A Swift Current Comprehensive High School (SCCHS) teacher was recently a runner-up for a 2024 Women's Distinction Award from YWCA in Regina.

Mandy Herrick was shocked when her colleagues nominated her for the Community Champion category.

"Most of the things that I do, the community events and the SLC events, it's not about me, it's not me doing them," she said. "It's the students. I was explaining to someone the other day, I'm the product of teachers who encouraged and supported weird ideas and dreams that I had when I was a student leader. And now I'm just doing that for students. I think that my real reach is going to be what those students go out and do after this."

Five other women were finalists with her, and invited to the awards gala in Regina, with Dr. Melissa Morgan taking the title. 

Read Herrick's finalist bio below:

Mandy Herrick is a passionate educator, artist, and volunteer who inspires her students at Swift Current Comprehensive High School through meaningful artistic, educational, and leadership experiences. Mandy facilitates events, assemblies, fundraisers, and culture-building experiences for her students and community. She is relentless in finding opportunities to champion her students and include their involvement in her innovative projects. In 2022, she founded “Chalk the Walk” where students are empowered to spend a day creating chalk art that represents things that are meaningful to them. In another project, Mandy beautified the city’s Community Fridge spaces, taking the opportunity to teach students not only about art but food insecurity, community, and social change. The pandemic lockdown saw Mandy lettering sidewalks and walking paths around town with motivational and encouraging messages, and from this was born her “Chalk for Charity” a donation-based commission fundraiser to raise money and awareness for a local child waiting on an organ transplant. Mandy spearheads countless projects at school that enrich the school community, contribute to a positive culture, and encourages students to embrace being leaders and grow their own community mindset of giving back.  

Community members can watch the awards finalist compilation video here.