by Fred Morris
20 August 2026
The 1990s brought a lot of changes to SJCI. Recycling became part of it. Teacher Wayne Warren helped introduce the computer age. For the first time since June 1951, SJCI shared its facility with another school. On 24 November 1993, George Waters cut the ribbon for the George Waters Middle School. The middle school became a separate entity within the high school campus. The school is located in the 1954 addition to SJCI. Ironically, during its early years, the building at 190 Ferry Road although part of SJCI was not connected to the main building at 1900 Portage Avenue. In May 1992, the Student Council commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Portage Avenue School by donating a stained glass window.
The 1990s began with a couple of Jimmies winning back-to-back outstanding performance awards. Bob Heighton in 1990 followed by Ric Cavalieri in 1991 both won Manitoba Most Outstanding High School Basketball Award. A 1992 newspaper archive mentioned Coach Jim Feasby and Vince Runchey as part of the long running SJCI Rugby Program.
Entertainment remained an important part of the SJCI experience. The productions included The Boy Friend, Little Shop of Horrors, Our Miss Brooks, and The Beverly Hillbillies.
In the early 1990s, Tiffany Hogue scored the highest possible mark in an European History exam. She later received two gold medals and several scholarships at the University of Winnipeg. Kimberly Chartrand won a 1997 scholarship from the Children's Legacy of the Ma Mawi Chi Itaa Foundation. School newspapers were part of the 1990s SJCI experience. The Jimmies Journal, a newspaper, included contributions from Shelly Bernardin, Sherri Thompson, Diana Carlyle, Arlan Gates, Graham Newman, and Shelly Wilkie.
Many SJCI students with disabilities have significant achievements. In 1989-1990, Niki Revoy, a deaf student, was elected President of the Junior High Student Council. David Hocker, another deaf student, excelled at basketball and volleyball. Lynn Fowler, an early 1970s SJCI student, was confined to a wheelchair with muscular dystrophy. On 29 April 1997, Lynn returned to SJCI as the representative of the Royal Bank for the 10th anniversary of the Man in Motion tour. Rick Hansen spoke at this event, which was broadcast on 220 cable television stations across Canada.
In 1992, Winnipeg City Councillor Ernie Gilroy held a public meeting to talk about community policing. In 1996, General Clive Addie presented the United Nations Peacekeeping Award to Miss Triolo and her Senior 1 students. The students wrote letters to Canadian Forces members serving in UN peacekeeping missions. In 1996, Dawn Hicks, a business teacher, and Brownnen Yewdall of the Astra Credit Union helped set up a Students Credit Union. Lori Anne Lewis, Ryan Fry, and Gavin Johnstone were involved as students. In February 1992, Cheryl Rose San Juan, a student, wrote a Letter to the Editor praising the concept. Dawn Hicks went on to become the Vice Principal and Principal of SJCI.
In 1998, SJCI won an Addictions Awareness Week award for their campaign against Teens Drinking and Driving. The students all signed a petition and held a Much Music Video Dance. Winnipeg Blue Bombers kicker Troy Westwood spoke to the students and walked with the students to Bruce Park. Some of the students who were involved Lucia Giancola, Matt Foster, Jeremy Funk, and Kyle Ushock.
As the century drew to a close, I noticed of couple of obits that spanned much of the then-83 year SJCI history. In 1996, Don McNabb died at the age of 77. He had attended SJCI and later became a St. James School Trustee. On Christmas Eve 1999, Wilma Cardin, a long-time school secretary, died at the age of 80. During the 1990s, student presidents were Vince Runchey, Arlan Gates, Andrea Gantzel, Stacey Wiebe, Athena Bafaloucos, Terri Lee Truttman, Richard Vierira, Jennifer De Vera, Karen DeVera, Rob L'Arrivee, and Michelle Stone. The Governor General Medalists were Nancy Scott, Arlan Gates, Shelly Bernardin, Diana Caryle, Aaron Gunson, Min Phan, Richard Vieira, Bonnie Land, Mimi Tran, David Miller, and Andrew Roberstson.
What do SJCI Principals do in their spare time? The answer is curl. John Proudfoot, Dennis Stefanson, Gordon Tovell, and Chris O'Grady curled on the same team for over 30 years. Between 1975 and 1995, these gentlemen, all born in 1939, served as the Principal of SJCI.
Page revised: 26 September 2026
