Neelin staff receive province’s ‘highest honour’

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew presented the Order of the Buffalo Hunt to staff at École secondaire Neelin High School for their bravery, quick response and compassion during the violent June 10 sword attack at the Brandon school.

“The Order of the Buffalo Hunt reminds us that courage isn’t just about facing danger,” Kinew said in the packed school gymnasium on Friday. “It’s about protecting one another — and Neelin showed us all how that’s done.”

The Neelin team’s actions were “an amazing example” of what it means to be Manitoban, Kinew told the staff during the presentation.

“This is the highest honour we can present to a group of people,” he said. “You did an amazing thing — keeping kids safe and looking after one another. You circled up and protected the young.”

The premier likened the staff’s courage to that of the bison — Manitoba’s symbol of strength and protection — adding the Order of the Buffalo Hunt takes its name from the way buffalo shield their young during times of danger.

“That’s exactly what you did here at Neelin,” he said. “You faced the storm … You greeted it head-on and you did something amazing on a very challenging day.”

The award was received on behalf of all staff and educators by Whitney Kreller-Lamont, a math teacher who played a critical role in responding to the June 10 incident.

Kreller-Lamont was among the first to rush to the aid of injured Grade 10 student Chinonso Onuke, 15, who was severely cut on the hands, chest and thigh, school principal Bas Nundu told the Sun.

“She was one of the people who was right there in those first moments, providing first aid and applying pressure to his wounds until emergency crews arrived,” Nundu said. “When we talk about first responders, that’s an example of how our staff responded before anyone else got here.”

Nundu said the honour carries deep meaning for everyone in the school community.

“I think this is going to be a big step in the healing process,” he said. “The fact that the province is recognizing what we went through means so much to everybody — the students, the staff, the whole Neelin community.”

Regarding lessons learned from the event, he said the experience has revealed the strength and resilience of both teachers and students.

“Our students are the most resilient we’ve ever seen,” he said. “Having to go through something like that, and still showing up for school and learning — it shows that as human beings, we have the strength to get through anything.”

Kinew said the recognition was not only about bravery in the face of danger, but also about the resilience shown in the weeks and months that followed.

“You showed up for the kids, for each other, and you showed up again this fall,” he told the teachers. “That’s the best of Manitoba right there.”

The premier said he hopes the recognition brings comfort to Neelin and inspires schools across Manitoba to continue prioritizing safety, compassion and preparedness.

“It’s been such a tough situation that none of us would ever want to encounter,” Kinew told the Sun. “But Neelin students, staff and teachers responded with grace, courage and resilience. That deserves our recognition — and our gratitude.”

Nundu also presented Kinew and his delegation — including Education Minister Tracy Schmidt, Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard and Lagimodiere MLA Tyler Blashko — with small gifts from Neelin.

“So everywhere you go, you’ll have a little bit of Neelin with you,” he said.

As applause filled the gymnasium, students and teachers stood to honour one another — a moment that reflected the community’s shared strength and gratitude.

The award, which is one of Manitoba’s highest civilian honours, was presented by Premier Wab Kinew during his visit to the high school on Friday afternoon.

In July, Kinew presented the Order of the Buffalo Hunt to Brandon Police Service Const. Moshe Linov and other first responders for the bravery they displayed in responding to the attack.

A 16-year-old boy faces three counts of attempted murder in relation to the attack.

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