Ever wondered where the magic of Twilight met the halls of academia? It happened right here at David Thompson Secondary School.
David Thompson Secondary School opened its doors in 1958. It stands in the Fraserview neighborhood of Central Vancouver. But its story stretches far beyond classrooms and textbooks.
David Thompson Secondary School is named after David Thompson. He was a Welshman who worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company in the 1800s. He was the first European to explore the Columbia River to its mouth. David Thompson was a geographer, surveyor, explorer, and fur trader. The school’s motto reflects this spirit: Nos Quoque Exploremus. It means Let Us Also Explore in Latin.
Imagine this school not just as a place of learning. Picture it as a movie set bustling with vampires and werewolves. In 2009, David Thompson Secondary School became Forks High School. It was the setting for The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Eclipse. The school transformed into a cinematic backdrop.
Before the cameras rolled and the stars arrived David Thompson Secondary School was already making history. In 1960, the senior boys’ rugby team won the provincial New Zealand Shield. In 1967 and 1968, the senior boys’ basketball teams became Lower Mainland champions. The school’s original colors were purple and gold. They later changed to blue and light blue.
David Thompson Secondary School has nurtured many successful graduates. Kayi Cheung won Miss Hong Kong in 2007. Ronald Deibert is a professor and director at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab. Andrea Jin is a Juno Award-winning comedian. Dan Kesa and Sasha Lakovic both played professional ice hockey. Annie Liu is a Hong Kong actress. Hargurnek Sandhu competed in the Olympics twice for field hockey. Laurie Shong was an Olympic fencer and pentathlete. Megan Wing was an Olympic figure skater.
From its start with 1500 students to a peak of over 2000 in the mid-seventies, David Thompson Secondary School has grown. In 2018-2019, the school had 1369 students enrolled in grades 8-12. David Thompson Secondary School encourages students to develop their creative, intellectual, and physical potential.
So, as you stand here at David Thompson Secondary School remember its dual role. It is a place of education. It is also a stage where stories come to life.