The 2026 Make it A Reality Award winner has gone through a lot in her young life, but she hasn’t let it slow her down—and she has her sights set high for her next chapter.
On May 12, the Winkler Community Foundation presented the $30,000 scholarship to Garden Valley Collegiate’s Heidi Braun.
The award, distributed to Braun over the next four years of her post-secondary education, is part of $125,000 in scholarships the foundation will distribute this year from its Gordon Wiebe Education Fund. It is their largest single award, presented annually to a Winkler student who has demonstrated commitment to their community, achievement in education, and a strong capacity for leadership.
Braun certainly fits the bill, shared scholarships coordinator Natalie Neudorf, noting she was selected for her “active volunteerism, her passion for service, and her exceptional grades.
“Heidi’s commitment to community and volunteering stands out,” she said. “Her volunteering involvements include at the Boundary Trails hospital gift shop, Fairford Indigenous Reserve DVBS, Camp Sunshine, active involvement with her church’s Sunday School, and her school’s Youth and Philanthropy program.
“Heidi has a passion for serving children, and she lights up the room when speaking about them,” Neudorf said, adding how she was “described by both of her references as having a heart of gold, and the scholarship committee absolutely agrees with this characterization.”
Receiving this scholarship is a game-changer for her, Braun shared, as it will allow her to fully focus on her studies and worry far less about how she’s going to pay for it all.
But it also represents so much more than money.
“It represents belief, encouragement, and a reminder that my goals are not only possible but worth investing in,” Braun said. “I feel both grateful and humbled to be able to considered worthy of that support.”
The last 10 years of Braun’s life have been filled with medical appointments, treatments, and uncertainty, ever since she was diagnosed with a brain tumour at the age of seven.
“There were moments when my world felt very small, centred around hospital rooms, recovery periods, and simply getting through the next day,” Braun said. “There were also moments of fear, frustration, and exhaustion, where the future felt uncertain and distant. But over time, I also learned something incredibly important through that experience.
“I learned resilience. Not the kind that is louder, obvious, but the kind that always shows up quietly when you choose to keep going anyway. I learned patience, especially with myself, and with a process that cannot be rushed. And I learned perspective, understanding that even on difficult days there is still value in progress, no matter how small it may seem.
“Most importantly, I learned how deeply healthcare professionals can impact a person’s life. Not just through medicine or treatment plans, but through kindness, reassurance, and the dignity they provide in moments that feel overwhelming and uncertain. Those experiences stayed with me, and over time they began to shape the direction I want my life to take.”
Braun plans to attend Brandon University to study nursing. Her dream is to one day work in a pediatric oncology department.
“I want to become the kind of nurse who understands what it feels like to be on the other side of the hospital bed. Someone who not only provides care, but also sees the person behind the diagnosis. I want to be able to offer reassurance in moments of fear, clarity in moments of confusion, and dignity in moments where patients feel like they may have lost control.”
Receiving this award serves as a great motivator as she works towards that goal, Braun said.
“It reinforces my commitment to my goals and reminds me that I’m not just working towards a degree, but towards a future where I can give back.”
