces her personal challenges head on and has an innate ability to make others feel supported. Her kind, caring nature ensures that everyone feels included and valued making her a source of inspiration and a role model.”

It’s a win for Taber and the MD when youth are recognized and rewarded for their virtues.