RE/MAX Quest for Excellence 2011

Quest for Excellence The Quest for Excellence program is a bursary program for grade 12 students in Western Canada. It was established by RE/MAX of Western Canada to recognize the success and ongoing pursuits of Western Canadian students in regards to leadership and community contribution initiatives.

Over 1200 essays were received in the 2011 Quest for Excellence program. RE/MAX of Western Canada is pleased to award 16 deserving students, $1,000 bursary each to help further their education.

Here are the 16 winning entries for 2011.

Jennifer Liu Burnaby, BC My mission in life is to help as many people as possible to achieve their dreams. After months of studying profiles of much-respected figures such as Ghandi, the Dalai Lama, and Queen Rania, I finally came to the following conclusion: the best and most effective way to make an impact in the world is to first work hard to become an influential figure, and only then could I have enough power and knowledge to empower those in need.

However, I was certain that the road ahead of me would not be easy. After all, success did not come on a silver plate; I had to work hard to earn it. Living on the West Coast of B.C., I noticed the gloomy presence of industrial fishing and its grave impact on the Pacific Ocean. At the age of 14, I started campaigning for marine reserves. I booked a meeting with the Head Volunteer Coordinator of Greenpeace Canada, and received their full approval to start the first ever student club for Greenpeace in Western Canada. In less than a year, our original team of 5 students expanded to a community of vibrant and dynamic environmental activists. I then proceeded to gather more than 1,100 petitions against industrial overfishing, and spearheaded numerous oceans awareness weeks and elementary school presentations. I still remember one particular event, in which my team and I went door-to-door to promote energy-efficient light bulbs to households across Lower Mainland. Although at times, our warm smiles were only greeted by a shower of cold sneers, by the end of the day, when I opened my window to a city of light, the sight of 200 more households using energy-efficient light bulbs was worth all the hard work.

Gradually, I expanded my vision beyond merely ensuring the well-being of my local community.

In August of 2009, I was dumbfounded after seeing the deplorable conditions at a village in Hubei, China. Teenagers sacrificed their chances for a better future to work full-time in their family’s paddy fields. I would never forget the lost look on a girl’s face when I asked her what her future ambition was. That visit, along with my growing concern for the surging economic inequality in rural-urban China, finally drove me to take some real action. In the following month, I mustered all of my passion to establish Save the Future, a youth-run not for profit organization dedicated to improving the living standard of youth in developing nations by bettering their education level and thus, their future. I aligned our vision with two Millennium Development Goals: ensuring environmental sustainability and achieving universal primary education.

After months of researching and learning from the successes and failures of existing charities, I designed a practical way that Save the Future could impact the world: creating a business

curriculum. This is driven by my belief that youth from all over the world have the right to ride on the wave of green entrepreneurship. Because many young people there do not know how to read, the majority of the curriculum would be consisted of pictures. The curriculum would also allow youth to freely express their creativity and individuality by teaching them fundamental concepts behind running a sustainable business instead of forcing them to adapt to business models in western countries. I believe that the reason so many corporations failed in their attempts to expand to developing nations is because they often overlooked the importance of adapting to regional cultures and customs in building a successful and sustainable business.

Within a month, we exceeded our original monthly financing goal through implementing various community-wide fundraisers. Currently, our community volunteers are working on a step-by-step sustainable business curriculum to be distributed in the province of Hubei, China next year.

Another one of my recent initiatives was founding an international youth magazine. Realizing that there was a lack of publications that had a positive impact on young people, I founded Global Youth. Its mission is to encourage young people to become globally minded citizens and to perform public services to improve the world. In less than a week, I persuaded some of the most accomplished young leaders in the world, from CNN i-Reporter to UN Climate Change Champion, to join my cause. I then assembled a leadership team of 26 Country Coordinators and selected a Board of Directors from South Africa, Armenia, and India. The magazine itself provides a platform for young people to advocate for specific causes and to voice their concerns over environmental, social, and economic issues. In addition, we also feature five Heroes in every edition, and share their life-changing experiences with readers. Despite the long hours that I often put into chairing mid-night Skype conferences, the idea that a teen’s life can be transformed by reading this magazine can be ever so rewarding.

Last November, in recognition of my service to my local and international community, I was fortunate enough to be selected by British Council to represent the voices of young people in Canada at high-profile events such as Global Youth Summit and 020 Summit.

As my high school career comes to an end, I plan to carry my flame of perseverance into the next stage of my life- university. However, my low-income family would then have to face the mounting pressure over tuition fees. My father has been unemployed for two years and my mother works part-time at a language school. Your scholarship would not only help me financially in time of need, but would also boost my morale and give me tremendous selfconfidence to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Economics from University of Toronto in order to accomplish my life’s mission of bringing joy and happiness to as many people as possible.

Tate Gibson North Vancouver, BC It is important to leave the world better than we find it, and what better way to accomplish this than with one person at a time? I have always made a conscious effort to contribute to enrich the lives of others and the communities I find myself in. My contributions include leadership, motivation, communication and participation in volunteering, charitable events and fundraising.

I have been recognized in our local newspaper, the North Shore News, as a Silent Hero, which is awarded to people who have contributed to their local and broader community and who have exemplified leadership. My leadership strengths are reflected in the title. I am a quiet leader who influences others by positivity and maturity with respectful and responsible behaviour. One of the reasons I was chosen for this recognition was because I raised funds for animal shelters and relief efforts of the Red Cross as well as contributing to a Women’s Shelter. I try to contribute in my local, school, and international communities.

I have been a leader in my local community in a number of ways. I have organized annual community garden projects for Earth Day and enlisted the involvement of neighbours of all ages. I have led educational nature walks, to inspire young children’s interest in the environment. For many years, I have organized and led seasonal caroling for the elderly in my neighbourhood. I have also volunteered as a luncheon and tea server at a local market which raises funds for community projects.

I have contributed my leadership skills to my school community as well. For many years I have participated in, promoted, and been the leader in signing up, hundreds of my fellow high school students for Run for the Cure. I am a member of my High School’s Knitting Club, in which we donate knitted warm items for the homeless. The Glee Club that I am in at school recently sang for donations to the Make a Wish Foundation. I am also involved in the morning announcements at my high school. I always use my communication skills to strive to bring positivity into the announcements in try to motivate students for the day.

I am considered a leader in my high school’s drama program, 250 students strong, and I have won the Acting Award for the past two years. The drama program encourages inclusiveness and creativity. We create and produce original productions, the themes of which center on social responsibility. Last year, the main play focused on a teen’s death at a house party and its aftermath. In drama I have not only acted, but also directed, written for and mentored schoolmates. In working with other students, I have inspired enthusiasm, collaboration, creativity and confidence. I am accepting and promote positive values and constructive behaviour. These are integral attributes to have to be a contributing member of society.

In school I have always worked towards academic excellence and have kept my average above 90% for five years. In group projects I am usually the team leader and use my interpersonal and communicative skills to encourage group cohesiveness and enthusiasm towards the assignment in order to produce a high quality result. I firmly believe that nothing can go awry in groups if communication is clear.

I have been a member of another community as well at Children’s Hospital. I feel I have gained empathy for others and inner strength through my own personal adversity. At age eight I was diagnosed with scoliosis, curvature of the spine. I wore a back brace from chin to hip 23 hours a day for four years before having major back surgery. I have lived with chronic pain for over nine years and consistently work through, and learn from, my rehabilitation challenges. Whether it’s in the waiting room at specialist’s or at school, I try to inspire others by my courage and positivity. Sometimes all it takes is to communicate with another person to inspire them to overcome their own struggles.

From a young age I have been motivated to obtain paid work experiences which have strengthened my independence. I plan to contribute financially towards my post-secondary education as much as possible. I have been working for the past 18 months as a Sales Associate in a retail store that encourages teamwork. I appreciate the store’s values. I have become one of their top part-time salespeople. I believe this is due to my ability to listen and communicate effectively, as well as my strong work ethic and motivation.

I have been described as an astute, well rounded, positive, articulate, thoughtful and inspiring leader - all attributes I am proud of I have great interest in social research and social welfare. In my career, I plan to contribute to communities by helping others be socially responsible. I have set high standards for myself and high hopes for a positive future and wish to inspire my peers and others to do the same.

In all aspects of my life, whether it is school or in my broader community, I have always sought to enrich the lives of others. I have learned that this can be done through volunteering, fundraising, or simply inspiring and showing leadership in reaching out to others. It is the simple acts that can improve a person’s day, and I strive to have a positive impact on each person I meet.

Kayden Peters Langley, BC My name is Kayden Peters. I will be graduating from Langley Fundamental Middle and Secondary School (LFMSS) in June of this year. I appreciate the opportunity to share my story and experiences with you and thank you for your time and consideration toward my continued education.

My involvement with leadership was sparked in the first few weeks of my high school career when, in grade eight, I was hit with the crazy idea to run for vice president of Student Council.

This campaign, not surprisingly, did not go as planned and ended with my spirits being crushed.

I returned the following year with a renewed motivation and was elected to be a representative for my fellow grade nine students. In grade ten, I was elected Activities Director, then, last year I held the position of Vice President. This year, I was elected into the role of President. As President, I lead a team of students in the planning, organization and execution of a variety of school-wide events and charitable fundraisers. Working with representatives from all grades, I strive to create fin and interactive events to increase school spirit and invoke a sense of community among the students.

I recently led the student council team to our most successful fundraiser yet! I chose to host our annual Christmas fundraiser as a project to buy bicycles through the charitable organization, “Food for the Hungry”. As a school, we raised enough money to purchase 13 bicycles, which were given to citizens of impoverished villages as a sustainable form of transport. Along with various other specialized fundraisers, student council has been holding local food bank collections and the annual World Vision 30 Hour Famine, with ever increasing interest, turn out and donation from the student community. With the numbers growing rapidly, I am expecting this year’s to be the most successful 30 Hour Famine that Langley Fundamental School has ever hosted. I hope to surpass last year’s donations of $8,000 by raising $10,000!

As this is my last year of high school, my goal is to leave a legacy for the younger students, inspiring them to become more involved and caring, not only within their school community but beyond into their global communities. I have been achieving this through setting an example as a good role model and demonstrating a positive attitude. I motivate the other members of the student government to do the same by getting more of their friends and peers involved in activities.

Outside of school, I volunteer within South Langley Church. I started to work in the church nursery in 2008 and since then have worked many days looking after toddlers and babies as a nursery assistant. This great service provided by the church is able to continue because of the

support of its volunteers. Another avenue of my volunteering at South Langley Church is with junior high school youth. This past September, I was approached by my youth pastor and asked if I would be interested in becoming a youth leader with the South Langley youth program. I accepted this position and it has been a great and rewarding experience. Every Friday night I work as a Junior High youth leader. As one of the leaders, my main responsibility is to set up and lead games, supervise, and generally bond with the kids as a positive role model. The demographic of South Langley Youth is almost completely community kids, some of whom come from less than ideal family situations. Because some kids are coming from homes where they may not receive the support and guidance that they need, I have taken up the role of mentor for one of the young students. I have spent time getting to know him and bonding with him. It is important for the youth to have a place where they can feel accepted and comfortable being themselves and where they always have a good friend that they can rely on in times of trial. I make sure that I am always accepting and available to listen to his concerns and to lend advice. I feel it is important to build a community of inclusion.

Another place that I have experienced that same sense of inclusion was while sailing with SALTS (Sailing and Life Training Society). SALTS is an organization that trains youth and young adults to sail period-style sailing vessels. I had spent two summers sailing as a trainee before becoming a summer volunteer in 2010. As a volunteer, I spent 10 days aboard the Pacific Grace, acting as Bosons’ Mate. In this position, my main duties consisted of ship maintenance and sail control. Besides keeping the ship afloat, I was also put in the position, along with a paid staff member, of organizing and leading a group of trainees in the operations of the vessel, running of the lines and raising and lowering of the sails and anchor. Acting as an instructor, I found great opportunity to facilitate team building. Working as a team, we built great relationships and a strong sense of community. This gave a unique opportunity to foster the development of life skills and interpersonal skills in the kids that came aboard.

As a leader, I never let those with little enthusiasm get me down. I strive to go the extra mile in everything I do and I hope that through these acts of citizenship, I can do my part in making my community a better place for myself and those around me. I feel that if people took the very small amount of time to go out of their way and help others, it could make the world a lot better of a place for everyone. Youthful enthusiasm? Perhaps, but I intend to use my enthusiasm fully to contribute to my community, not only locally but also globally. I have full intensions of pursuing more leadership opportunities in university and throughout my entire life.

Lindsay Neis Sherwood Park, AB “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margret Mead In the past three years I have volunteered my time with a number of different organizations. I am involved in my community and school because I feel I can make a difference and I also want to give back to the community. Some of the activities and organizations I have been/still are involved with are Salisbury Composite Institute for Leadership (SCIL), Interact (a youth ran volunteer group which is involved with Rotary) and Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD). I have also participated in other community events such as Cheer Provincials, Synchro Provincials, the local food bank and also the Christmas Bureau.

Some of the school based projects within SCIL where I reached out to the community were Pennies for Peace, where we raised over $5 000 for schools to be built in the Middle East. Next, I also participated in Bras Across the bridge, where bras and money are collected for breast cancer research. I have also participated in a winter clothing drive, and a Christmas food drive.

A few friends and I have just recently started a SADD club at our school. So far we have just been raising awareness.

The biggest project I worked on was a volunteer trip to the Liberty Children’s Orphanage in Belize where we built a playground. I organized and planned this trip with the help of a fellow student. Organizing this trip involved making contacts with the Liberty Children’s Orphanage, the Interact Club of St. Catherine’s Academy in Belize, The Rotary Club of Belize, and the Emmanuel Foundation, also booking flights and arranging travel details. Liberty Children’s Orphanage is home to over 30 children who are abandoned, abused or are HIV positive. Our club worked hard throughout the year to raise money to buy a playground for the orphanage.

Five Interact members traveled to Belize in August 2010 to install the playground. We also collected and delivered much needed clothing. I took the initiative to plan the trip, participate in fundraising, and travel to Belize and helping construct the playground. My initiative is also shown in my active participation in the executive of Interact.

I know that my actions have strengthened others. Bringing the playground to Liberty Children’s Orphanage has given the kids hope and encouragement. My efforts in Belize have inspired other students to participate and get involved with Interact, this year our Interact Club membership has doubled.

The long term impact on me from my community involvement is that I know I will always participate in the community and that forever I will be a volunteer-local or global.

My community service has affected me by showing me that everyone needs help at some point.

Seeing and helping the kids in Belize has made me want to do more-not only for the children in Belize, but all over the globe. I have also grew and learned to fully understand the quote by Margret Mead.

Kelsi Wright Nanaimo, BC Throughout high school, I have become involved in various activities that contribute to my community. In my school and community, I have made contributions that enrich the lives of the people around me. I am proud of my contributions and have enjoyed my experiences in volunteering.

At school I am an active member of the Student Council, and have been contributing to the planning and execution of school events for three years. The events that the Student Council plans raise school spirit and often fundraise for charities that benefit local or global communities and causes. I also contribute to my school by volunteering my time to help the school library in shelving books and creating displays. These displays encourage students to get excited about reading as a hobby by presenting new and interesting books.

Another school volunteer activity that I have become involved in is the environmental club. I started as a member in 2007 and have now become a devoted leader.

The environmental club promotes eco-friendly practices by educating club members and students through weekly meetings and events such as Earth Week and guest speakers. The club has initiated paper recycling, battery recycling, print cartridge recycling, composting, and up-cycling programs in the school. In order to maintain many of these programs, we devote our time afterschool to go to each of the classrooms in our school and collect their recyclables. We are in the process of expanding our new u-cycling program to surrounding elementary schools.

The club also fundraises for various environmental projects, such as the Cambodian SoftShelled Turtles project with Trudy Chatwin, who is a local biologist, and BC’s Purple Martin Foundation. We also participate in contests, including the BC Green Games and Staples Recycle for Education Contest. Last year the club won a Solar Panel system through BC Green games and has since added more solar panels to heat water at Dover. These panels help to reduce our school’s carbon footprint and save the school money on electricity. This year, our essay was chosen as the national winner in the Staples Recycle for Education Computer Lab

Contest. Our school won $50,000 to spend on new technology that will benefit students and will be more eco-friendly. In the community, the club works with local biologists to help in salmon habitat restoration projects. Each spring break, we gather data on the fish in local streams, plant native vegetation and remove invasive species. We have also volunteered during Rivers Day, a community educational event, and in ivy pulls and smolt fence cleaning. As one of two leaders of the Eco Club, I have become an integral part of the club. I lead weekly meetings to discuss new and continuing club projects and initiate and organize new projects. I am glad to have the opportunity to experience the role of a leader and to work with a club that makes such a valuable impact on our school, community, and earth.

Another of my experiences as a volunteer that has helped me to become a better leader is the City of Nanaimo Parks, Recreation, and Culture Youth Leadership Program, Leaders in Training. For the summer of 2009, I volunteered at various children’s day camps and events. I led games and activities, which allowed me to learn how to better communicate and lead a group. One of the community events that I volunteered at was the Canada Day celebration at Maffeo Sutton Park. I contributed to the festivities by helping with free children’s activities such as face painting and tattoos. Another community event that I got involved with was the annual Maple Sugar Festival, a celebration of francophone culture. I served French-Canadian favourites and greeted people at the door. I enjoyed the event so much that I have volunteered for it with friends each year since.

The volunteer experience that I am most proud of is my position as a Junior Volunteer at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. For more than 200 hours over the past three years I have devoted my time each week to volunteer at the hospital. As a Junior Volunteer, I visit patients in the hospital and do all that I can to make their day a little bit better. Working with a partner, I give out fresh water to each patient and replace their bedside garbage. At mealtime, I feed patients who are unable to feed themselves. I also do odd jobs to help patients, such as finding a magazine or book to keep them entertained or putting on their slippers for them. These small jobs can help to relieve the already overworked nurses of one of their usual duties. While delivering waters or feeding patients, I often have the opportunity to chat with the patients. It is interesting to meet the many different people who end up in the hospital. The diversity in age, culture, background, and personality is astounding. In Dufferin Place, a care facility for seniors, I get to talk with many residents. Most are friendly and entertaining, but sometimes lonely and in need of someone to converse with. It is great to be able to provide patients with some company.

More times than not, all they want is for someone to sit and listen to them for a few minutes. I enjoy hearing about their lives, their pets, and whatever else they may tell me. The job is not

always as easy as enjoying a pleasant conversation, though. Some patients are upset and may take out their frustration on anyone, even well-intentioned Junior Volunteers like myself I have learned to not take anything personally, and understand that they are probably going through painful and frustrating times. Another difficulty that I face is the ability to communicate with patients who have something that restricts their communication. When I walk into a room, I am unaware of the conditions of each patient. They could be deaf or blind or have a condition such as dementia that alters their ability to communicate, so I must be careful of how I speak to each patient and adjust this according to their responses. Overall, I have enjoyed my time so far as a volunteer at the hospital. I feel satisfaction from anything that I do to help a patient or nurse.

Even something as small as getting someone a warm blanket and seeing how much more comfortable they are fills me with pride.

These experiences have allowed me to contribute to my community in many ways. I have learned so much through my volunteer positions and am proud that I can make a difference. I will continue to do my part in contributing to my community in the future.

Kiersten Ketcheson Brandon, MB As a young girl growing up I was always taught to give to others and that there was always someone else out there who was worse off than me. I come from a family where we do all we can to help anyone. I was raised to be a selfless person and to always give more than I took.

From this I learned how to be a leader and how to take initiative. I learned that it’s important to continuously give, whether it is to local charity or a fundraiser for a country on the other side of the world. You never know when you are going to be caught in a similar situation where you are the one who needs help. I firmly believe that one of the most important things you can do in your life is give back to your community. I believe if a particular town or city has played a big role in your life and helped shape the person you are today, the least you could do is give back to them and show your gratitude. I truly believe that the place that you call home helps shape who you are and what you value.

Within my High school, I am involved in many different extracurricular groups. I am involved with our High School’s Student Leadership group. This gives me opportunities to host volunteer activities at my school and within my community, as well as be given the chance to volunteer. I am currently involved with Vincent Massey’s TADDD group which stands for Teens Against Drugs, Drinking, and Driving. As a collective group, we promote not drinking, drugging and driving. We run campaigns within our school, and try to spread the word about this topic. We have guest speakers come in who have been involved in a drinking and driving accident and have been fortunate enough to live to tell their story about their personal experiences with drinking and driving. We always try to end off the year with a fin activity to promote not drinking and driving and to have a safe summer. I have also put on many fund raisers for local charities at our high school such as hosting two bake sales. One for Westman Dreams for Kids and the other one for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in February, as well as hosting a barbeque for our local Samaritan house in Brandon. I organized and worked the canteen at my high school’s home football games for their three month season. This included: cooking and serving hotdogs, as well as other food and drinks, handling the profit made, and setting up/taking down. Within my school, I am also an active member on the Peer Tutors Committee. As a peer tutor, I spend my lunch and after school hours tutoring fellow students who are struggling with a class or classes and want to understand the course content and improve their marks. Being a peer tutor is my most enjoyable volunteer activity. I love to see the look on someone’s face and the look in their eyes when they finally understand what you have been teaching them. It truly is a heartwarming feeling.

Outside of my High School, I volunteer my time before school at the Riverheights School library putting away and scanning in books. It gives me a chance to be around younger kids, and I enjoy being around kids and watching them learn. I truly think that one of the most amazing things you can see is a child learn. I also volunteer at random times throughout the year at places such as the Samaritan House, local elementary school events, and many more depending on what comes up that year needing volunteers.

When asked what motivates me to go above and beyond, and to take part in and lead all of the activities that I do, the first word that comes to mind is joy. After a lot of thinking about why I choose to continuously give back to my community, it isn’t because volunteerism looks good on a university application. I do it because nothing makes me feel better inside than to see that look of gratitude and appreciation on someone’s face after volunteering my time. I believe that if everyone took the time to do at least one act of kindness throughout each year of their lives it would make our world a more positive and giving place to live in. I feel that if you are able to, it is very important to do all that you can to help people and your community, because I trust that at some point you are going to need help and people will remember those who dropped what they were doing to help their community. In my near future, I wish to attend Brandon University and enroll in the Bachelor of Nursing program that is offered there. I strongly believe that by becoming an active member within my school as well as my community it has helped me tremendously to come to this conclusion when making my career decision. Volunteering has taught me that I want a career that centers on caring for people and their well being. I have a true desire to make a difference in people’s lives. It would make me so happy to be able to get up and go to work every day knowing that I am changing someone’s life and making a difference for the better.

I feel that I am a very fortunate person to have been given the chance to be a part of all kinds of volunteer opportunities. I have been able to demonstrate and develop my leadership skills. I am so thankful that I have grown up in Brandon, Manitoba and that my roots are here, because I most definitely would not be the person I am today if I had been raised anywhere else. As I stand on the threshold of my chosen career. I plan to continue to help people and my community as a whole.

Chantal Wagner Unity, SK It is a great pleasure to submit an application for The Remax 2011 “Quest for Excellence” Bursary. My name is Chantal Wagner and I am a grade 12 student at Unity Composite High School (UCHS). At UCHS we are guided by three beliefs; respect, responsibility and choose to learn. Our teachers are great role models and from this I have gained many leadership qualities. My most recent leadership role is being selected as chairperson of the Positive School Climate Committee. I am the first student chairperson ever selected since the inception of the PSCC in September 2002. I am a third year member of the PSCC. Our meetings are biweekly throughout the school year to plan activities that reinforce and model our core beliefs; respect, responsibility and choose to learn. At the moment I am working on a “Pay it Forward” campaign at my school to assist students and teachers to promote acts of kindness. In past years, I have assisted with the planning of formal initiatives put forth by the PSCC, and also served as the committee’s communications representative, writing articles for the school newsletter to enhance our positive school culture. I am also planning a multimedia presentation to raise awareness about our school dress code. As recently elected chairperson I am busy with agendas and conducting the meetings. Last year I was a member of the Journalism 20 class. Our town was lucky to host an international world junior hockey game. I was a major leader in my class putting in numerous hours outside of school to take on the challenge of interviewing players from the Austrian and Latvian teams, editing videos and posting my stories to the class blog, where they were visible to an international audience. My video interviews were even included on a Latvian sports website. This by far was one of the most exhilarating opportunities I have taken on. It was demanding but so rewarding. UCHS will be hosting the Volleyball Provincials November 19-20, 2010 and I will be leading the grade eleven Journalism students to perfect their skills taping, editing and posting their work to a blog. Students Against Drinking and Driving is another of my leadership roles. I have been part of the group for the past five years. I was vice-president for one year, secretary for a year, and this year I am in charge of communications. I have traveled to two National Conferences. I truly believe in this cause. In June 2010, I was inducted into the Student Hall of Fame from the Living Sky School Division No. 202 Board of Education for recognition of Outstanding Achievement for Leadership and Special Projects – Journalism 20. I was very thrilled to receive this award. I am an established singer; currently completing my Grade Eight Royal Conservatory of Music, so volunteering to sing at different events around the community is something I love to do. I have captured honours through my vocal performances. I have been involved in the group “Kids in

the Kitchen” as a helper to guide younger children to learn to cook for the first time. The young children were very proud of what they made. I found this to be very gratifying.

You can also

find me volunteering washing dishes at many local events, decorating at the Long Term Care, helping the Catholic’s Women’s League making invitations for their 100th Anniversary, setting up tables for the Agricultural Fair, preparing the Community Centre for Relay for Life, and many hours babysitting. I also hold a seasonal part-time job from April-September.

Drama is also part of my life. I have been a member for three years. As an actress I have sang in musicals and had many great parts. I have also been part of three Regional Festivals. Our school gym fills to capacity the week of the drama play, with many wonderful comments from the spectators.

With my busy lifestyle I still managed to be on the honor roll from grades seven to twelve which I consider to be a huge accomplishment. I recently was awarded a very prestigious award from my school for the most senior high student who followed The Three Beliefs - “Respect, Responsibility, and Choose to Learn.” Last year as a bonus assignment the senior high students were given the opportunity to interview a long time senior citizen. I jumped at the chance. All the interviews were then put together in a book and sold at Unity’s 100th Birthday.

The senior citizens loved the chance to tell their stories of the past. The books went over very well and I made a wonderful lady friend who has a big hug and smile for me when we visit. am so thankful for all the positive role models in my life. Thank you for considering me.

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Madison Mobley Prince George, BC I’d been in a succession of foster homes from a very young age, and was in foster care when my mother passed away of a drug over dosed. This is when my siblings and I came to Prince George to live with my aunt and uncle.

I will be graduating from Duchess Park Secondary School which I have attended for the past five years in the Francophone program so I am fluent in both French and English. I have worked very hard to maintain Honor Roll and Work Habits Honor Roll status and at times have made the Principles List.

I have been working part time at Hart Highlands Winter Club (Hart Ski Hill) since I was 14 and at 15 got a second part time job at the Northern Palace Restaurant to pay for my post secondary education, but currently do not have enough funds. So I am asking for financial assistance from you.

In school, I am currently a Peer Tutor for the grade 8 francophone science humane (Social Studies) class, I am on the grade 12 Fashion Show Committee and I am also helping to raised money for my schools Dry Grad. I have also participated in the 3ohour famine, Halloween for hunger, the charity group Me to We. Outside of school I have been a member of the Hart Highlands Winter Club since 1999, where I have volunteered for many work bees and was a Junior Ski Patroller for two years. I have also volunteered at Ecole Franco-Nord for the last 5 years assisting with fun day. As well, I was in the Central Interior Free Style Association for 3 years and in the Prince George Youth Soccer Association for 6 years. I am currently in my 4th year of piano with The Royal Conservatory of Music.

I have always been interested in many things from playing piano, drawing, painting, pottery, reading, baking, writing, dancing, gymnastics, water skiing, snow skiing, soccer, singing, and camping.

I am a very compassionate, caring person. I have always felt a deep desire to help people whenever they needed it. I have always dreamed of a career which I would truly enjoy for the rest of my life and when I heard about a career in nursing from my aunt’s friend, it grabbed my attention. I started to view nursing as a profession which would be a personally rewarding job in many aspects and also set me up for a successful career for my future.

The most appealing part to me is that nursing is a respected profession which is dedicated to helping the sick and ill. I have envisioned myself in a rewarding career in service of people who are in need, and now that I have found it, I am willing to dedicate myself to it filly. My dedication comes not only from myself but from my aunt & uncle who have always been supportive of my

decisions. Becoming a nurse is a goal I have set in my Mb and it was not decided on lightly. I am ready to filly devote my time and freedom to achieve this goal not just for myself but also to thank those who have been supportive and believed that I will take my life and do something with it.

This fall I will be attending CNC and UNBC’s four-year, fill time Collaborate Nursing program to obtain my Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing.

I would like to thank you for your consideration.

Logan Graham Victoria, BC When I was four years old, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Now, I’m not trying to play the sick card here, because that’s not who I am. Who I am is someone who does something about it. JIA is a disease as common as Juvenile Diabetes, but JIA receives far less attention than it deserves. Thus, when I was six, through my idea and my family’s inspiration, I co-founded one of the only foundations for JIA advocacy in Canada.

The fundraising campaign began the next year, when in Grade Two my New Year’s resolution was to hold a school-wide car-wash for our foundation. The main idea was kids helping kids, and I made sure to maintain that all of the fundraisers would be youth initiatives. At seven, I began presentations to my school that would repeat for several years, motivating both the elementary and senior school into becoming involved in seven years of fundraising and awareness-building activities. I attribute much of the success to the determination of the children and students. Our network is now a connection between families, help centers, schools, and other charities.

As soon as our foundation was created, I took on the role as the lead advocate for the more than 2000 kids in BC with JIA; we have now begun to bring it to a national level. In the past ten years, I have spoken to thousands of medical professionals at nation-wide conferences (often as the keynote presenter), the BC Liberal Caucus (at their request), groups of MLA’s, MP’s, people of all ages with rheumatic illnesses, classmates, and more. Lately I have been a repeat guest instructor to studying physical and occupational therapists at UBC to learn how to make the treatment process more suited towards kids with rheumatic diseases, and to achieve better results. This advocacy has directly led to more than $150,000 raised by our charity, through

youth fashion shows, car-washes, galas, and more (a highlight would be raising $60,000+ with just a 5-minute speech). This success has given us the ability to set up programs for kids with rheumatic diseases; my foundation has paid for the right shoes for kids who need them but can’t afford them, it has helped with medical fees, it has provided assistance for support groups and studies, information for families, knowledge exchanges, and more. Recently, we’ve been instrumental in creating and supporting for the Ross Petty Chair of Pediatric Rheumatology at UBC. Through the years, I’ve seen many other kids with diseases like mine. Often, I find that they are taught to just “get by” with the disease that they have. I don’t see the rewards in this. My principle is that my Arthritis provided me with an opportunity to help others where they weren’t helping themselves, be it in the form of educational, medical, psychological, or financial support.

Looking back on it, my JIA is, ironically, one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Many useful skills and lessons have come from growing up alongside the foundation.

Advocating, to all types of people, made me become articulate beyond my peers; I knew I had to be succinct and direct to persuade people -- qualities that have helped me become a national-championship debater and my class’ valedictorian. I anticipate that my highlydeveloped communication skills will give me an advantage as I pursue a career of international business and relations. Ultimately, however, the foundation inculcated something within me that will remain valuable forever: a need to help. It cemented a need to help that I have carried with me since the start of the foundation. Because of this, my foundation hasn’t been my only focus; I have been given so many chances to help over the past few years.

Involvement is a basic instinct of mine, and as such I have continually involved myself in my school and the community I recently moved to. In my school, my friends and teachers know me as one of the most active students in contributing to projects of any kind, clubs, and campaigns.

Currently, I am focusing on chairing the Rotary Interact club, having increased the club’s size threefold since the previous year; we are orchestrating monthly visits to a senior’s home, feeding local homeless, and partnering with a Rwandan school (we picked this project because the school enables students to learn valuable skills through projects that help the community). I am being sent as a delegate to Ottawa in May to participate in a Citizenship conference to learn and discuss international issues with other youth from around the world. While many of these school-based projects carry out into the community, I also collaborate with other youth outside of school. I co-founded a youth committee to connect youth to the community, work with an international development agency and volunteer as a photographer for an intercultural association (which lets me to improve while doing something useful!) Months after moving to a

new community, the municipality awarded me the “Young Exceptional Star” award for my ability to lead people to achieve social goals. Volunteering has been one of my most basic instincts over the years, and I plan to pursue a life where through higher education I can increasingly make a significant difference.

A major component in my community involvement has been my education. After studying international business and relations at an international program at Oxford University, I brought back keen interest and strong motivation to build on my knowledge. For instance, I recently led a youth initiative to educate youth on the causes surrounding the melt down of the economy, including the mortgage crisis, by organizing a conference at the University of Victoria. It was very successful and highly rated by the participants; I was then invited to speak about it on CBC radio with an economics professor. I also recently attended a conference on microfinance -another topic I studied in the summer -- where I learnt about the economic and humanitarian perspective; it’s a promising method of entrepreneurship that I plan to pursue later on. If this motivation is a result of my education, I am certain that my coming university experience will be nothing less than substantial.

While you could sit here and read a list of what I have done, it’s more important to understand the principles. After starting and helping with projects that benefit others, I discovered that it is a rather rewarding end result in comparison to the amount of work it takes to get there. In a business sense, community involvement is a perfect investment: the benefits can only go up because there is really no chance to lose. In a social sense, helping others is just part of being a person. Because of this, I know that it’s something I will continue with and simply love to do.?

The purpose of this bursary for me is to enable myself to continue with what I know I need to do and want to do. To me, university is an open platform for engaging students and the community.

I have plans, big plans: involve youth in philanthropy, just as I was involved; create a student body mass-participation mentality which worked so well for the foundation; and continue advocating for what I think needs to be advocated. This bursary makes it easier for me to achieve these goals.

Sierra Tamminen Calgary, AB What would the world be without volunteers, leaders and incredibly motivated individuals? We all have heard the saying “it takes a village to raise a child”, but what does this really entail?

Volunteering, leadership, athletics, the arts, academics and community service are all important aspects of my life that I hold especially close to my heart.

One of the most influential experiences of my life occurred during a volunteering and leadership activity in which I was in charge of fundraising, organizing and distributing donated goods. As a group of volunteer students, we gathered hundreds of donated toys, games, books and backpacks, and were able to personally distribute them to abused and underprivileged children through a local pre-schooling program called Even Start. The day we spent with the mistreated children was truly a turning point in my life. I learned-firsthand-the immensity of the impact a small group of motivated individuals can have on others. The children and caregivers were absolutely ecstatic with their new toys and games, and it was incredibly rewarding to see that our volunteering and countless hours of work had been spent on such a valuable and gratifying cause. It was during this initiative that I realized my potential with volunteering and leadership, and this has helped me to shape my dreams and goals for the near future.

I have been accepted to the Bachelor of Science Honours program at Queen’s University, and I am planning on majoring in Life Sciences. I believe it will be a perfect first step in attaining my goals. My dream is to become a Doctor and to help others both in the local and international community through programs such as Doctors without Borders and the Red Cross. I realize this will be a long and difficult journey, but I am ready and willing to accept the challenge, risks and years of schooling involved. I truly believe that this will be a rewarding career choice, and I consider this to be a path that is wholly suited to my attributes.

In the past three years of high school, I have been intertwined in various aspects of both school and community life. I am currently Co-Chair of our school’s Amnesty International Club, and Jam also a member of our school’s Social Justice, Interact and Environment Clubs. Within each of these clubs, we run various initiatives throughout the year to raise awareness and money for many local and international organizations. For example, I recently organized a petition for Women’s Rights in Nicaragua, as well as an awareness campaign for International Women’s Day on March 8th. We are currently planning the harvesting of our school’s garden, the creation of our school’s green root and the upcoming Electronics Recycling Week. Also, we recently completed an initiative on Domestic Abuse. For this particular project, I paraded around our

school with many of my classmates, handing out brochures and raising money for a number of local charities which help victims of domestic abuse.

When it comes to athletics, I love the competition, the team work and the ability to try your hardest and be best you can be. For all three years of high school, I have competed in our school’s Cross Country, Track and Field, Varsity Volleyball and Varsity Basketball Teams, and I was our team captain for the Calgary Selects Basketball Club last spring. I have also competed in club basketball during seasons of the past four years. However, now that I am beginning to realize I will not always be the one playing the sports or doing the activities, I have begun to give back to the community though volunteering, coaching, refereeing and many other forms of community service. In 2009, I volunteered as the Assistant Coach for the R.T. Alderman Junior Boys’ Volleyball Team, and I also volunteered as a uniform coordinator and board member for the Bow River Basketball Association.

I have spent the past three Christmases volunteering for the Santa Letter Campaign through Canada Post. For this particular position, it is my responsibility to read and write a reply to local children’s letters to Santa. I also organized the Basketball Marathon to Aid Refugees Fundraiser in 2008, and I have participated in the 3km Terry Fox Run for the past three years. Last spring, my team and I competed and received third place in the University of Calgary All-Science Challenge. This spring, I also plan on participating in the 10km Underwear Affair Fundraiser and Run to raise money and awareness for cancers below the waist.

For the past three years, I have spent my Saturdays (as well as many weeknights) refereeing youth basketball games in the community. This is definitely one of my most difficult leadership situations because of the intense responsibilities associated with my position. When I am on the basketball court wearing stripes and a whistle, I am looked up to by many people. As a referee, for the young players I am a role model. As for the coaches and fans, I dictate how they can act and what they can say. I am in charge of the game, the players, the coaches and fans, as well as controlling any situation that may occur. My appearance, actions, facial expressions, body language and every word I say have the ability to affect all aspects of the game and the responses of the many people involved. Leadership means taking all these responsibilities and doing with them as much good as possible, which is what my goal is every time I step back onto the court.

I have been blessed with a close and supportive family, as well as community of people that have all had enormous impacts on my life. I have been a member of the Cybermentor program for the past two years, and my mentor has taught me more about the world of medicine than I could have ever hoped to learn on my own. My teachers, coaches, guidance counsellors and

vice principals have all helped me to achieve and maintain my Honours with Distinction standing throughout all my years of schooling, as well as my 5th place academic standing within our graduating class of 319 students. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in the GATE. (Gifted and Talented Education) Program, as well as the International Baccalaureate Programme for Art. I am also currently working on graduating with my International Certificate.

With great thanks to my teachers and coaches, I was nominated for the Myrna Empey Calgary Women’s Volleyball Award, as well as the Calgary Shooting Stars Award for basketball. I have competed in countless tournaments for volleyball and basketball, and have received the honour of 2011 Bowness Basketball All-Star and St. Francis 2010 Volleyball M.V.P., among many others. However, none of this was achievable-or conceivable-without the help and guidance of my parents, sisters, and the many other influential people within my community.

As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. I am a strong believer in this principle because of the incredible help and guidance I have received to find myself in the position I hold today. I hope to one day have the ability to change someone else’s life for the better, as many people have changed mine. Receiving a Remax Quest for Excellence Bursary would be an honour, and would be an incredible help as I strive to reach my full potential. Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity.

Julia Fraser Calgary, AB I’ve never been in a hurry to grow up. I’ve wanted to enjoy every second of my childhood. As my graduation gets closer I realize that there isn’t much time before I must enter the great big world.

For the longest time I really didn’t know what I wanted to do when I graduated. It’s not that uncommon, I suppose. Most kids toy around with working for a while and saving up money, or just biting the bullet and going right into school.

This month I’ll be going on my second Christian mission’s trip with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) to Belize. I became interested in this mission because I get to take care of the orphans in the orphanage while repair work is being done on the buildings. As a graduate from Calgary Christian High School it is mandatory to complete a year end project known as “Senior Project.”

In order to complete your Senior Project, you must have a total of thirty volunteer service hours in which you serve others unselfishly and in a way that is meaningful to yourself but more

importantly, to them. While deciding what to do for my project, I was inspired by my older brother, who had been struggling with a learning disability since he was in Kindergarten. My family had received so much help from the DDRC (Disability Developmental Resource Centre).

Workers would come into our home and do recreational activities with my brother, helping to develop his fine and gross motor skills. I formed a relationship with some of the DDRC staff and they impacted my life by inspiring me. My intention was to volunteer with them for my Senior Project, but unfortunately it didn’t work out due to time lines. I was fortunate to be able to devote my time to the Belize Missions Team at my school instead.

To shake things up and draw interest from my span of influence, I have started a large fundraiser in which needed school supplies are collected for the Belize children. Utilizing social media, like Facebook, I have gone beyond the confines of my high school. I’ve been able raise awareness and invite others in the community to be involved. People commit to donate simple supplies such as pens, pencils, and erasers which may be lying around in their homes.

Everyone wants to be a part of something larger than themselves. I am inspiring others to make a small donation, for a big cause in Belize.

For the last seven years I know that I gravitate to this type of work. I’ve dedicated my summers to working with kids at summer camps. I’ve worked at several camps in my local area, but the one that shines through for me is “Camp Okotoks”. This camp is near and dear to my heart because of the legacy this camp has with my family.

My grandmother started attending and working at this camp when my mother was still in a high chair. My mom started taking me when I was four years old and I have gone consistently every year (except for one year due to a flood at the camp).

Life at camp is great. It’s a community of caring workers who are all there for one reason: to share their talents with each other and to make a difference in the lives of the kids that come.

Each week brought a set of new girls to my cabin. They range in age six to twelve, all from different walks of life. Some of them were going through some real hard times with their families, such as family deaths or divorces. For the longest time, I had a hard time relating to their pain, because I had never really went through anything that traumatic.

Then my world was about to take a change. At the time, it all felt horrible and scary but I now know that everything happens for a reason. There is purpose and meaning to everything that happens under the sun. In the same two year time span, my grandmother was diagnosed with stage four invasive breast cancer, my older brother was diagnosed with a mental health disorder which caused him to act suicidal, and my parents’ marriage fell apart.

Working at camp allowed me to work through some of my issues while helping others work

through theirs. For example, I distinctly remember a girl in my cabin that was having some difficulty understanding her parents’ divorce. I was able to relate with her better than any of the other counsellors because of what was going on in my life. I helped her to understand that the divorce had nothing to do with her and that her parents still both loved her very much.

Since then, there have been a lot of opportunities to help others with their troubles. I go to a small private school. As part of the leadership team I frequently have a lot of fellow students coming to me for advice. When kids get sad and think that they want to give up, they talk to me.

I’m also part of a youth band which ministers to youth and young adults. Recently, we did a fundraiser for single mothers.

When it came time for me to think about what I wanted to do with my life after I graduated, I went to my mom who gave me some advice. “Do what you would do if you weren’t getting paid for it”. Being a professional camp counsellor or youth volunteer isn’t that lucrative. Not that being rich is everything; money without passion is empty. I had to find a way to balance my passion with something that would support my independence. It was then that I decided I wanted to be a teacher.

I love the school setting. It is a community where everyone is working together towards the common goal. Being a teacher is a calling. It means that your whole life is intertwined with the aspects of lifelong learning and excellence, and passing this on to others. As a teacher I can continue with my love for singing and art, as well as the perks of fin activities and chances every day to make a difference in others.

Registering for university was an incredible experience for me. I am the first female in my family to ever go to university from high school. My grandmother, a real estate agent for the last twenty-five years and who is currently with Re/Max, has been a tremendous influence on me.

She is a great business woman, and a cancer survivor. Though she was smart enough for university, she decided to get married and have her first child by the time she was eighteenyears old. She is one of my biggest fans, and is always looking out for my best interests.

My great-grandmother is still alive as well. Back then, it wasn’t that common for women to go to university. She got married right after WWII; when she was sixteen years old, and she went on to raise five children. My mother had my older brother when she was eighteen-years old too.

Then she had me a year later. She’s a hard worker who helps others everyday in her job at a 91-1 centre in Calgary. I feel proud to come from a line of such strong women; their strength inspires me to fulfill my dreams, live with passion and make a difference, everyday in the lives of others.

Chelsea Dost Edmonton, AB Alice was one of the most sweet, honest, and genuine people I met when I volunteered at St. Michaels Extended Care. She could talk for hours, and appreciated anyone who took the time to talk with her. I had many wonderful conversations with Alice (name changed), but sadly she probably did not remember any of them. Although on the surface she seemed very well, she struggled with a disease that was slowly taking over her mind. Our conversations usually went around in circles, with her repeating things two or three times, completely clueless that we had already had that conversation. Although she may not remember our times together, I will, and I will not forget her caring personality. Even if it was something as small as taking her for her evening coffee, her genuine appreciation had great power to lift my day and take my mind off of stressful things. Volunteering at a senior’s home gave me the wonderful opportunity to enrich the everyday lives of the seniors through even the small things, as well as enriching mine.

Volunteering has proven a great way for me to get involved in my community, build relationships with others in my community, and instill a passion within me for helping others.

I started volunteering probably around the time that I was in grade 6, and have had many different volunteer positions since then. I have actively served in my church community for six years, from babysitting children in the nursery during church services, to teaching Sunday school, to teaching Vacation Bible School programs during the summer. These jobs have given me a lot of experience with kids, as well as with leading, communication, and organizational skills. The first time I ever assumed a key leadership role in a volunteer position I held was teaching the music class at a summer vacation bible school program to about 60 children. It involved a lot of communication with the program leaders (for guidelines and curriculum), the kids, and the fellow teachers. It was no easy task, but was very fulfilling and fun to watch the kids at the end of the week singing the songs I taught them and doing the actions they learned.

This leadership experience proved a strong foundation from which I would go on to play a key part of my high school’s student council in grade 11, and later become president in grade 12. It also affirmed my love for working with kids, which lead me to become a tutor to younger students as well.

When I was in grade 11, an awful tragedy shook Haiti and the world. The earthquake that hit Haiti devastated millions, and instilled in the global community a sense of obligation to help. I was not exempt from this feeling of obligation, so with a friend we decided to get our school involved in the relief efforts. We quickly organized a fundraiser and raised over $500 in two days from a school of less than 300 students. One of the greatest benefits of leadership is the

opportunity to encourage classmates to give generously to charity. Haiti was one way that I was able to get peers involved in a great cause, but another was through an organization called Samaritan’s Purse who runs a program called “Operation Christmas Child.” Thousands of shoe boxes are filled each year and sent to underprivileged children worldwide. In grade 111 also got our school involved in this event. By filling shoe boxes with both toys and basic necessities (combs, tooth brushes, soap, socks, etc.), our small high school was able to spread great joy to the children who have next to nothing that received our shoe boxes. To really get the school engaged, we made it a contest between classes for a pizza party (which we had donated to us) to see who could raise the most money. Participation was an overwhelming success, and we raised over $2330 for the cause. With this money we assembled 110 shoe boxes, and donated an additional $1000 to Samaritan’s Purse. Although the effects of our school’s participation in Operation Christmas Child were not readily felt in the immediate community, it was a great way to touch the lives of others in our global community.

My high school involvement did not end there; in fact, it was just getting started. As I quickly learned, there is no end to the need for contribution to your community. From March-April 2010, a friend and I took on a huge commitment by organizing an event called “30 Hour Famine.” It is a fundraiser and awareness-raiser that takes place all over Canada and the USA in which participants are not allowed to eat for 30 hours. They must collect donations from sponsors to raise money and awareness about global hunger and poverty. Not only does this event get people involved for the larger community (through donations), but it also gets participants involved on a more personal level as they feel what it is like to be hungry. I had participated in this event 5 times before, so this time as an event organizer I wanted to make sure our event was exceptional. But in order to do this, it took a lot of my time, and great amounts of motivation and organization. Each participant got a T-shirt (which had to be designed and ordered), and a chance to win an iPod nano that we had donated to us. We organized games, and also participated in a webcast for all the participating groups across Canada. In the end our event was a great success, and from a school of 300 we had just over 50 participants who together raised almost $5 000! It was very rewarding for me as a leader and organizer to see people really get emotionally involved, and also very inspiring.

There is truly nothing better than looking back at the tremendous impact that you have made in your community. Often times this originates from one simple idea, spark, or action. The great thing about contributing to your community is the positive response it often generates-- a ripple effect that will continue to influence people in ways you would never imagine. Whether it is something as small as making a shoe box for a child in need, or not eating for 30 hours, these

actions are statements. By making these statements in your community, you can also encourage others to get involved; this is how the ripple effect starts. Then these people you have touched can then also spread the contributions to their communities, and further enrich the lives of others. It all starts with an idea: how will you make a difference in your community today?

Henricus Gielis Regina, SK Through my involvement in a variety of groups and teams over the last several years, I have learned that all people can in their own ways be leaders under the right circumstances, and can be motivated by as well as be motivational towards the dreams of others. Most of my activities involve communication of skills and values. I am involved in student governance and extracurricular activities at O’Neill High School as well as with Regina Area Catholic Schools. In recognition for leadership in extra-curricular activities and high academic standing, I was nominated and selected as a Focus ‘91 Youth Salute scholar. I am a member of the Principal’s Task Force, a group of student leaders selected by the principal to discuss learning issues of concern to O’Neill students. I have been an active member of the Student Representative Council for two years as Director of the Assembly Committee. As director I script assemblies, film all videos, lead meetings, organize shows as well as perform in them. I am the primary candidate for public speaking at the school, having had the opportunity to showcase this during CBC Regina’s Student News Day where I co-hosted the CBC Morning Edition with Sheila Coles and did a news piece for the CBC Evening News.

I have been heavily involved in Choral, Band, and Vocal Jazz throughout my high school years and this involvement has helped me to develop both my musicality and leadership skills. As a saxophonist, guitarist and singer, I have been a member of the Regina Catholic Schools Jazz band, often as first chair, and have been invited and accepted into the Honour Band for the Regina Area Catholic Schools. I am a member of the “Full Nelsons”, O’Neill High School’s senior rock band. I have performed in three major school productions at O’Neill, landing the lead role in a production of “Grease”, and have performed in three One Act productions, also playing lead once. I coordinated the formation of the O’Neill Improv Team and am excited this opportunity was supported by school administration.

I successfully auditioned and interviewed for the Fusion Project, an intensive process of theatre creation designed for promising young actors, writers, dancers, visual artists, musicians and designers where I will develop, refine and perform an original theatrical creation with ten other members that will be performed at Regina’s Globe Theatre as part of the Schumiatcher Series. I am also a member of the Globe Theatre Improv program. Through these programs I learned of the Creative City Centre project where I have volunteered my time to help renovate the second and third floors of a Regina heritage building to further the effort to provide space for Regina’s musicians, theatre community, fashion designers, literary and visual artists to create, collaborate and engage in Regina’s growing art culture.

I am heavily involved in community work at my church. I sing, play saxophone and guitar for both the St. Peter’s Church Youth and Young Adult Choirs. I am a youth leader for retreat groups at St. Peter’s Church and perform in the yearly Variety Night shows, the proceeds from which will raise money for World Youth Day in 2011. I will be attending the World Youth Day summit as a pilgrim in August having fund-raised the entire cost for my trip. I am a member of the Encouragers, a group of teenagers from O’Neill who lead workshops with elementary students to assist in their development through moral guidance and activity.

Through my extracurricular activities, school and community activities I have learned that leaders need to believe in the people they represent and help them to develop and use their skills. I have learned that a leader is really a facilitator of others’ hopes and aspirations. I have learned that leaders are not negative of the aspirations of others; they provide a sounding board and a mirror that reflects the possible. While leaders have to be seen to be providing direction, not all leadership has to be or should be from the front; it can be quiet and encouraging, helping others to fulfill their dreams of who they want to be. Leadership means respecting the views of others even when different from your own. Leadership is challenging, particularly when not all needs can be met, and decisions need to be made, and others are looking to me to make those decisions and carry the responsibility that comes with decision-making. Yet, it is rewarding; it serves goals that aim to make my school and community a safer and healthier environment.

I have learned that achieving anything of value in life requires focus and determined effort. In my family we do not have very much money. We plan and we save and together we have been able to see the dream of a university education as something that has become very real. My Mom is the sole provider for me, my sister (7) and shares support for my brother (15). I have worked very hard at my studies at school and in extracurricular activities with the community in order to be able to compete for scholarships because it is the only way I can hope to have enough money to afford university. My teachers have all been encouraging to me, helping me to

see possibilities ahead. I am a hard worker and I will work during my university and my Mom will help with what she can.

In an effort to assist in saving for my education and not have to rely on my mom for spending money, I have been employed at McDonald’s and for the past eight months as a barista at Starbucks where I recently earned my fifth perfect rating by a secret shopper for customer service and product delivery. Being employed has allowed me to learn more about interacting with people, respecting others and providing customer service. Working has also allowed me to appreciate the amount of work and hours required to earn and save for my education. I know that without any other sources of support, I must secure part-time employment, rely on contributions from my mother who would continue to be placed in ongoing financial hardship and I would also need to apply for a student loan and incur debt to even consider a university education. And so, the RE/MAX Quest for Excellence bursary will mean the first real financial relief for my family to allow me the opportunity to study and learn and build for the future.

To me the RE/MAX Quest for Excellence bursary represents validation of effort, hard work, commitment to learning and leadership. To be recognized by this scholarship means that others recognize that I have talents and skills and ability worth developing and confidence that I can succeed in further developing my abilities. I believe that I have the talent and ability to succeed in university and beyond. But whatever I am has been because of the love and support of my family, friends, my teachers and many who have given so much of themselves over the years so that I can have the opportunities that are before me today. The RE/MAX Quest for Excellence bursary means an opportunity for me to share with all those who have stood by me a validation for their belief and support of me.

Thank you for considering my application to hopefully provide me the right circumstances to release some financial hardship from my family and for me to earn the contributions towards my post-secondary education.

Michelle Boorman Peachland, BC In high school, life can get dramatic, challenging and frustrating. It’s easy to lose one’s self in the bedlam of it all. The one thing that always makes me realize that there are more important things out there, is volunteer work; whether it is candy striping at a local care home, organizing events and fundraisers for people in need or even helping out with community events, volunteering keeps me grounded.

In the ninth grade, my grandpa moved into a care home in West Kelowna, called the Village at Smith Creek. When I visited, the place pulled my heart strings. It surprised me how happy the residents became when they saw a young looking face, I decided to start volunteering there.

Playing games and assisting with feeding was all that was required, however watching their faces light up as they tell stories is something I will never forget. Volunteering there, I realized that not only was I helping them, which was the primary intention, but they were helping me, more than I could have known.

I loved volunteering there so much I joined the Peachland Wellness Centre Teen Volunteer Program. The fact that in this program, it was us, the teens, who got to choose the events and fundraisers that were close to our hearts, made me enjoy it fully. We organized things such as the annual Peachland Walk for Polio, and raised money for the Rotary’s efforts to eradicate Polio. We also planned events for kids such as a Christmas Craft Day every year; the children would bring in a toy or food bank item and spend the afternoon doing crafts with us. We wrote and edited a Peachland History book as well as raised money for the Food Bank, our Adopt a Family, a women’s shelter in Vancouver and many more. Soon we will be doing a car wash for the Make a Wish Foundation and bagging groceries for Cleft Palates. This kind of volunteer work excites me because I know that I am making a difference.

The Global Service Club at Mount Boucherie has taught me a lot, not only about helping people globally and locally, but also, the amount of people who care, and will do whatever they can to help. This year, I am the co-president of the Global Service Club and help plan many events and fundraisers to raise money and awareness. There are two main fundraisers we do every year; we have Arts for Ecuador, an event at the school showcasing local art talent with a silent art auction, live bands, a jazz cafe, Ecuadorian drumming and much more. Organizing this event was great because of the amount of people willing to help out. We also do a school Carnival that raises money for an orphanage in Kenya that we support. The orphanage is also supported by our recycling money. Rooting through smelly, sticky bottles and juice boxes

doesn’t seem like that much fun; however, knowing where the money is going makes everyone happy to do it. Recently, I found out that when the people at the orphanage heard we were using our recycling money to sustain them, they were shocked. Inspired, they decided that if we could do it, so could they. All they needed was around $5,000 to get things started (it’s different recycling there, they would need to buy a plastic shredder etc.) A couple of friends and I decided that we wanted them to have the money so we planned out how much money we would need, where to spend it and made it into a project. We competed in the Millennium Development Challenge and won $1,000 towards our cause. For the remainder of the year, my plan is to raise the rest of the $5,000.

This year, I heard that the West Kelowna Food Bank’s users had tripled and at one point they had actually run out of food. I decided that being part of a school of 1500 kids, how hard could it be to help out? I organized a group of students on the weekend to stand outside a grocery store and hand out leaflets of what the Food Bank most needed. People would go inside, buy something for them and drop it off on the way out. I was shocked at the responses. We were out there for hours and it paid off we had raised $2,800 in food and money donations in one day.

The truck from the Food Bank picked it up and brought it there. I had the opportunity to see what a difference it made, it was amazing. I told the manager there that whenever they needed food to give me a call and we would do it again. About a month after the first one, we did it again and raised $2,500 in food and money. Doing this made me realize that people care, and do whatever they can to help.

From my experiences with volunteering, I have learned that helping people is so important and makes a big difference, even if it is just to one person, and also that helping others helps one’s self It helps because volunteering at a care home they will tell amazing stories that impact a person forever, it helps because the world is full of injustice, and living here, we are blinded from most of it. Volunteering opens eyes, and changes views for the better. When I volunteer I feel like I can make a difference in the world. That is why I am, and will be a lifelong volunteer.

Tanya Thakur Abbotsford, BC When I was 12 years old, I came to Canada straight from a village in rural India. To adapt my world view to such an extent was a challenge which has fostered my personal growth and instilled in me the true values of global citizenship.

Torn from my Indian roots, I was brought to an abrupt realization of the importance of community and belonging. My parents’ divorce shortly after my loss of community made me embrace volunteer work as a means to stay grounded. I immersed myself in Canadian culture, specifically in Community Service as a means of crafting a new Canadian identity.

In India, I lived in a community where due to my gender and my age, I was expected to hold back my opinions. Nowhere was this reality reflected more than in my father’s behaviour.

Coming to Canada provided me with the freedom to voice my opinion. My new-found voice led to my developing a passion for youth engagement and advocacy, which led to my involvement in community organizations such as the Abbotsford Youth Council, Volunteer Abbotsford, Otter Co-op and many others. In my school, I have held executive positions in Leadership, Key Club, Young Entrepreneurs’ Society, and have participated in Multicultural Club and Honours & TB leadership.

This summer, I participated in the Youth Art Action Heritage project, whose objective is to create a social action theatre piece which tackles issues prevalent in our society, such as domestic abuse, bullying, and one’s lack of self-worth. I have also been a guest speaker at The Reach’s “Story to Tell,” where I shared my experiences as a young immigrant looking to integrate into Canadian Society.

I have volunteered with Gladwin Language Centre, aiding the students in adjusting to their new surroundings as I once had to. I am a Teen Mentor for Big Brothers and Big Sisters assisting my buddy in coping with academic, social, and emotional challenges, and have helped her deal with bullying and challenges at home. I am an Abbotsford Youth Council representative, voicing my peers’ opinions on community issues. I have volunteered at the MCC thrift store, helping raise money for its initiatives.

In 2009, my efforts to get involved led me to develop an interest in the field of social enterprise as a means of alleviating poverty. Through my TB Business course, I quickly found myself immersed in several business models and organization structures. My discovery of microfinance initiatives such as Kiva, which supports budding entrepreneurs through offering them micro loans, led me to found Young Entrepreneurs’ Society. Micro loans are very small loans given to those who are looking to break out of the cycle of poverty but do not have the

resources necessary to do so. Through YES, I helped raise money for Kiva through biweekly fundraisers at our school.

My interests in this field also led me to secure a position as a youth member on the Otter Co-op Board of Directors in Aldergrove, BC. This has given me an enriching opportunity to study the co-operative business model, and further developed my interest in social and co-operative entrepreneurship. I have had the opportunity to represent Otter Co-op at the Federated Co-op Ltd regional and annual conferences. Therefore, the clash of cultures between my Eastern background and my new life in the West has impelled me to bend my efforts to fuse and harmonize in me the best aspects of my two cultures and to strive to make them cohesive. My volunteer work in my school and various community organizations has benefited from my need to promote this harmony. Whether it is through volunteering at the local MCC to help raise money for international causes such as the Haitian Earthquake Relief effort, helping teach English to immigrants at Gladwin Language Centre, welcoming international students at my high school’s Multicultural Club, or raising money for a medical clinic in Pakistan through Key Club, I have actively sought opportunities that will help me better the community not only locally, but also globally.

Additionally, my desire to increase youth engagement in the community caused me to get involved with Volunteer Abbotsford two years ago in the summer of 2009 when the organization had just launched. I have helped volunteer Abbotsford reach out to a younger demographic through my role as its teen representative. I have helped plan several volunteer fairs for the organization as well as actively recruited youth to become a member of this non-profit. This year, I was offered an opportunity to sit on the Board of Directors for the organization. My portfolio as a Director entails that I organize and manage events that promote cohesiveness in the community through engaging Abbotsford’s citizens in volunteerism. Furthermore, I also manage the student branch of Volunteer Abbotsford, called Student Connections, an organization which I founded in May 2010.

My volunteer work in the community has brought home to me how the communication between members of non-profit organizations and youth needed to be improved. As a result, I founded Student Connections, an organization fostering partnerships between service providers, businesses, non-profits and youth to facilitate youth engagement. As team leader of this organization, we recently organized a leadership seminar called “Day of Action” on March 5, 2011, which was attended by over a hundred student leaders in Abbotsford, which aimed to introduce youth to the various enrichment opportunities offered by the non-profits.

Student Connections is deemed a success by the community leaders as well as my peers, who

found this event to be an excellent means of networking and build partnerships. Through the use of social media, I plan to now build Student Connections into an organization which further fosters these partnerships between the youth and the community organizations and promote youth engagement in the community. The success of Student Connections strengthens my belief that today and in the future, we must all be “global citizens� by engaging in our community locally.

My community involvement as well as my immigration experience has developed in me a strong sense of global citizenship. Consequently, I plan to build on the foundation laid by the International Baccalaureate Programme in which I am a student by tailoring my university studies to equip me for a career in diplomacy. Coming from a single parent home, any financial aid would make the utmost difference in my pursuit of higher education in International Relations at UBC.

Haley Decker Kamloops, BC I am currently a grade 12 student at Valleyview Secondary School. My dream is to continue my studies at a post secondary institution upon graduation, in Sciences, and eventually the field of Medicine. During my years in high school, I have attempted to be involved in as many things as possible. Besides working through a challenging academic program, and playing many sports, I have been very involved in the Leadership program at the school, as well as doing various other volunteer activities in the community, to help others and gain experience that will help in my future career aspirations.

In September 2009, I took on the role of commissioner for a three-day leadership conference that my school hosted at Eagle Bay on the Shuswap Lake. I had attended the conference for the two years previous and was a leader at the camp for the second of those two years. The camp was designed to teach leadership students from various schools throughout British Columbia how to improve the leadership program at their school. What set this camp apart from other leadership programs at my school was that it incorporated students from numerous schools so that more schools would be capable of having a successful leadership program, not just mine.

Throughout the day, students would do activities like team building, group challenges,

discussions about school issues, and big group games. We made it possible for students to learn things like games and activities that they could possibly bring back to their schools to perform for their peers. The planning for this conference took months of strenuous after-school work, from large tasks like organizing every delegate into specific groups and cabins, to small tasks like counting out exactly how many pens were necessary for the camp. After my group of commissioners had planned the entire conference, we needed to teach leadership students from our school, and surrounding schools, how to lead their specific groups, and which activities they were required to perform. Leadership is a very important thing in my life and I believe that by teaching these leadership students a little bit of what I know about leadership, they can pass it on to their school and have a more successful and unified school.

My high school offers a program called “Link Crew”, which provides support to grade eight students. I have been a Link Leader, basically a mentor, to grade eight students for three years and have seen the positive impact that it has made on grade eight students lives. I enjoy helping new students feel more comfortable at our school, because I remember how frightened I was when I first entered high school.

In 2008, my school decided to put on an “Awake-a-thon” to raise money to build a school in Africa. The idea of the Awake-a-thon was to have a night where all the students camped out at my school from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Our leadership class knew that if we wanted to get most of our school to come to our Awake-a-thon, we would have to advertise an activity that would get everyone excited. In order to make the Awake-a-thon the best it could be, my sister and I decided to create a big group game. The game we made was based on the TV show “The Amazing Race” and showcased numerous countries throughout the world. Classrooms throughout the school represented different countries and inside these countries, students would be challenged with activities or skill testing questions that applied to a specific country.

My sister and I spent many hours going over the game making sure that every station was set up perfectly. Since we created the game by ourselves, we had to train 20 other leadership students how to run the activity from each country. Though my sister and I did our best to make sure everything ran smoothly, the game had minor breakdowns that needed to be fixed. The school enjoyed the game so much that my leadership teacher asked if we would be willing to run the game again at a leadership camp at Sunnybrae a few months later. Creating and performing the game at such a large- scale seemed like a huge task, but with the help of my teachers and peers the game turned out to be fin and successful.

I have been involved in rep soccer for six years, and during the recent summers have volunteered as a coach at soccer camps offered to preschool and Kindergarten aged children. I

enjoy helping and playing with young soccer players, and teaching them some of the skills I have learned in my years in soccer.

In the summer of 2010 I was asked by friend of the family if I would like to volunteer at the Kamloops United Church to make food for less fortunate people. I agreed to help though I was not sure what the job would entail. A few of my jobs were to set the tables, cut onions, wash dishes, and serve the people who came to be fed. People began to arrive to the church in large numbers. They were lined up outside the doors hours before the meal was even set to begin.

Seeing this made me realize how much these meals really mean to them. The people who came for dinner looked as if they were from all walks of life. Some people walked in looking well fed, while others looked as if the meal we prepared would be their first meal in a long time. I noticed one man, named Carl, who I had seen roaming the streets near the high school I attend.

Some families came for the meal, and I also noticed some pregnant women waiting to be fed.

These people were not ashamed to ask for help from any of the workers. I had the privilege of going back to the church and preparing food again on another occasion. Doing this volunteer work really opened my eyes to what was going on in our city. I expected to feed about ten people with the food we prepared for the needy, but on each day we fed between 50 and 75 people. I was shocked to see people who looked like they could be my friend’s dad, or a teacher at my school, not like somebody who did not have a stable job or a place to live. I feel so fortunate to have been able to do this volunteer work, and I plan to do it again on other occasions.

Recently I have become a candy striper at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops and I am very excited about this. The program involves supporting patients at the hospital, by doing things like reading and visiting with patients. It also allows me to help busy staff members at the hospital, by doing things such as folding laundry, tidying carts, and other odd jobs they don’t always have time to do, but make their jobs a little easier. The candy striper program provides us with tours of various departments at the hospital, and brings in guest speakers, such as Emergency Room doctors and Physiotherapists. Since I am hoping to eventually work in the medical field, this is very valuable to me.

The various extracurricular activities and volunteer work I have been involved in during my years of high school have provided me with valuable experience that will, I’m sure, help me in the future both as a member of society, and in my chosen career.

Testimonials on the Quest for Excellence Bursary Program Lisa Choi, Student ”I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation in selecting me for the Quest for Excellence Award.

Ever since I was a small child, I have dreamed of attending medical school to become a paediatric cardiac surgeon. With this scholarship, I will be able to place all my focus on succeeding academically to become the best surgeon I can be. I am overjoyed to keep up with all my volunteer efforts without so much of the financial pressures of school. Once again, I offer my sincerest thanks for your generous support. I will work hard to make sure that you feel you have made a wise decision in selecting me as part of your recipients.”

Bill Briggs, Broker Owner RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton) ‐ Central “I’d be happy to look after the presentation to the bursary winner. I absolutely love attending these awards ceremonies. The achievements of these young people are outstanding, and it absolutely restores one’s faith in our upcoming leaders to hear about them all. If ever RE/MAX goes through an evaluation of the Quest for Excellence Program, please make sure to pass on that I’m not only on side with it, I think it’s amongst our best community profile programs, and I’d be totally in favor of even expanding it to increase the number of recipients.”

Carol McCaulley, Counsellor “On behalf of Westyde Secondary, I would like to take this opportunity to express my thanks for the support you have provided Westsyde Secondary graduating students this year!

The generosity and support provided by your organization is appreciated by both students and staff at Westsyde Secondary.”

RE/MAX of Western Canada #340, 1060 Manhattan Drive, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9X9 Ph: 250‐860‐3628 www.remax‐western.ca Note: All entries become the property of RE/MAX of Western Canada and photos and names of winners may be used in print publications and media.

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