The Town of Penhold has recognized one of its own rising stars with the 2025 Mayor’s Recognition Award for Youth.
This year’s recipient, Hayden Matthews, a Grade 10 student at Penhold Crossing Secondary School, was presented the award by Mayor Mike Yargeau in honour of his outstanding achievements and contributions to the community.
Matthews is a dedicated student-athlete, balancing his academic workload with an intense training and competition schedule as a competitive mogul skier.
He studies in a blended learning format to accommodate year-round training as a member of the KR Academy High-Performance Team, where he trains under a two-time Olympian.
Over the past year, Matthews has represented Penhold at competitions across Canada and internationally, including his first International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) event in Austria.
His efforts have seen him climb Alberta’s provincial rankings in freestyle skiing.
At the 2024 Alberta Winter Games, he earned silver in the U16 male moguls' category, showcasing both his technical skill and competitive spirit.
But it’s not just his athletic achievements that stand out.
His dedication to his sport is matched by his personal growth, traveling independently and managing the pressures of high-level competition with maturity and resilience.
Despite his demanding schedule, Matthews remains committed to giving back to his hometown.
He volunteers at local events, including the Safe Harbour Society’s Santa Day at Canyon Ski Hill, where he brought festive cheer to families by skiing as the Grinch.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@centralalbertaonline.com.
CentralAlbertaOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the CentralAlbertaOnline app.