Family turns grief into arts scholarship for northern B.C. students

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“We wanted to create a legacy for her, something to remember her by that’s attached to what she loved to do, which was art and design,” Dycke said. “It also serves as a memorial for the other victims in the Tumbler Ridge incident.”

Family turns grief into arts scholarship for northern B.C. students

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Dycke said it was easy to focus the foundation on art because of Kylie’s personality.

“Kylie was like the light of our family,” Dycke said. “She would light up any room that she walked into. She was so full of joy, so loving, so caring, such an affectionate, intuitive little girl.”

Dycke shared that art was always part of Kylie’s life, starting with simple drawings and growing into real talent as she got older.

Dycke looked into other arts grants in the province before deciding where the foundation’s grant should be directed.

“There were many grants in different categories for southern B.C. and quite a few on the island, but not as many in the north, and very few for art,” Dycke said. She explained that creating a grant for the north, where Kylie grew up, felt like the right way to honour her.

Dycke said the foundation made the application process simple, knowing it might be the first grant application for many students.

“We really wanted to make the grant an easy process for the youth that’ll be applying for it,” Dycke said. “We didn’t want it to be too complicated. We wanted to keep it as streamlined as possible.”

Applications open on February 1, 2027, and stay open through March. The foundation’s board will review the applications in the spring and announce the winner in May.

Dycke said the public has already supported the foundation with donations, and the group plans to look for corporate partners and sponsors soon. She encourages everyone to share information about the grant and foundation on Facebook and urges eligible students in northern B.C. to apply.

“I feel like she’s with us all the time, every step of the way, and that she’s proud of what we’re doing,” Dycke said. “Kylie just wanted to help people; that was in her nature. We want to continue that in her legacy and be able to help others for her.”