By Mandy Moraes, NLPS staff
An evening of fancy dress, strong women, and a candy bar marked a celebration of the behind-the-scenes work that supports every project.
This year was the first time Kelly Barnum, a drama teacher with Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools, attended the Women of Influence Nanaimo’s Awards gala. She was surprised to leave with the organization’s Arts and Culture recognition.
“I did not expect to win,” she said, explaining she had hardly prepared any remarks. “There are some incredible women in that category doing incredible things for arts and culture. And as I said when I got up there … I’m just a drama teacher.”
The WIN Awards aim to support and recognize the power of influence. They are open to women, non-binary, two-spirit, and gender-diverse people in Nanaimo who make a positive and meaningful impact.
“It’s really about celebrating the work that all 133 (nominees) do,” Barnum said. “Everyone gets to come and be acknowledged and appreciated.”
At the event, Barnum said one keynote moment that stuck with her was listening to the speaker, retired Canadian speed skater and Olympic Champion Catriona Le May Doan, reflect on the years of training behind her medals, symbolized by only a few minutes of race time.
Barnum said the message clicked with her right away.
“What you see on stage is just such a small portion of the work,” she said, comparing it to the months of rehearsal, growth, and courage her students put in before a single performance.
Now in her 24th year with the school district and ninth at Nanaimo District Secondary, Barnum has created a space where students feel they belong. She said a strong performing arts program helps students “find their people and find the thing they’re passionate about.”
“The most important part is giving students a space where they feel comfortable and vulnerable, where it’s OK to make mistakes … It’s not a room where we expect perfection. We want progress. We want you to get a little bit better every day.”
Although her students are at the heart of her work, Barnum’s influence goes beyond the school. She teaches at VIBE Dance studio and directs and performs with the Echo Players in Qualicum Beach.
What makes her work stand out is its depth. For example, every fall Barnum and her collaborator Sarah Kielly create an original 25-minute “dance play” based on history and social issues. Their projects mix storytelling and movement around strong themes, with past topics like the Radium Girls, the SS Valencia shipwreck, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. They keep the ideas secret until the reveal, since building anticipation is part of the magic.
At first, receiving the WIN award felt, in her words, “pretty awkward,” but as the night went on, the shock faded and she realized her work matters.
“I do a lot,” she said. “I influence a lot of kids.”
If the WIN gala had a message beyond celebration, it was that recognizing your accomplishments is not bragging, but a way to honour your impact on others.