Rowan Mackenzie accepts the scholarship (submitted photo)
A St. John Catholic High School graduate is being celebrated for connecting local history, sustainable farming and community leadership.
Rowan McKenzie has received the 2026 Tay Valley History Scholarship, a $1,600 award that will help cover his tuition at Queen’s University in Kingston.
During an interview with Lynda D’Aoust on What’s Good, McKenzie said the scholarship felt closely connected to his high school experience and his hopes for the future.
McKenzie was selected after students from St. John Catholic High School and Perth and District Collegiate Institute were invited to submit two essays. Applicants explained their interest in history and shared ideas about what Canada should emphasize during its 160th anniversary.
Local historian and author Kay Rogers, who serves on the selection committee, told D’Aoust that McKenzie quickly impressed all three judges.
McKenzie’s essays explored the connection between history and sustainable agriculture. He operates an organic market garden on his family farm and sells produce at the Crystal Palace market in Perth.
His interest in gardening began when he was four or five years old while helping his grandmother. McKenzie has since learned from farmers, books, online resources and Indigenous knowledge about the land in Lanark County.
He told D’Aoust that studying earlier farming practices can help communities recognize mistakes, protect the environment and build more sustainable food systems.
McKenzie will study politics, philosophy and economics at Queen’s, while also taking a course focused on ecological sustainability.
His community involvement also includes student council, musical theatre, soccer refereeing, the Ontario Nature Youth Council and volunteering at The Table Community Food Centre.
Rogers said those experiences demonstrated strong communication, thoughtful ideas and a commitment to helping others.
The scholarship was established 10 years ago following celebrations marking 200 years of European settlement in the area. Its funds are managed by the Perth and District Community Foundation.
McKenzie thanked Tay Valley Township and the scholarship committee and said he hopes to continue their mission when he begins university this fall.
You can listen to Lynda’s complete conversation with both Kay and Rowan below.
