Remi Poliquin
Counsel
Honouring Our Caretaker Extraordinaire: Jermaine Ebanks
submitted by Ben Matlin, Principal
In every school, there are people whose impact is felt long before their name is spoken. There are individuals whose presence brings calm, whose actions bring safety, and whose heart brings community. At Horizon High School, that person is Jermaine Ebanks.
It’s time to shine a long‑overdue spotlight on someone who embodies the very spirit of our vision: excellence, empathy, purpose, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every young person who walks through our doors.
Jermaine’s work may begin in the hallways, but it extends far beyond them. He is part caretaker, part coach, part mentor, part chef, part cultural bridge, and part steady foundation for our entire school community. Horizon High School serves students who need not only structure and support, but also connection, understanding, and trust. Every day, Jermaine helps cultivate exactly that.
He ensures safety and wellbeing with diligence and heart. He coaches at‑risk youth with honesty, compassion, and a touch of real‑world wisdom that helps guide them toward better paths. He offers opportunities for growth, understanding, and self‑reflection. He models resilience. He listens deeply. And, in moments that matter most, he steps in with the right words, or simply the right presence, to help a young person re‑center, with dignity.
Jermaine mentors not only students but staff as well, bringing perspective, grounding, warmth, and humour to our collective work. His kitchen becomes a classroom, a gathering place, a cultural exchange, and often a haven: where he cooks to share not only food, but stories, hope, belonging, and the feeling of family. In our specialized school built on trauma‑informed and attachment‑based approaches, Jermaine embodies these principles naturally and powerfully to support our at-risk youth.
His creativity, resourcefulness, and outside‑the‑box problem‑solving are stitched into the fabric of Horizon. Whether he is opening doors (literally or figuratively) Jermaine ensures that every student and staff member knows they matter, that they are safe, and that someone on this earth is rooting for them wholeheartedly.
When we talk about people who make meaningful differences in schools, we often look to those in the spotlight. But some of the most extraordinary impacts happen quietly, humbly, consistently, behind the scenes, before the school day begins, after the last bell rings, and in all the unseen moments where care becomes the catalyst for change.
Today, we bring that hidden magic into the light.
On behalf of the students, staff, families, and community of Horizon High School: Jermaine, thank you.
Thank you for every act of kindness, every moment of guidance, every meal shared, every word of encouragement, every laugh that lifted the room, and every step you take each day to make our school stronger, safer, and more human.
You help Horizon live its mission; not just in philosophy, but in practice.
Our community is better because you are part of it.
You are appreciated. You are celebrated. You make a difference.
6 Responses
Dear Mr Jermaine, Congratulations! When you worked the afternoons at Beacon Hill, you brought a lot of smiles and joy to so many kids. You were sadly missed when you left but I’m glad to see that you are loved and appreciated where you ended up. And of course you are as you have a very big heart ❤️. Love Mrs Day
Jermaine I’m so proud of you keep up the great work… Friends from childhood I’m happy to see such great accomplishments coming from you. I expected nothing less.
Proud mom here. You are so deserving of this recognition, you lightens up every space you walks into, a true role model and I pray that you will always be this phenomenal person ❤️
Thank you Jermaine! Watching my son grow in confidence, maturity, and direction means everything, and I know having the right influences around him plays a big part in that. Thank you for being one of those people who leads by example and helps shape our kids into their best selves.
Well done 👏 Very proud of your well deserve recognition. Continue to spread that energy you give to others….always guaranteed to have a good laugh.
Love This! Well deserved. Thank you for your service of love. You are appreciated!