Skip to content

Quesnel high school grants Daniel Germain honorary high school diploma

Daniel Germain-Quesnel honorary graduate
92666quesnelGermain-Adams
Correlieu principal Mike Adams

He said it was better than receiving the Order of Canada.

Daniel Germain, 48, received his honorary high school diploma from Principal Mike Adams Friday during the Correlieu graduation ceremony.

Germain is a self-made success, founding Breakfast Clubs of Canada, an organization dedicated to feeding children breakfast in schools across the country.

However, 31 years ago Germain went through the motions of high school, but never achieving the ultimate goal, a high school diploma.

“I remember having fun, being popular but I knew I wasn’t getting my diploma,” he said.

Life wasn’t easy for Germain, raised in different foster homes, sliding easily into the wrong activities and paying the price.

He may have been tough and street smart, but his future was anything but certain, especially without a high school diploma.

In 1989, running from his past, no direction for his future, Germain found himself in Mexico. Faced with the reality of 25,000 children surviving on scraps from the Mexico City dump, he dug deep for his compassion and his life changed forever.

Germain now rubs shoulders with the world’s elite, always on the hunt for support for Breakfast Club of Canada.

Much in demand as a speaker, Germain never revealed his lack of a high school diploma.

During a presentation to students at Correlieu, Germain spoke of never having achieved a high school diploma.

Hearing this admission, Principal Mike Adams told Germain he had the power to award an honorary diploma.

Germain was moved and accepted the offer.

“Up to three years ago I never told anyone – I was ashamed,” Germain said.

“When I received an honorary degree from McGill University it didn’t touch me like this high school diploma has.”

One other award affected him deeply – receiving the YMCA Medal of Peace was very emotional he said.

“For the first 23 years of my life I wasn’t at peace,” he said.

“I learned the value of peace. I learned what a privilege it is to bring peace through feeding children.”

Germain’s alma mater also offered him an honorary high school diploma but he gracefully declined.

“I told them they were too late, I was now a Correlieu high school graduate from Quesnel,” he said with a beaming smile.

Germain said it was important for him to be a part of his graduating class and made the effort to be there.

“I loved it, I listened to everybody’s story,” he said.

“You could see it in their eyes, they know it’s just the beginning.”

Germain was asked to speak to the graduating class. He began with a humble thank you for being allowed the honour of graduating with them.

His address was brief and joyous.

“Now that I’m a high school graduate I know I can do it all,” he said with pride.

He admitted graduating was a huge missing piece from his life and thanks to Quesnel and principal Mike Adams, that piece is now in place.