Jesse Pawel Drwiega of Red Deer, recipient of the 2019 Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Performing and Visual Arts. (Government of Alberta)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Outstanding Achievements

Red Deer man receives Queen’s Golden Jubilee Scholarship Award

Jul 15, 2020 | 11:30 AM

A Red Deer man was one of two young Albertans honoured with a 2019 Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award for Performing and Visual Arts on Tuesday.

Jesse Pawel Drwiega of Red Deer grew up dancing in central Alberta, starting with competitive tap dance at the age of three.

After training in jazz, ballet, contemporary, modern, and hip hop styles, Drwiega won a scholarship to study at The Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles.

Following that, he graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts in 2016 with an Enriched Diploma in Theatre Performance and a Certificate in Mentorship for Choreography.

Most recently, Drwiega graduated with his Bachelor Degree in Music Theatre Performance at Sheridan College with the highest GPA in his class.

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In the final year of his study, he was offered a scholarship to pursue his Masters at the prestigious Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, Scotland.

Having just finished starring as Ernst in Cabaret, his work has been seen and recognized on stages across the country. In his free time, Drwiega can be found freelancing as a choreographer and dance teacher.

Eight other Alberta youth were also recognized in Tuesday’s virtual ceremony at Government House in Edmonton with 2019 Queen’s Golden Jubilee Citizenship medals.

The citizenship medal recognizes students for their outstanding citizenship, leadership, community service and volunteerism.

The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Awards also recognize one student with talent and educational goals in the performing arts and one student with talent and educational goals in the visual arts.

Along with a medal, each recipient receives a $5,000 scholarship to further their personal development.

“These awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of hard-working, thoughtful and innovative young Albertans who have found inspiring ways to give back and share their unique voices with the world,” says Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell, in a press release. “I’m excited to see where their continued dedication to excellence takes them in the future.”

“These remarkable young Albertans are committed to excellence as they pursue their passions in volunteering, humanitarianism and the arts,” adds Leela Sharon Aheer, Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women. “These are tomorrow’s leaders striving to make their communities a better place for all of Alberta, and I congratulate them on their many achievements.”

“We are proud to celebrate this group of future leaders and artists to recognize their accomplishments as part of Alberta’s scholarship program,” notes Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Advanced Education. “Alberta’s future will be brighter thanks to these young Albertans who are each harnessing their potential with hard work, creativity, and dedication to making a difference in their communities. Congratulations to the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Class of 2020.”

QEII Golden Jubilee Citizenship Medal recipients

• Heena Batta, Edmonton
• Laurissa Brousseau, Canmore
• Emily Chen, Calgary
• Alexander Erickson, Edmonton
• Hao Ji Jiang, Calgary
• Arielle Lok, Calgary
• Armaan Ali Somani, Edmonton
• Victoria Wright, Sherwood Park

QEII Golden Jubilee Scholarship for the Performing Arts recipient

• Jesse Pawel Drwiega, Red Deer

QEII Golden Jubilee Scholarship for the Visual Arts recipient

• Thomas Weir, Edmonton

The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Award was established in 2002 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ascension of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. Since then, 137 individuals have received the citizenship award and 35 have received the arts award.

A selection committee chooses recipients for the citizenship award from the Alberta high school students who received the Premier’s Citizenship Award that year. Students can apply for the arts scholarship through the Alberta Foundation for the Arts.