HGI Middle School celebrates 25 years

Whyte Ridge

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/06/2024 (671 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On May 16, Henry G. Izatt Middle School in Whyte Ridge celebrated its 25th anniversary. The school celebrated with a full assembly at which Lucille Benoit, the school’s first principal shared some memories.

A time capsule created 25 years ago, with letters from Grade 8 students predicting what things would be like in 2024, was also opened. That evening there was a reception for former staff, and residents were invited to read the letters from 1999, as well as a new set to be enclosed in the time capsule for the next 25 years. Many of the students from 1999 visited to open their letters and reminisce.

Twenty-five years ago, HGI’s Grade 8 students felt that by 2024 we’d have made contact with extraterrestrial intelligent life, there’d be a colony on the moon, flying cars, and a cure for cancer. They also predicted that virtual reality would play a role in education, and that each student would have their own laptop computer and use the internet and email for homework assignments. Predictions in the new time capsule still include flying cars (which seems tangibly more feasible now), but also self-driving cars, with all vehicles being electric. The search for a cure for cancer continues to move forward, with predictions for humans on Mars rather than the moon, technology focused on artificial intelligence, and concerns about the ongoing impacts of climate change.

The construction of HGI was part of the latter phases of development in Whyte Ridge. Construction of the subdivision began in 1986, in the north section, and work slowed during the recession. A new developer took over in 1997 and the areas west of the subdivision were developed, including the extension of Scurfield Boulevard and the construction of HGI, to servethe young families moving into the area. The year corresponded with the retirement of Pembina Trails School Division superintendent Henry G. Izatt, for whom the school is named. Izatt was born in England, but moved to Canada as a child and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in Winnipeg when he was 18. He returned to England to earn his university degree and was a teacher there for more than 30 years. He moved back to Winnipeg in 1977 and taught in what is now Pembina Trails School Division and served as superintendent from 1981 to 1997. After retirement, he moved to B.C., but returned to speak at the school’s opening ceremonies in 1999. Izatt passed away in 2020, but would have been so pleased and proud that the school named after him continues to provide excellent education for children.