Article and Photo by Jason Setnyk
He wears
number 18 for the Ottawa Senators, and he was the keynote speaker for
the Ontario Hockey Academy ceremony. Jesse Winchester who was born in
Cornwall Ontario and raised in nearby Long Sault spoke to the graduating
class of 2012. Winchester played Junior A hockey with the Cornwall
Colts, and was offered a full hockey scholarship at Colgate University,
where he played four seasons of NCAA D1 hockey.
Winchester was offered an opportunity before
graduating to accept a contract with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, but
instead he choose to finish his studies first. He gave some advices to
the graduates, "take your time, work hard, and you will get there".
Winchester was offered a contact by the Ottawa Senators after
graduation.
Dr. Kris Rothley, principal of the Ontario Hockey
Academy was impressed by Winchester's message. "Jesse was emphasizing
the importance of hard work, education, and not rushing through
decisions. That fits with the OHA mission nicely. I thought he was a
perfect speaker for the school".
The Ontario Hockey Academy which is completing it's
fourth year was recently honoured as the 2011 Small Business of the Year
by the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. The early success of this school
can be attributed to the team work of its owners, coaches, teachers, and
staff. 2011-2012 was a year of accomplishments for OHA on the ice. A
few of the highlights include the Boys Gold team winning it's league and
championship, and the Girls Gold team winning the McGill tournament.
Academically there were many success stories too.
Commitments for OHA students in 2012-2013 include Bemidji State
University, the University of Maine, Cornell University, Colgate
University, Ohio State University, SUNY Potsdam, University of Montreal,
McGill University, Sacred Heart and Union College. According to the
Ontario Hockey Academy website, OHA students have received over a
million dollars worth of NCAA scholarships. These are just some of the
many success stories at this private school located here in Cornwall
Ontario.
