Leading by example, living up to his name
Garden City Collegiate student Orion Remoquillo only Manitoban to win one of 15 national Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards by working with special-needs students
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/05/2023 (835 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Like the fictional character he shares a name with, Orion Remoquillo is doing extraordinary things.
Remoquillo’s parents named him after Orion Pax, a character in the Transformers franchise. In the tale of warring alien robot factions, Pax becomes Optimus Prime, who leads the heroic Autobots against the villainous Decepticons.
Optimus Prime is defined by his strong moral character and his leadership skills — not unlike Remoquillo, who has dedicated the past 2 1/2 years to volunteering with students with special needs.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Orion Remoquillo, a grade 12 student who volunteers with students with special needs, with Sophia Ly and Devin Bell (two of the students he volunteers with) at Garden City Collegiate.
That dedication has paid off for the Grade 12 student at Garden City Collegiate. Last month, he was named one of 15 recipients of the 2023 Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.
The award provides scholarships valued at up to $28,000 each to young people who have demonstrated courage and determination in overcoming an obstacle and positively impacted an area of critical need in society, while excelling in academics and athletics.
Remoquillo was the only Manitoban chosen this year and he is the first-ever student from his school to receive the recognition.
“It’s a feeling like no other and it’s just wild that my name is mentioned alongside Terry Fox’s,” says Remoquillo, 18. “I never thought the volunteer work I do would amount to this.”
Remoquillo started volunteering with students with special needs at his school to fulfil the requirements for a physical education leadership class he took in Grade 10.
He quickly surpassed the 110 hours he needed. He kept volunteering when the class ended and has dedicated more than 600 hours to the cause.
Remoquillo has helped students with many activities, including crafts, karaoke, bike riding, board games and providing support in gym class.
He does whatever he can to include his peers with special needs in the social fabric of the school.
Remoquillo lives with Tourette syndrome, ADHD and OCD. He has a younger brother with Fragile X, a genetic disorder characterized by mild-to-moderate intellectual disability.
These life experiences have helped him understand and relate to the students he volunteers with.
“I want to improve the lives of kids like me who have disabilities,” he says. “I want to create a better environment for my brother.”
This year’s 15 award recipients were selected from more than 800 applicants.
Remoquillo’s guidance counsellor, Mike Peterson, encouraged him to apply.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Orion Remoquillo (centre, orange shirt) was recently recognized with one of 15 Terry Fox Humanitarian Awards.
“He’s always looking to not only better himself but make the lives of the people around him better as well,” Peterson says. “When something sparks his interest he goes in 110 per cent, and that’s to the benefit of everyone around him.”
Remoquillo has a reputation around the school as a reliable, selfless person, Peterson adds.
“We’re all very proud of him,” Peterson says. “We’re going to miss him a lot when he graduates.”
Remoquillo plans to use the award to study physical education at the University of Winnipeg.
He dreams of returning to Garden City Collegiate and teaching at the school for his entire career.
In the meantime, he’s filming a documentary about his final months of Grade 12.
He plans to release it on YouTube after graduation, and hopes it will inspire people to chase their dreams.
“Don’t let anyone take the pen that writes your life story away from your hand,” he says. “You’re able to write your own reality and write your own story. Dreams are possible. Through hard work, through a positive mindset and through discipline, anything you want is achievable.”
If you know a special volunteer, contact aaron.epp@gmail.com.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca

Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
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