We have a number of special awards at U.F.A. They are presented at the Fall Recognition Assembly for the previous year’s grade 9s, 10s, and 11s. The grade 12s receive their awards at June Graduation. Please note that to qualify for these awards, except in rare circumstances, a student must be in full-time attendance at UFA, and where applicable credits and or marks under consideration must have been earned at UFA.

Ali Callegarini P.A.L.S. Retreat Leadership Award This award is named after a former retired Guidance Teacher of the school. It is presented to students for organizing the Grade Nine Retreat, helping to make all students new to UFA feel welcome, safe and valued.

Andrew Batten Purple Boot Award for Creative Writing This award is given in memory of Andrew Batten, a gifted playwright and a much-loved teacher at Ursula Franklin Academy. The award recognizes a Grade 12 student who, in their writing, demonstrates originality, effective structure, and the ability to create and maintain a reader’s interest. But it is for more than just that. The Purple Boot is a metaphor for Andrew’s style of teaching and his ability to inspire students through his passionate zaniness. The Grade 12 student then must also demonstrate a beginning willingness to boot conformity and instead purple with perspicacity this amazing world we live in.

Anne Kerr Social Justice Award This award, named for former Principal Anne Kerr, recognizes the ingenuity and achievement of a graduating student (or group of students) who has demonstrated social justice leadership in the school community.

Barbara Wagner-Heim Biology Award Dr. Ursula Franklin personally tasked longstanding Vice-Principal Barbara Wagner-Heim with encouraging interest in and pursuit of sciences for all UFA students, but in particular for young women in science. The recipient of this award demonstrates curiosity, integrity, leadership and genuine interest in biology. The recipient also intends to pursue biology-related sciences in post-secondary college or university.

Community of Learners Award This award is given out every year to students who demonstrate an understanding of and who promote the values of the school, and work towards creating a positive and enriching academic environment. Both students and teachers can nominate candidates.

David Freedman Award This award, named after UFA’s first vice principal, goes to a graduating member of the school’s Stage Crew Team for demonstrating exceptional commitment to their work in supporting our community.

Dr. Franklin Unplugged Award This award goes to a student in any grade who prioritizes face-to-face connections with friends and members of our community. Set up by Ali Callegarini in her retirement year, this award recognizes students who lead by example. Both students and teachers can nominate, but peer nominations hold more weight than teacher nominations.

Enduring Flame Award This award goes to a graduate, parent or faculty member who is no longer formally associated with the school but who has continued to contribute to the UFA community through generously volunteering his or her time.

Environmental Justice Award This award recognizes an individual or group of graduating students who actively champion the rights of the environment and have been active in environmental campaigns and initiatives around the school and/or community.

Georgia Gallagher Award  This award is named after a former retired Principal of the school. It is presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated outstanding spirit and commitment to the UFA community through their contribution to the life of the school, and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Gib Goodfellow Award This award is named after a founding teacher of the school. It is presented to a graduating student who has worn the school uniform with pride, represented the founding values of the school, supported the learning of others, and enriched the community of learners.

Gulcan Ozel Math Helper Award This award is named in honour of Gulcan Ozel, a longstanding math teacher at UFA who was known for her strong dedication to her students and to Mathematics education. She was tireless in helping students achieve success and be well-prepared for future courses. The award is presented to a student, or students, who demonstrated a strong commitment to helping struggling Mathematics students. The recipient is empathetic, reliable, and able to approach Math concepts in different ways.

Honour Roll Recognition Students in grades 9, 10 and 11 who achieve an average of 80% or higher in their 8 subjects (top 7 subjects in grade 11) will be recognized for being on the honour roll for that school year.

Integrated Learning Certificate of Achievement Award This award is given to graduating student(s) for taking, throughout their time at UFA, a minimum of two Wednesday Program courses in each of the eighteen categories, and for earning an average mark of 80% or higher across those thirty-six courses.

Leadership Award Several of these awards are presented to graduating students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in taking on responsibility for special projects and events in the school.

Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award This award pays tribute to a student who not only completes the number of volunteer hours required to graduate but who goes above and beyond. Students who wish to be considered for this award must submit a short application along with documentation of their volunteer hours in the spring of their graduating year.

Myrna Mather Award This award is given to 2-5 graduating students to recognize their ability to adopt a cooperative approach in enriching the school’s community of learners. The award was created by Dr. Ursula Franklin and founding Principal Myrna Mather, who wish to show that we value cooperation in our community, and that we “don’t have to compete all the time to be recognized.”

OSSTF District 12 Award The award goes to a student who has demonstrated outstanding participation and contribution to school life. A cheque in the amount of $100.00 accompanies this award.

OSSTF Status of Women Award Honoured by the OSSTF at a reception this past spring. The staff nominates recipients for their contributions to our community.

Ontario Principals’ Council Award This award is given to a graduating student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout their high school career.

Ontario Scholar Recognition Graduating students who achieve an aggregate of 480 marks or more in their top six grade twelve courses (of any type, U, M, O, etc.) will be recognized as “Ontario Scholars” at the graduation ceremony. Results are calculated using final June marks.

Principal’s Awards These awards recognize the female and male graduating student with the highest academic achievement in their top 6 Grade 12 U and M courses, including English, taken at UFA with UFA faculty. The average is calculated using final June marks.

Principal Emeritus Award of Excellence This award recognizes a graduating student who has demonstrated overall excellence in their time at Ursula Franklin Academy. This student will have achieved outstanding academic success throughout their career at UFA in conjunction with leadership and contribution to the school and larger community.

Socratic Thinker Named after Socrates, the founder of Philosophy and the original gadfly, this award honours critical thinking and a commitment to questioning the logic of prevailing trends. This award goes to a student who “thinks laterally,” who explores the possible (not just the actual). This student’s perspective offers a fundamentally novel insight into the issue at hand and, in doing so, moves the class in exciting and productive directions. Fundamentally, the Socratic Thinker enriches the learning experience of everyone in the class, pulling together the community of learners with their unique style of thinking. Both students and teachers can nominate for this award.

Subject Excellence Award Awards in Subject Excellence are given out each year to students who have been committed to their work and exhibited a consistent level of excellence in the subject throughout the year. Award winners must have shown innovation, creativity or have made an outstanding, active contribution to the class.

Ursula Franklin Academy Scholar Recognition Graduating students who achieve an aggregate of 480 marks or more in their top six grade twelve “U” or “M” courses, including Grade 12 English, earned at Ursula Franklin Academy with UFA faculty will be recognized as “Ursula Franklin Academy Scholars” at the graduation ceremony. Results are calculated using final June marks.

Ursula Franklin Award of Excellence This award recognizes a graduating student who has demonstrated overall excellence in his or her time at Ursula Franklin Academy. This student will have achieved outstanding academic success throughout his or her career at UFA in conjunction with leadership and contribution to the school and larger community.

Waterloo Canadian Computing Contest—Senior Level Recipients are presented with the Canadian Computing Contest Certificate of Distinction, issued by the Department of Computer Science of the University of Waterloo for being in the top 25% of students across Canada who took part in the test.

Waterloo Chem 13 News Contest Recipients are presented with the Waterloo Chem 13 News Certificate issued by the Department of Chemistry of the University of Waterloo for achieving the highest mark of those writing the test from Ursula Franklin Academy.

Waterloo Euclid Contest Recipients are presented with the Waterloo Euclid Contest Certificate of Distinction issued by the Department of Mathematics of the University of Waterloo for being in the top 25% of students across Canada who took part in the test.

Waterloo Sir Isaac Newton Physics Contest Recipients are presented with the Sir Isaac Newton Physics Contest Certificate of Distinction issued by the Department of Physics of the University of Waterloo for being in the top 25% of students across Canada who took part in the test.

Wednesday Badge Award This award is given to graduating student(s) for earning, throughout their time at UFA a minimum of 25 Wednesday Program badges, representing enthusiastic engagement in a variety of ways, including diversification, specialization, productivity, high achievement, and leadership.