RELEASE: Oilers Alumni announce Al Hamilton Scholarship recipients

EDMONTON, AB - The Edmonton Oilers Alumni are excited to announce the 2020 recipients of the Al Hamilton Scholarship: Mackenzie Buchanan of Edmonton, AB and Eyad Mostafa of Vegreville, AB.

Established in 2001, the Al Hamilton Scholarship is awarded annually to students from Northern Alberta who excel in academics, athletics and community service. Recipients receive $2,000 per school year to a maximum of $8,000 over four years.

Al Hamilton, the first captain in Oilers history, wore the 'C' for four seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and excelled as a defenceman and leader. As an integral and founding member of the Oilers Alumni Association, Hamilton has consistently given back to the city that cheered him on through his playing career. It is these core values that the scholarship was founded on. When Hamilton's #3 Oilers jersey was retired, his fellow Oilers Alumni created the scholarship in his name and it has since helped many deserving students further their education.

"Year after year, we are overwhelmed with the impressive pool of candidates who apply for the scholarship," Hamilton said. "These students are intelligent, athletic and dedicated to enhancing their community and this year's recipients are wonderful examples of that. On behalf of our Edmonton Oiler Alumni, it is an honour to select Mackenzie Buchanan and Eyad Mostafa as the recipients of the 2020 Al Hamilton Scholarship."

A recent graduate of M.E. LaZerte High School, Buchanan is the definition of hard-working and reliable. While he excels at many things, his athletic and academic abilities are where he thrives. His dedication and team-first attitude as a multi-sport athlete is a product of his ability to lead, which has earned the respect of coaches and teammates, as well as team leadership awards in volleyball and basketball.

Buchanan's scholastic abilities have been recognized through awards and academic accolades in science and math. In high school, he scored 100 percent on provincial diploma exams in both physics and math. Outside of high school, he is an active member in the community, and has participated in numerous initiatives, including the WE Scare Hunger campaign, in which Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl also participated.

He is also constantly involved in several other M.E. LaZerte community outreach programs. volunteering with You Can Ride 2, a non-profit organization, in a role where he assists students with developmental delays reach personal goals.

Buchanan has a passion for math and science and will be pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Alberta in the Fall of 2020, remaining involved in recreational activities such as volleyball and basketball.

"Mr. Hamilton's legacy of athletics, service and character inspires me and the many flourishing athletes, givers and thinkers in our community," Buchanan said. "Receiving the Al Hamilton Scholarship is an honour and privilege that would not be possible without the team at home and school that supported my candidacy."

Mostafa has a passion for making a positive impact in the community while constantly pursuing his athletics endeavours. His positivity and desire to be involved in positions of leadership have led to success in multiple sports and allowed him to pursue several volunteer initiatives.

He has been an active member on numerous community boards, including being the only youth member of the Vegreville Tourism Advisory Board, allowing him to give perspective and a demographic voice to his peers. He also served in the Youth Making a Change program as part of a Vegreville rotary club, which made significant contributions to the Vegreville Crisis Association.

Along with his multiple community involvement initiatives, Mostafa participated in student union at school and displayed courage by taking on numerous public speaking roles at school events.

When Mostafa isn't committing himself to academics and volunteering, he thrives as an exceptional multi-sport athlete. A competitive soccer player, he plays for the Africana FC men's premier team, competing both indoors and outdoors at an elite level. As the youngest player on his team, his leadership qualities have allowed his coaches to place trust in him, leading to team success. He also plays singles and doubles badminton for his high school, winning the Best Badminton Senior Varsity Team Award at his school in 2019.

Mostafa is a recent graduate of Vegreville Composite High School and will be pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Engineering at the University of Alberta in the Fall of 2020. He also plans to try out for the Golden Bears men's soccer team.

"I am immensely honoured to be one of the recipients of the 2020 Al Hamilton Scholarship and am grateful to not only the Oilers Alumni, but also my parents who have supported my academics and athletics," he said. "The financial support will allow me to put more time into the three core values that the Al Hamilton Scholarship encourages."

• More information on the Al Hamilton Scholarship