Definitely Durham Hall of Fame

Honouring the Outstanding Achievements of Durham District School Board Graduates

Definitely Durham is the Durham District School Board's (DDSB) Hall of Fame to celebrate and showcase the successes of former DDSB students and public education in our community. 

Recent Inductees

The 2023 honourees were celebrated at the February 2024 board meeting, where they were each presented with an award. View our recent inductees to the Definitely Durham Hall of Fame. View the media release on the 2023 inductees.

Born in Oshawa, William “Bill” Levine spent his early years working on his family farm in Whitby. He was a student at Woodcrest P.S., Ridgeway Senio. Public School, and R.S. McLaughlin CVI before moving onto the University of Toronto where he earned his Bachelor of Physical and Health Education and Education degrees and pursuing his master’s degree in Exercise Physiology at Western University.

Bill spent his years in school immersed in team sports and clubs. He had a passion for athletics and eventually went on to coach many sports and was even drafted to the Hamilton Tiger Cats in 1978. Throughout his career, Bill was the recipient of a number of awards including being appointed to the ‘Order of Ontario’ for his significant contributions to amateur sports and fitness. As an educator, he was known for going above and beyond and headed redesigns of the library, technology classrooms and sports facilities during his time as Vice Principal and Principal at Eastdale CVI.

In his final years, as he battled with cancer Bill worked with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. In honour of Bill's contributions to the Durham District School Board as an educator, the Levine family has established the William Sheppard Levine Memorial Bursary Fund, which will be awarded to a secondary school graduating student to continue Bill's legacy of supporting students. 

Stacey Jiggins (nee Gordon) led a successful career as a professional volleyball player on both the Canadian National and Junior National Women’s volleyball teams. A Durham District School Board graduate, Stacey attended Eastdale CVI in Oshawa where she played basketball, volleyball, soccer, and baseball before her acceptance to Ohio State on a full athletic scholarship where she focused on her volleyball career. In addition to several awards and records, Stacey was inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame in 2010 and later in the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Her professional career lasted 10 seasons until 2013 when she retired to pursue a family. She still lives in Durham Region and is now a respected member of the Toronto Police Service and Durham Regional Police Service.

Matthew “Boi-1da” Samuels is a Grammy award winning producer from Ajax, Ontario. Matthew attended Pickering High School where he began producing music at the age of 15. His talent was first showcased at the Battle of the Beatmakers – Canada’s Official Producer Competition. Today, he has partnered with professional artists Eminem, Jay Z, and most notably his long-time friend, Drake. The two worked on Drake’s “God’s Plan” Album which has warranted the status of 16 times multi-platinum.

Matthew believes in helping youth and continues to support young musicians. He visits Pickering High School often and presents the Matthew Samuels Music Award accompanied with a bursary to a graduating student at Pickering High School annually.  Still living in Durham, Matthew now produces his music from home and is a very active and supportive father.

Past recipients

2020

Christine Elliott

Dale Hawerchuk

Jessica Phoenix

Geoff Warburton

Learn more about the 2020 honourees.

2017

Gail Elliott

Larry Jacula

Nikki Shaffeeullah 

2016 

Perdita Felicien

Rex Grignon

Governor Stephen S. Poloz 

2015 

Candice Hollingshead

Chief Kelly LaRocca

Anne Ottenbrite-Muylaert 

2014 

G. Gary Edgar

William Lishman

Nigel Wilson 

2013 

Andil Gosine

Donald Jackson

Debra Thompson 

2012 

Dr. Elizabeth Josephine Allin

Neil Pasricha

Honourable Mabel M. VanCamp

2011 

Dr. George Beaton

Honourable Ed Broadbent

Lynn Philip Hodgson