Awards Night
Program
Table of contents
4:30 PM – Cocktails
5:20 PM – Welcome Intro
5:30 PM – President Address
5:40 PM – First Course
6:00 PM – Campus Club Awards
6:30 PM – Main Course
7:00 PM – Newman Mentalism
8:00 PM – Intermission and Dessert Served
8:15 PM – Ooks Life Team Awards, Volunteer Awards, and NAIT Nugget Awards
8:45 PM – Becky Kallal Golden Gavel Award for Excellence in Student Governance and Executive Council Farewell
9:10 PM – Formal Program Complete
Welcome
President Address
Lilly Houcher
Club Awards
Presented by the NAITSA Campus Clubs Team
NAITSA Campus Clubs – Club Awards (2025-26)
Shooting Star Award
The club with the most creative/innovative event(s) or initiatives throughout the year.
Conqueror Award
The club that overcame the most challenges to truly embrace change and showed the most improvement throughout the year.
Constant Vigilance Award
The club with the best risk management that showed a concentrated effort to minimize risk.
Influencer Award
The club with the most memorable advertising and marketing strategy.
Hyper Activity Award
The club that has had the most activities throughout the year.
Cash Cow Award
The club is known for their steady hard work earning the most Moo-la (aka revenue) for their club throughout the year.
Rockstar Rookie
A new club that excels in learning about Campus Clubs services, demonstrates professionalism and is successful in their first foray into being a club.
Club of the Year Award
This award recognizes a club that sets a high standard in professionalism, promotion, volunteering, Ooks Life page engagement, fundraising and sharing NAITSA pride. This award is not necessarily given out each year.
GIV’ER Distinctions
Clubs who have committed to volunteerism and giving back to the community are recognized. These clubs have shown character and leadership in making NAIT and the Edmonton community a better place. The GIV’ER distinctions include Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.
Ooks Life Team Awards
Presented by Teaira Current, VP Internal
“Bright Beginner Award”
This award is presented to the Ooks Life Team member for their overall outstanding performance as a first year member in the 2025-26 academic year.
“Impact Award”
This award is presented to the Ooks Life Team member who led with brilliance in the 2025-26 academic year.
“Dedicated Champion Award”
This award is presented to the Ooks Life Team member who continually went above and beyond their outlined responsibilities in the 2025-26 academic year.
“Engagement Champion Award”
This award is presented to the Ooks Life Team member who used a student centred approach when it came to interacting with NAIT students in the 2025-26 academic year.
Volunteer Awards
Presented by Katy Golby and Ananya, Ooks Life Team Volunteer Coordinators
“Volunteer Spotlight Award”
Awarded to NAIT students with the top three highest accumulated volunteer hours during the 2025-26 academic year.
“NAITSA Volunteer of the Year”
Awarded to a NAIT student who showed great commitment to NAITSA and enthusiasm while supporting campus life.
NAIT Nugget Awards
Presented by Amy St. Amand, NAIT Nugget Editor-in-Chief
Editor of the year
This award is presented to the editor that excelled in their role, showing dedication, journalistic integrity and leadership during the 2025-26 academic year.
Contributor of the year
This award is presented to the Nugget Contributor who demonstrated a high level of excellence in writing, editing and capturing the student voice during the 2025-26 academic year.
BECKY KALLAL GOLDEN GAVEL AWARD
FOR EXCELLENCE IN STUDENT GOVERNANCE
Presented by Becky Kallal and Danielle Libunao, VP Academic
The Golden Gavel for Excellence in Student Governance is presented by NAITSA to a Senate member who has been judged by their peers to have effectively accomplished the following criteria: leadership qualities, achievements, cooperation, school spirit, sportsmanship and overall contribution to NAIT.
Farewell to the 2025-26 Executive Council
Presented by Chris Chelmick, NAITSA Executive Director
VP External – Robin Murillo
Returning NAITSA Executive Council
President – Lilly Houcher
VP Academic – Danielle Libunao
VP Internal – Teaira Current
Incoming NAITSA Executive Council
VP External – Vlad Bondarchuck
Entertainment
Stringbeans Quartet
For over 25 years, the Stringbeans Quartet has delighted audiences with hits from Pachelbel to Prince. Our fresh blend of classical and pop has brought sophistication and joy to hundreds of weddings, events, and performances throughout Edmonton and beyond.
We’ve performed at distinguished events like the St. Albert Mayor’s Celebration of the Arts and the centennial re-opening of the Bailey Theatre, and opened for Johnny Reid on his A Christmas Gift to You tour. Our long time partnership with John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation has helped raise millions through the annual CRESCENDO and Singing Christmas Tree concerts. In 2024, they were honoured to be named the preferred string quartet of the historic Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.
Newman Mentalism
Jeff Newman is an internationally recognized mentalist, magician and corporate entertainer known for delivering sophisticated, baffling, and hilarious mind-reading and illusion shows. Blending sharp wit with impossible feats, Jeff creates a truly memorable experience that engages and astounds audiences of all sizes, ensuring his show is anything but ordinary.