Thistle
Lodge has provided bursaries to each of the four local secondary schools (General Amherst
High School, Sandwich Secondary School, Western Secondary School, Saint Thomas of
Villanova Catholic Secondary School) since June 1998.
The value of the bursaries has steadily increased from its
original $150 each to $350 for the year 2003 graduates. The criteria
provided to the schools: “The recipient should be a student who has
overcome adversities to obtain his or her graduation diploma. Those difficulties might involve but are not
restricted to drugs, alcohol, family problems, behavioural problems, medical difficulties
and emotional or psychological problems. The
student selected does not need good marks, in fact we expect they would often be a student
that would not qualify for any other recognition.”