The legacy of longtime educator David Symington continues to inspire the next generation of artists through Stage North’s annual scholarship, now in its second year in Slave Lake.

Lakeside Outreach School student Dakota Mary MacDonald has been named the recipient of the 2026 David Symington Scholarship for Fine Arts on June 16.

According to Stage North, she will begin the Graphic Design and Interactive Media program at the Toronto Film School this July. Over the next two years, she plans to build her graphic design skills while working toward her goal of launching her own graphic design business.

The scholarship was created to support students from the Slave Lake area who are pursuing post-secondary education in the arts.

Caroline Wagenaar, a Stage North board member who oversees the scholarship program, says the award was established to honour Symington’s lasting contributions to the community and encourage young people to follow creative career paths.

“Dave was a friend and a colleague to many of us at Stage North,” Wagenaar says. “We wanted to do something in his memory. It feels really good to see some of Dave’s legacy passed on to young people in the arts.”

David Symington was one of Stage North’s founding board members and a drama teacher at Roland Michener Secondary School. He was also well known as the longtime master of ceremonies for Stage North productions.

Stage North established the scholarship following Symington’s passing a few years ago. Dakota becomes only the second recipient of the annual award.

The scholarship is open to students from the Slave Lake area who plan to pursue post-secondary studies in the arts or fine arts. Applications open each spring, with a deadline of May 31.

Wagenaar encouraged future applicants to carefully review the scholarship requirements before applying.

For Stage North, the scholarship is about more than financial support. It is also about encouraging young artists to pursue careers they are passionate about

“We just want to see people continuing to pursue careers in the arts and hopefully thriving in those careers,” Wagenaar says.

She also shared a message for Dakota as she prepares for the next chapter of her education.

“All of us at Stage North wish her the very best in her studies and in her career,” Wagenaar says. “We’re so excited to know that she’s moving ahead with her plans.”

More information about the David Symington Scholarship for Fine Arts, including eligibility requirements and future application dates, is available on the Stage North’s website.

Julia Magsombol

Lakeside Leader