Garden City grads pay it forward
Garden City Collegiate Class of 2000 grads Melni Ghattora and Liette Kampic first floated the idea of a 20-year high school reunion back in 2020. But like many plans that year, it was sidelined by the pandemic.
Determined to keep the idea alive, the pair regrouped in 2024 and pulled together a 12-person committee of fellow Class of 2000 grads, aiming for a more informal, social-style event.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Garden City Collegiate teacher Chris Pereira (right) calls graduating student Marisa
Goncalves — winner of the Quiet Strength Award — an 'absolute standout.'
'We just wanted to bring people together. The buildup was exciting but we didn't know what to expect.' says Ghattora. 'It ended up turning into something so much bigger.'
The event quickly grew beyond its original scope. A Facebook group sparked interest, and word-of-mouth helped it spread quickly. What began as a gathering for one graduating year evolved into a full-scale, all-years celebration in May this year, bringing together more than 400 alumni from the '80s, '90s and 2000s.
It was a turnout that exceeded expectations, with more than double the number of attendees the organizers had hoped for.
'Our goal was simple. If we sold 200 tickets, we'd break even,' says Kampic. 'We were nervous we might not sell enough tickets, and even had a backup plan for a smaller space. But in the end, we didn't need it.'
The success of the event wasn't just in the numbers — it was in the atmosphere it created. Old friends picked up right where they left off, and some even travelled from out of town to be there. The night served as a powerful reminder of the shared history and strong sense of community that once connected them.
'Even though many of us have kept in touch through social media, there's something special about reconnecting in person after all these years,' Ghattora says. 'So many people thanked us for organizing it. One person told me, 'This was the event we all needed but didn't know we wanted.' That really stuck with me.'
Thanks to strong community support and a few sponsorship dollars, the organizing committee not only pulled off a bigger event than initially planned, but also ended up with a $3,000 surplus. After covering all expenses, they saw an opportunity to turn that extra money into something lasting, choosing to reinvest it in the next generation of Garden City Collegiate students.
'We started talking about creating scholarships,' Ghattora says. 'One of our committee members shared how much it meant to receive an award in high school — not for academics, but for personal growth. It inspired us to do the same.'
Ghattora and Kampic wanted the reunion's legacy to go beyond a typical scholarship. As parents, they thought about the kinds of strengths they hoped to see in their own children, and in other students whose efforts might not always be recognized with traditional awards.
BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Melni Ghattora (left) and Liette Kampic, who both graduated from Garden City Collegiate in 2000, display old GCC yearbooks.
'I have two kids, and my six-year-old is so creative,' Ghattora says. 'It made me think about celebrating students who inspire others through creativity and storytelling.'
Using the reunion's $3,000 profit, the committee created three $1,000 Garden City Collegiate scholarships for this year's graduates.
'I got a message from Melni saying their event was such a success, they wanted to donate some of the funds raised to support three of our students,' recalls Chris Pereira, a teacher at Garden City Collegiate. 'As someone who's been teaching here for 13 years, I understand the kind of momentum and encouragement that can give to a student. It can really make a difference.'
Excited by the offer, Pereira helped connect Ghattora with school administrators. From there, the reunion planning committee took the lead, working closely with the school to establish the criteria for the scholarships. Together, they ensured the new scholarships would reach deserving Class of 2025 students, including those whose contributions might otherwise go unnoticed.
This led to the development of three distinct awards: the Spark Award, which celebrates creativity and imagination; the Resilience Recognition Award, honouring students who have overcome personal or family hardships such as illness, loss or economic challenges; and the Quiet Strength Award, designed to recognize someone whose impact might not always be loud but is felt within the school community.
'We knew there were already a lot of awards for academics and sports,' says Kampic. 'We wanted to think outside the box and recognize something different.'
Marissa Goncalves, 18, a 2025 Garden City Collegiate graduate and recipient of the Quiet Strength Award, says she was thrilled to receive the award after struggling to find scholarship opportunities.
'I was really happy,' she says. 'My scholarship search hadn't been going very well, so I was excited and grateful to actually get one.'
BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Melni Ghattora (left) and Liette Kampic, who both graduated from Garden City Collegiate in 2000, reminisce over old GCC yearbooks at Kampic's home in West St. Paul, Man.
Goncalves is a student whose impact speaks volumes — even if she doesn't.
'I've always been the quiet kid, not the type to be front and centre,' she says. 'But that changed in the last couple of years when I joined the student council. That's where I found my place.'
She discovered a passion for organizing events, working behind the scenes and collaborating.
'Marissa is an absolute standout,' Pereira says. 'But throughout her time at Garden City, she's never been one to seek glory or recognition. Even when she told me about her involvement with the student council, she left out the fact that she served as co-chair.'
It's a role that carries weight at the school, and Goncalves, typically soft-spoken and reserved, rose to the challenge.
'Despite being a shy and quiet person, she became the face of our student council,' Pereira says. 'That meant overcoming her fear of public speaking, and she did it. She addressed the school numerous times, standing in front of over a thousand people.'
It wasn't easy, but she handled it with quiet determination.
'I saw her push through the discomfort, never making a fuss and quietly doing what needed to be done,' he says. 'That takes real character.'
Goncalves plans to put her scholarship toward her education — she's already been accepted into the University of Manitoba's faculty of engineering and is set on building her future in the field.
Supplied
Ariah (left) and Ethan
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'I'm leaning toward aerospace or maybe chemical engineering – I'm not 100 per cent sure yet,' she says.
The Resilience Recognition Award went to Ethan Pereira, while Ariah Oquendo was the recipient of the Spark Award.
Reflecting on the recent reunion, Pereira — himself a Garden City alumnus — says there's always been a special energy about the school, and that spirit was clearly still present at the event.
'It might not be unique to Garden City, but there's definitely a vibe,' he explains. 'That energy is still alive and well, and I see it every day as a teacher. What this reunion showed former grads — and signals to this year's graduating class — is that their time here mattered.'
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Sabrina CarnevaleColumnist
Sabrina Carnevale is a freelance writer and communications specialist, and former reporter and broadcaster who is a health enthusiast. She writes a twice-monthly column focusing on wellness and fitness.
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