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 900 essays were received in the 2012 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 2012.
Andrew Fawcett Calgary, AB Mother Teresa once said, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Throughout my life I have had the blessed opportunity to give back to both the local and global community. Even though the contributions I have made are just drops in the ocean, they have made a positive impact on both myself and others. Throughout high school I balanced my academic and athletic life with community contributions. I was an active member and leader of the peer support group. It was founded on the principles of supporting, encouraging and enriching the lives of others. By the ability to influence others, I was inspired, so I created a Christian Bible study group. It was my goal to create a group setting that facilitates kind, caring, compassionate hearts where people feel accepted. I was also an organizer of the Vow of Silence, put on by Free The Children. The event brought attention to those in the world with ‘no voice.’ Fellow student participants went 24 hours without talking, texting or using social network sites. It was a great time for our school to bring awareness to lives of those living in poverty stricken nations. Another event that brought international awareness to our school was the earthquake in Japan. I was a part of a small group that made and sold 1,000 paper origami cranes as a fundraiser. I hope that the small acts I did in school inspired others to get involved! Outside of school, I enjoyed giving my time and self to others. I coached a Cochrane atom recreational hockey team, teaching kids of various skill level how to have fun playing Canada’s great game! Sports have always been a part of my life, as they have helped me mature and live a healthy life-style. Now it is so rewarding to be a part of the athletic lives of the youth. Being involved in the lives of those who look up to you is rewarding no matter what the activity is. Being a youth sponsor at my local youth group has allowed me to connect with kids in my community. Every week our youth group has a blast playing games, making relationships and learning about Christianity. Being a part of the local church has been the greatest contribution I have made in my community. It provides many opportunities to enrich the lives of others. In fall 2011, I was a member of the ‘Change the World’ committee. It focused on encouraging others to change the lives of the poor, sick, aliens, widows, orphans and slaves. We brought in organizations that work directly with these 6 groups. Furthermore at Christmas, hampers were given out to the less fortunate in our city. Seeing and hearing the stories of these people
reminded me that poverty is in our own back yard. Our Lady Queen of Peace Ranch does a great job of providing a memorable Christmas for nearly 5,000 people in the low-income areas of our city. They bus families out to their ranch near the Rocky Mountains, were the guests are given food and gifts along with a day of laughter playing games, riding horses and cruising on the tractor ride. I volunteered at this event and found it humbling serving those who truly appreciate the effort forth for them. Working outside of the school promotes leadership qualities that can’t be attained in an organized, teacher-run atmosphere. After my grade 11 year of school I spent a summer volunteering at Twin Falls Chalet, a back country lodge in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I purchased and backpacked food 9 km to the lodge. I worked with an elder lady who has run the lodge for 50 years. While she cooked in the kitchen, I served guests, all from various parts of the world. If the guests required a guide for their day hikes, I would use my knowledge of the area along with my back country abilities to assist. Meeting diverse travelers with unique backgrounds sparked my interest in getting to know the world beyond Canada. Besides working in my local community, I believe I have contributed much to the global greater community. I traveled and volunteered in Costa Rica and Morocco. These trips were inspired by my adventurous motivation to experience different cultures and my fathers’ belief that Canadian students should travel outside the country before attending post-secondary school. Courtesy to my travels, I have realized how fortunate we are to live in Canada. My first trip occurred in place of my first semester of grade 12. At the age of 16, I took a three month independent trip to Costa Rica, Central America. It opened up my eyes to the real world beyond our sheltered borders. I traveled independently, with no organization or group. I created my own schedule and became my own leader. I spent the first two weeks studying Spanish while becoming accustomed to the culture of a developing Latin American nation. After that I spent two weeks volunteering at a turtle preservation camp. I then spent three weeks volunteering at an Eco-lodge near Nicaragua where I led rain forest tours, served guests and assisted the local staff members wherever help was needed. I then spent over two weeks at an animal sanctuary feeding and caring for abandoned, orphaned, wounded and ill animals. My last volunteering position was teaching English at a local children’s school. I have shared my experience with nearly 200 people in my local community. In doing so, they could see and experience the benefits of another culture without traveling. By learning about other parts of the world, one can become more aware of the world they live in. Sometimes contributions made to the global community can make a positive impact locally!
My second big trip occurred in the summer of 2011, when I took up a last minute opportunity to travel to Morocco, Africa. I went and volunteered for a month with a group called, “Teaching English for Peace.” We were sponsored by the International House of the University of Alberta. We taught English to all ages of local children. It was a wonderful experience that further developed my communication skills, ability to adapt to diverse circumstances, and leadership skills in a demanding environment. I had to work with fellow team members to organize exciting teaching plans that taught students English while showing them that not all Westerners are like the stereotypes Muslims typically have. Both of these trips were times when I served the global community. They enriched my life, and more importantly they enhanced the lives of those I touched. With everything considered though, I will point out that being a leader who enriches the lives of others is by no means a ‘one man show.’ I have been greatly supported by my family. They have continually encouraged me to always do the right thing and love my neighbor as myself. My high school has encouraged me by providing the opportunity to represent the school at the Rotary Youth Leadership Convention and the Canadian Conference of Student Leadership. Every act of volunteering or fundraising where I poured me whole self into has been the greatest moments of my life. These moments teach me about the value of enriching the lives of others through leadership: being self-motivated, taking initiative and action, while being in communication with the world that is constantly changing.
Erin Sobat Edmonton, AB I believe that I am an ideal candidate for the RE/MAX Quest for Excellence Bursary because of my ongoing pursuit of excellence in all areas of life.
Last year, I ranked at the top of my class while being enrolled in an International Baccalaureate Certificate program. However, I am not a student motivated so much by marks or prestige as by my passion for learning in all its forms. This includes my academic studies, but also the learning that happens outside of the classroom, which I believe has been more valuable to my personal growth throughout high schools. My participation in extracurricular and community service activities is what has shaped my character and allowed me to grow as a leader. The best example of this has been my role in the Edmonton Centennial Interact Club. As a
student-driven junior Rotary club at Ross Sheppard High School, we organize local and international service projects to better our global community. I have had an active role in many of these, having volunteered serving food to the homeless at the Edmonton Hope Mission; packing bags of gifts for families in-need with Santa’s Anonymous; helping to run an afterschool intramural program for inner-city kids; planting trees on TD Canada Tree Day; and collecting food bank donations on Halloween night through Halloween for Hunger. I continue to volunteer regularly with young patients at the Stollery Children’s Hospital; act as a teen mentor at Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Africa Centre; and participate in an after-school reading program at Coronation Elementary, a club project that I started in May 2010 with the goal of promoting literacy in our local community.
In May 2011, I was elected President of our Interact Club, a role that has allowed me to channel the energy of like-minded youth into positive change, and also been an incredible learning experience. Working with our elected board has taught me a great deal about collaboration and communication with others, including what teamwork can accomplish when everyone willing to work together to brainstorm. I am currently working with this group to plan our formal banquet and silent auction fundraiser, a completely-student run event that annually raises thousands of dollars towards our international project in Belize. This project focuses on furthering education by funding projects at two schools; most recently our club purchased a class set of desks for one. This Spring Break, myself and 11 other members will travel to Belize to volunteer in the schools, by tutoring children, painting, building an outbuilding at one school and working on construction of a new classroom at another, running a sports camp and literacy day, and participating in a mangrove restoration project, among other work. This is sure to be an incredible experience that I know will motivate me to re-evaluate how fortunate I am to have all of the opportunities that I do in life, and to continue doing what I can to empower youth and further my own knowledge. I have also participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (a fully-sponsored leadership camp/scholarship), Showrunners Leadership Conference, Rotary District Conference and Spring Training events, all opportunities to grow my leadership skills.
In my school I am also enrolled in our Leadership course, for which I have helped to plan a school pep rally and flash mob, visits to a senior’s home and kindergarten, and the Opening Ceremonies to our May invitational rugby tournament. I have assisted with our annual Totem Hoop tournament including organizing a food concession fundraiser for Interact’s international project. For our annual talent show I have been a judge for auditions and will be an MC for the event itself. I have been a greeter and table recorder for the Institute of Canadian Citizenship’s New Canadian ceremony, a table leader at my school’s “Speak Out” forums (day-long events that encourage feedback and participation from students in their education), and liaison to our
“YouthAct” (junior Interact) Club at Westminster Junior High School, encouraging active community involvement from a young age. I have been an alumnus judge for this school’s final round in the Youth Philanthropy Initiative, helping to choose a winning presentation along with prominent community members such as our MLA Heather Klimchuk (the winning group received $5000 to go towards the grassroots charity that was the subject of their presentation). I am also sitting on our Rotary district’s New Generations Committee, working to further Rotary youth programs in Western Canada and currently focusing on organizing New Generations vocational exchanges in our district. I also take private flute lessons and have played in my school’s jazz band, concert band, and the 2012 Edmonton Night of Music Senior High Honour Band.
Finally, as black belt instructor with Mumonkan Dojo here in Edmonton, I volunteer teaching a weekly children’s karate class. My training has allowed me to improve my physical fitness and refine realistic self-defence skills through scenario, weapons and psychological training, but also to build confidence and leadership by running classes and imparting my knowledge to others. Our group goes far beyond mainstream “sport” karate: for my brown belt grading, I was required to spar full-out with my black belt instructors, one after another for five minutes. This was an exhaustive process that replicated the reality of an encounter on the street and pushed me beyond my limits. It has been one of my most valuable learning experiences and helped teach me the importance of willpower. I have been able to achieve my black belt in three styles not only because of skill, but also because of strength of character, demonstrating exemplary Budo values of respect, responsibility, honesty and humility.
Through my activities I have also gained valuable life skills including public speaking - how many high school students are comfortable teaching an entire karate class, speaking in front of a club of 30 other teenagers, or making a presentation to a room full of over 100 successful Rotarians? I can confidently say that I have gained stronger speaking and interpersonal skills than many adults, and I only intend to keep improving upon them.
All of these opportunities have taught me much about my community and about the potential of my generation. I have a lot of hope for our world, simply because I have met so many incredible people that, like myself, will never give up on it. I have seen what a team of like-minded youth can accomplish when they come together, but I also have come to understand that even one person can have an impact on the lives of many others. Most importantly, we are able to make a difference not just elsewhere in the world, but right here in our own backyard. I am someone that seeks the highest standards in everything I do, simply out of my desire. Life is an education in itself, and my goal is to learn as much as I can - from my successes and my failures. I hope that you will consider me as a candidate for this bursary, as it will help me to
move forward not only as a student who gives back to his local community through volunteerism, but as a leader and global citizen who actively seeks to better his world.
Lorraine Hart Medicine Hat, AB Diligence, benevolence, and perseverance are key aspects that assist in the creation of a commendable leader. I strive to make these traits part of who I am. Ambition has driven me, becoming increasingly gratifying and motivational with every humanitarian experience and community correlation. I would be an admirable recipient for a RE/MAX of Western Canada Quest for Excellence Scholarship because of my determined resolve to succeed and my dedication to the community.
In school, I lead through councils and clubs, academic achievements, and aiding instructors. I’ve been a student council member, organizing and guiding school contests, sports pep rallies, and spirit days. Almost every week, I aid student council in these activities by performing behind the scenes tasks, planning and preparing, or running the event and explaining the activity in front of the school. As voluntary student council treasurer for the past two years, I distribute thousands of dollars in cheques weekly and engage with teachers, coaches, sports teams, and clubs. Being actively involved in student council allows me to expand my boundaries, become a better leader, and become interwoven into my school. As a laboratory technician in the science department, I’ve committed 125 hours to preparing class labs and keeping the lab preparation room organized. This task has taught me scientific knowledge as well as people skills. I have also gained the opportunity to assist in the education of those around me. My involvement in the schools DV8 Christian Club has allowed me to collaborate with others to make a difference in the school, the community, and the world.
With the school, I actively raised money for Red Cross relief, collected Christmas presents for needy children, and sold daffodils to fundraise hundreds of dollars for the Cancer Society. Through my actions in planning and executing these fundraisers, I was able to spread a sense of benevolence. In school sponsored charity auctions, I collected donations and payments for the items, raising thousands of dollars for the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter and the Medicine Hat Food Bank. In addition, I recently invested multiple hours to roll over seven hundred dollars in small change. This money was raised during a student council change drive for the Medicine
Hat SPCA. I have also been involved in my high schools cross country running and track and field teams, having volunteered at city and zone competitions which they have participated in. Due to my extensive leadership and charity work both inside and outside of my high school, I was chosen by the school administration to represent our school community by running in the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Many in Motion Relay promoting community leadership across Canada.
This is my ninth year in 4-H, a program with the motto Learn to do by doing. Teaching project clinics and holding a variety of executive positions in two clubs has allowed me to advise and guide members and families towards a collective community mentality. Over multiple 4-H years, I have acted as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and parliamentarian. In 2010, I became a 4-H camp counselor, caring for and mentoring youth ages nine to fourteen during a multiple day and night excursion. This task has taught me to be more responsible, flexible, and audacious.
The 4-H program has given me limitless dexterities as well as opportunities. I have been an avid participant in 4-H speeches, impromptus, and presentations for nine years. I possess multiple Southern Alberta 4-H regional competition awards for public speaking and record book keeping.
As a club forerunner in these areas, I’ve shared with fellow members, aiding in their
success by passing on these treasured skills. Communication is vital in leadership.
In 2011, I received the Platinum Award of Excellence, the highest recognition of Alberta 4-H involvement. I was also chosen through competitive selection to represent Alberta at the National 4-H Conference on Science and Technology in Toronto. Once there, I was asked to be the master of ceremonies for the 4-H Canada sponsors banquet. I found this task to be particularly rewarding because it allowed me to not only form contacts with national sponsors such as TD Bank, CIBC Bank, and Syngenta but also to speak to individuals about the value of the 4-H program. I hope that my assistance in creating an understanding about the program will help youth to benefit from 4-H for years or even generations to come. This year, I was selected as the single Alberta representative to attend the USA National 4-H Conference in Washington D.C. After I attend this conference in March, I can honestly state that I have been highly involved in 4-H at the local, regional, provincial, national, and even international level.
I have contributed to the betterment of society by delivering food and gift hampers to the needy for seven years, raising funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters by painting children’s faces at trade shows, and decorating a seniors facility and sharing in their Christmas season. I have spent 175 hours volunteering at Cypress Veterinary Clinic and learned a great deal about biology,
chemistry, medicine, agriculture, and business there. I participate in electronics recycling programs and have cleaned garbage along the Trans-Canada Highway with 4-H for seven years. These community contributions have taught me how beneficial two hands and one heart can be when they invest time towards a worthy cause. I believe that my preliminary work in the community up to this point in my life will only prove to be a foundation. When I become more wise and knowledgeable, I intend to continue investing my time and effort towards bettering the world.
I would be an exceptional recipient for a RE/MAX of Western Canada Quest for Excellence Scholarship because my aspirations will continue to drive me towards the uppermost achievements. I have amplified my efforts to be a leader, actively engaged in my community, and became a more conscientious and fulfilled citizen. Education will broaden my horizons, giving me the independence and information to allow me to be a frontrunner in the community and a mentor for those around me. I will strive to attain expertise during my years at university. Then, I can pass it on to others and use it to improve the well-being of my community and country.
Brittany Norton Leduc, AB My name is Brittany Norton and I have been volunteering in my community for five years and counting.
I first became involved in the community when I was twelve years old, through the Boys and Girls Club of Leduc. I joined a leadership program for youth ages ten to fourteen called Torch. Through Torch I volunteered afterschool at the Boys and Girls Club of Leduc where I assisted the staff in running programs and activities for the children attending the club. I also participated in the community doing services such as serving dinner in a homeless shelter, and collecting donations for the food bank. I was elected by my peers to be president of Torch for two of the four years I was involved in the group. This program also inspired me to become involved in the school leadership team, so throughout Jr. High, I was involved in the planning and facilitating of many school activities.
As I got older, I graduated from Torch and advanced to Keystone, which is a leadership group for youth ages fourteen to seventeen. Through Keystone I was able to further my learning and
skills as a leader. I was given larger responsibilities and more challenging tasks. I was elected as president during my second year participating in Keystone. Some of the services I have had the privilege of partaking in involve; playing bingo with senior citizens, assisting at fundraising events, and chaperoning youth to professional sports events and concerts. I have volunteered at large events such as the Relay for Life and I have been a Youth Advocate for the Leduc Drug Action Committee. Last year, I hosted my own radio program titled Boys and Girls Club of Leduc-Live and Outloud on Leduc Radio. This empowered me to be an advocate and the voice for youth locally, nationally, and internationally. I have also had the opportunity to participate and attend eight leadership conferences hosted by other groups and have also assisted in the planning and facilitating of nine other leadership and self esteem retreats, most recently in November 2011. The project I am currently involved in and most excited about is our Parkas for Peru campaign. We teamed up with a passionate native Peruvian coworker who informed us of the atrocities facing the mountainous communities in Peru. Eager to help, we created a winter clothing drive for children, so that we could send the proper attire to those in need.
Through my volunteer work in the Boys and Girls Club, I realized that I had a passion for helping others and working with children. I had only been volunteering for two years when I was employed by the organization in 2008. I have worked there for almost four years now, and I can honestly claim that I have witnessed the impact these leadership programs have on the youth and children. Every day that I walk into work, I am a mentor and a role model and I encourage others to be the same. I have seen hundreds of children come and go, each one leaving an imprint on my heart. I have learned more from them than I will ever be able to repay them for. I don’t just change their lives, they change mine.
Along with my job and my involvement in leadership programs, I have been actively involved in my school as well.
I have been attending Christ the King Jr. /Sr. High School for 6 years and
during my time here I have received honors consecutively every year. In Junior High, I was a member of the leadership team which was responsible for coordinating and facilitating events such as school dances, spirit days, and fundraisers. Currently in my senior year I am on the Student Council and I help devise strategies on how to raise school moral and make my school an overall better place. I am also a member of the Student Rotary Interact Club. This is a student based program that began last year, initially as a temporary service project. A few teachers jumped onboard as advisors and so the club became permanent. Together we volunteer in our school and community. We have held pet adoption nights, collected food for the Canine Rescue Society, collected winter clothing for the homeless shelter, spent time with senior citizens, and have volunteered around the school when needed. We have also planned and are attending our schools very first mission trip oversees. This August, we are going to
Costa Rica for two weeks to volunteer in an orphanage. Also in my senior year, I have volunteered many hours in student led fund raising events to help support the 2012 graduating class in preparation for the Grad ceremonies, and I was a part of the H.O.P.E service project where we collected toys for the local Santa’s Helpers Organization.
My volunteer work in school has provided me the opportunity to represent my school and my community in Ottawa, where I attended the Encounters with Canada program for one week; as well as receiving three Student of the Month awards and being the recipient of the 2011 Senior Christ the King Character Award from my school. My work in the community has earned me four Leaders of Tomorrow nominations, a nomination for the Stars of Alberta Volunteer Awards, and 2011’s Honorable Mention for the Great Kids Award from the Government of Alberta.
Aliya Dossa Burnaby, BC The silver handle, covered with cold beads of condensation, was under my fingers' grasp. I turned the handle hoping that the water would rise high enough to quench my thirst. I wondered why my school's water fountains failed to form a rainbow's shape. When I drank the water anyways, it had a bitter taste and I could feel myself cringing. I refused to purchase bottled water from my school because it is environmentally unsustainable. However, the school's water fountains were essentially inoperative, causing my peers to conveniently seek hydration from bottled water. This led me to co-found and co-chair Youth4Tap, a movement encouraging people to drink tap water instead of bottled water.
To commence the initiative in September 2010, two friends and I, as Youth4Tap's co-founders, first approached our school district asking if bottled water could be removed from our school. They refused because our school signed a contract forcing it to sell bottled water until 2015. This obstacle inspired our second step: acting on our unanimous decision to meet our school's need in a more creative way. We initiated engaging campaigns at our school, such as a bottled water versus tap water taste test, to raise awareness about the tolls bottled water takes on the environment. After a few months, our dedication caught the attention of our school district. To recognize our devotion to our cause, they installed water-bottle-refill-stations in all eight high schools in our city. These stations are special because in addition to providing clean, sustainable drinking water, they indicate, on a digital screen, how many plastic bottles we have
saved from the landfills. So far, we have saved over 300,000 plastic water bottles while spreading Youth4Tap to almost twenty high schools across British Columbia. Additionally, I worked with community leaders to organize a Youth4Tap leadership clinic, where, through an educational approach, we took students to a watershed and water filtration plant to see where their water comes from.
In December 2011, I was informed that an Ontario-based environmental organization selected my team's grant proposal. We have received over $2000 with which we are currently initiating an elementary school-based project for students in grades six and seven. From now until June 2012, our project will inspire these students to take actions toward environmental preservation and sustainability in their schools and communities. We are helping the students with their projects every step of the way. The most innovative and effective project will win the students a water-bottle-refill-station for their school.
Through my passion for Youth4Tap, and other environmental initiatives, I have been recognized as one of Canada's youngest Top 25 Under 25 Environmentalists. I was also asked to speak at an international watershed-managers conference about how intergenerational communication can leverage environmental sustainability. Additionally, I was invited to TEDxKidsBC, where I spoke to a global audience about Youth4Tap and how challenges should be seen as opportunities instead of barriers. My TEDx Talk inspired students in Calgary and Toronto, who are now initiating Youth4Tap projects in their cities.
It amazes me that this journey would have never happened if had I approached the seemingly impossible obstacles with a closed-minded attitude. Through this particular challenge, and others like it, I have realized the true power of optimism and determination. Although challenges have both defeated and created me, I now know from experience that the learning opportunities they provide are invaluable, no matter the outcome. The greatest challenges generate the greatest opportunities for self-reflection, self-growth, and thus inevitably success.
The passion and perseverance with which I approach Youth4Tap are embedded within every community leadership role I have had. Examples of these leadership roles include but are not limited to my involvement as a: Girl Guide leader for the past two years; co-founding leader of Project Hunger - a group which raises awareness about hunger issues while acting locally by making sandwiches for the homeless; co-president of Students Helping Students - a school club which assists elementary school students with their homework; team leader and project manager for various events through the Ismaili Volunteer Corps; a student leader in the Best Buddies program at my school; an active member of the Burnaby School District's United
Nations Connections Club, through which I represented Canada at an international student conference on human rights at the United Nations Headquarters in New York; and organizer of fundraisers for cancer research, Japan earthquake relief, and Free the Children, successfully raising over $5,000.00 collectively.
Aside from community leadership in its concrete form, I am a leader in my community by engaging in a wide range of activities. My artistic side has been an alto-saxophone player in Vancouver's Ismaili Marching band for the past six years, a writer on youth activism and current events for Youthink Magazine for over a year, a cultural-events photographer for three years, an Indian-jazz dancer for nine years, a henna artist, and a just-for-fun singer who sung a selfwritten song in front of fifty people. My athletic side has played soccer and field hockey in recreational, school and elite environments for seven years, and now plays field hockey again after recovering from an injury.
Since I began volunteering at seven years old, my opportunistic community has taught me that all actions, no matter how small, have the power to make a difference. This pleasant reality shaped me to be the person I am today. Through my leadership roles I have empowered others to realize that their actions, too, can make a big difference - a difference to raise awareness, reduce bottled water usage or even brighten someone's day. Every action counts.
Nicole Vincent Kelowna, BC Throughout my life, I have witnessed the importance of establishing relationships and being there for people who are less fortunate. This message was instilled in me from a very young age, as my father is a Social Worker at an extended care home for seniors and I would go there often to visit with the residents. Since then, I have come to realize how it is also important for effective leaders to build and maintain positive relationships. Through my various involvements within the community, in sports and at school, I feel confident that my leadership contributions have allowed me to help enrich the lives of others. These opportunities have helped to mold me along the way into an effective, compassionate and motivated leader, while also leading by example.
In my late elementary school years and early high school years, my family hosted five young students from South Korea for stays of three to six months. At that time, I learned the importance of communicating through my body language, gestures and tone of voice, as their English language was quite limited. This was important learning for me, as it made me realize just how important non-verbal communication is when relating to others. I realize that an effective leader attends to both verbal and non-verbal communication, and that often actions speak louder than words. Excellent listening skills are also a must when taking on leadership roles and spending time with the Korean students aided me in developing these skills at a young age, as I learned to really focus and take time to understand them.
I first became involved in individual and team sports at the age of four, and have maintained my involvement ever since, both in my community and through my school. My keen interest in sports has been extensive, and has taught me the importance of following my passions. I realize how a passionate leader is a good leader. Having been captain of some of the teams, I learned the power of positivity and the importance of leading by example. I learned that effective leaders engage all members of the team and that it is important to maintain a positive attitude even when times get tough. I believe my involvement with sports has helped to instill many of the leadership qualities that I hold today.
Throughout my past 5 years of high school, I have experienced significant personal growth in many areas. Gaining knowledge by way of a variety of life experiences over this period of time, my leadership, personal motivation and communication skills have all been greatly enhanced. OKM has provided me with invaluable learning opportunities to further develop my leadership skills. In grades 10 and 11, I was involved in Student Voice, where students met a few times a year with the principal to review and evaluate different issues related to school life at OKM. This provided us with an opportunity to personally contribute to the leadership of our school, for the betterment of ourselves and the other students. Over the past two years, I have taken advantage of the schools Leadership Excellence Program and for the past 3 years, I have been highly committed to their Peer Counseling Program. Both programs offer outstanding training in leadership and communication skills through training retreats, direct experience and ongoing education. I have found these courses to be exceedingly motivating and rewarding, as I have been able to assist many students through difficult times while experiencing my own significant personal growth. On a more individual level, I take personal pride in having been a peer tutor for the past 2 years, helping students in younger grades. I have received Leadership and Service awards for my contribution in all three of these areas (Peer Tutoring, Peer Counseling and Leadership). In grade 12, I also joined the Grad Council where I volunteer on two committees to help plan and organize Grad 2012 events. I give a great deal of credit to my high school for
instilling confidence in my abilities as a leader and for motivating me to be the best that I can be. I have been able to successfully take these skills and put them to use in my community to benefit others.
Over the past three years, I have had the amazing opportunity to volunteer at Camp OAC as a Youth Leader, and this too has contributed greatly to my own growth, while again allowing me to have a positive impact on the lives of others. At the Anglican Church camp, I have worked with children from age 7-17 and I have been responsible for supervising up to 12 girls at a time. My experience in this capacity allowed me to assume an even greater leadership role, as I was selected for the position of Summer Long Youth Leader where my role was to provide effective leadership to both the volunteer youth leaders and the campers, during the summer of 2010-11. Through direct exposure to a variety of different and often challenging situations at Camp OAC, my responsibilities have required that I learn how to effectively respond to some delicate situations, and this served to also teach me a lot about myself. Having dealt with issues including family abuse, ADHD, and other emotional struggles of my campers, I have become very sensitive to the way others feel and how I can play a part in assisting them through tough times. Each summer, prior to camp, I have attended leadership training sessions which have focused both on effective leadership, and how to respond to different situations that could arise at camp. These sessions have instilled an increased self-confidence, greater motivation, and have served to further develop my leadership and communication skills.
I feel proud when I am able to apply my leadership skills to volunteer opportunities within my own community. I have been an active member of a cancer fundraising team with the Canadian Cancer Society, for the past two years. Together, our team has taken part in community fundraisers, and as my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer around this time, I have always felt a strong connection to this worthy cause. This experience has definitely highlighted the importance of effective communication and teamwork in order to reach the goals that we set out to achieve. Most recently, at the beginning of my grade 12 year, I decided to focus on working with seniors. I became employed with Mission Villas Retirement Resort as a server and I also assumed volunteer responsibilities at White Heather Manor. White Heather Manor is a care facility for seniors with long term mental health issues, and I have been afforded the opportunity to take on a leadership role with these residents, primarily in the area of recreation. This has been an excellent learning experience for me as I am encouraged to work without supervision, allowing me to put all of my past learning into practice.
As I reflect on my life, I am thankful for the many people in my home, school, and community who have helped shape me into the person I am today. I have learned so much, through the
teachings and actions of various leaders involved in my life. As I look forward to graduating from High School in June 2012 with an overall 92% average through grades 9-12, I am motivated to use these leadership skills to pursue my passion in helping people who may be less fortunate.
As a leader, I have passion to make a difference!
Brianna Harder Langley, BC I believe everyone has an important role to play in their family, their friendship circle, their community and also abroad, whether it is in their country or internationally. It is not "good enough to just live life for myself. I believe in the importance of giving back to other people, and using whatever skills or interests a person has to intentionally benefit others. Through my high school years, it has pleased me to know I am making an impact on others lives, and I've found that in the process, it impacts my own life too!
When I was in Grade 5/6 I was part of a girls' club called "Girls of Grace". This was lead by a woman named Rita from my church. The way she cared about me and was involved with my life made me think of her as my role model. She was a great example to me of someone with confidence, faith, and kindness. She helped me develop as a person, and it spurred me on to continue the cycle of investing in the lives of other young girls. Since the start of my Grade 10 year (September 2009), I have been leading a similar style club with Rita. This is volunteer work, and I work as the girls' mentor and friend. The club is called "Inside Out Girls" and it is about enriching the lives of young women surrounded by the pressures of the world to be physically perfect. Life in middle and high school can be rough for girls when dealing with your own identity, self-worth, self and peer acceptance, relationships (both with friends, boys, and their own families), and temptations to hurt themselves in order to be "more beautiful". This group focuses on true beauty- which is more your personality than your outward appearance. In our group, we work on adjusting personal perspectives on life to be more optimistic. We meet once a month to catch up, do a craft or a game, read a book on a specific topic together, and then encourage and pray for one another, for the strength to rise above and grasp life with courage. From this club, I have seen a difference made in each girl's life, including my own! I have learned how to lead a group and be motivational to them. I enjoy speaking truth into the girl’s lives and teaching them from my past experiences.
Also in my community, I am a volunteer Sunday school teacher. This past month I taught the Grade 3 students on using their gifts to make a mark on the world. We do activities which get the kids brainstorming ways they can make a difference based on their abilities and passions. I use my position to excite and inspire the young kids to embrace life with joy and effort, and to be the person they were designed to be.
Along with my Sunday school teaching, I volunteer at church events. My church has an annual fall carnival and I always sign up to run a booth. The event is for kids to play games and win candy prizes. There are often many disabled children who show up to this event from the outside community so my job is not only to run the station and show the kids what to do, but also to love them and be patient with them. At the carnival the kids all dress up as cowboys and cowgirls and I enthusiastically dress up also to bring some spirit to the carnival. This year I ran the cotton candy station and made cotton candy for the kids and their parents.
In addition, I volunteered 3 weeks of my summer in July 2009 at Green Bay Camp in Kelowna on the work crew. I worked in the dish pit, cleaned bathrooms, did housekeeping chores, and cleaned up the outside camp grounds. It was a great experience for me, as it taught me about hard work especially when there are unpleasant jobs that need to be done. It was important to me to display a willing and cheerful attitude with every job as I worked to better the camp environment.
Equally important to volunteer work is contributing in everyday life and groups that you are involved with. For example, I have unconditionally gone to my church's youth group since September 2006. I have a small group of girls that are my age that all meet together during the youth night and I have committed myself to showing up to see them and take part in the discussion. I contribute my ideas and problems and listen to others to motivate them and help find solutions if they have a problem. It has not always been easy to go every week when my schedule has been full with other commitments, such as my soccer team, or when my youth pastor's talks have been dry or ineffective because they don't relate to me, but I have taken it upon myself to remember my decision to attend and contribute to my friend's lives, no matter what. And, as a group we have bonded and grown together.
Through this youth group we have done small projects to help out the community. A man named Jim from my church has cancer, and he has already lost his wife and daughter to cancer, so he is at a very challenging and disheartening point in his life. My small group went to his house to have dinner with him, bring baking and meals for his freezer, and then we cleaned his house for him. With this group I have also put together a baby hamper of products for an expecting teen
mom. This next week we will be collecting imperishable food items for a needy family in the community for a Christmas hamper.
This January I will be going with my global education class on a humanitarian trip to Nicaragua. We will work there for ten days and will be engaged in a variety of projects that include orphanage work, service work in the school, and working with social service agencies among the impoverished people of the town of Managua, including child prostitutes, children addicted to glue, and individuals generally in need. We will also be providing a basic medical clinic with a doctor accompanying our team. I really look forward to serving the people of Nicaragua, and growing a compassionate and service orientated attitude.
I also voluntarily work to reach out internationally by writing letters to sponsor children. My dad, Steve Harder (who works at Remax in Langley), sponsors a boy from Columbia. On behalf of my dad, I have offered to write the letters to the sponsored boy. I enjoy writing and it is a great way for me to use my passions to reach out and boost someone up through words of motivation and support. I also correspond with another sponsored child through our school. Her name is Sarah and she lives in Kenya. Last year's grad class fundraised to be able to sponsor her postsecondary education and now that the grads have left the school, they needed someone to take the time to do it, so I volunteered and have found that it is enjoyable for me, and I hope it encourages her when she hears words of kindness and encouragement.
I am now looking forward to graduating and growing in my skills and interests. I know it will always be important to me to invest myself intentionally in others lives.
Christina Musa Nelson, BC Brittany Norton Leduc,awareness AB Raising of childhood leukemia and encouraging youth to be involved in supporting
cancer research is the most significant contribution I have made to my community. For eight BC years, I rallied people to raise money for leukemia research by hosting a local Light Up the Night Walk, and for the past 10 years I have captained a team of kids at the Relay for Life to encourage them to support the Canadian Cancer Society. I work to lead youth in local activities and to motivate them to raise money to support people living with cancer and for research to find a cure.
The impact of cancer on our society is massive, costing us more important things than money. The lives of millions of people will be improved with further research in finding new treatments without the side effects of the ones we are using now. Knowing that successful treatments are readily available will encourage more people to seek testing while it is still early, making treatment even more successful. Lives will not be spent worrying about getting an incurable disease because we will have a cure. Families and friends won€™t have to suffer over the early death of someone they love.
Based on today’s statistics everyone will eventually be affected by cancer. I would like to see young people more involved in raising money and awareness so they see the impact on people’s lives and understand the importance of improving treatment and encouraging prevention. Getting young people involved brings up the next generation of doctors and researchers who will have a passion for the fight. I believe this passion will inspire them to strive for excellence in their work in the medical field, creating new discoveries.
As the guest speaker for the Opening Ceremonies at the Relay for Life I spoke of my experience and why we need to continue the fight against cancer. At the end of the day it was acknowledged as the most emotional and motivating moment for participants as well as organizers of the event.
In November 1999, while in kindergarten, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and over the next two plus years received chemotherapy almost daily to treat my cancer. The struggles I went through had a huge impact on me, my family and my friends. I remember the
challenges I faced every day, and still grieve for a good friend I lost to cancer.
Watching my friends at Ronald McDonald House battle cancer, I wanted to be able to help. In 2001, I raised $2000 for a Walk to raise money for the Leukemia Research Fund of BC, and the next year I became their poster child. Although this event is organized in Vancouver each year, and I was invited to raise money for them, I wanted to raise awareness in my own city and recognize the local support that I knew I could get. I took the initiative and started the Leukemia Light Up the Night Walk in Nelson. I invited another family, whose young son, Hayden, was also diagnosed with leukemia, to join us. I got the local newspaper to support us and to help get the word out about what we were doing. I collected pledges and invited donors to join us while we walked. We met at Lakeside Park and handed out glow sticks. We walked around the park in the darkness with our lights to raise awareness of leukemia. Every October Hayden and I would collect pledges and go down to the park with glow sticks in hand and walk. We were the only ones who raised money, but many people in the community made pledges and came and walked with us. We asked friends and family to participate, and every year there were up to 100 people there to support the cause.
Although we no longer do our walk, and Hayden has moved away, I am proud of what our walk achieved. Over the eight years that we walked, I collected over $11,000 for leukemia research and raised awareness of childhood cancer within our community.
In 2002, I also became involved in the Relay for Life as a participant and worked hard to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society. In 2004, I started my own team, Kids Only. Each year I have up to fifteen kids who join me to raise money and awareness, and together we have raised close to $20,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. We are often in the top three teams overall, and every year win an award for team spirit. Our participation at the Relay has encouraged other youth teams to become involved and we are hoping to have four youth teams at this year’s event.
In addition to working with kids, I wanted to be a part of those who did more than just raise money, so for three years I have worked with the Organizing Committee for the Relay for Life. We strive to improve the event to enhance the experience for the participants and to raise awareness of cancer and the work that is being done.
Working with the Relay for Life Committee has been a great experience for me and I found that I was able to contribute to the group. As the only member of the committee that is both a cancer survivor and a high school student, I was able to bring a different perspective and energy to the
brainstorming. The Relay for Life has always run smoothly, but we’ve been able to add activities each year that make it a more meaningful experience for those whose lives have been impacted by cancer. I organize the survivor tent because as a survivor I can relate to their journey and am seen in the community as an inspiration for those who are struggling.
I use my story to motivate others; I inspire youth to help build a generation of people passionate about cancer prevention and finding a cure; I volunteer, so that others don’t have to go through what I did; and I raise money so we can find a cure, and cancer will no longer be a part of anyone’s life. My career path is on a journey to medical school where I will continue my mission to raise awareness.
Jolene Lloyd North Vancouver, BC I am very immersed within my community and participate in many extra-curricular activities, whilst maintaining high marks in school. I believe I am an excellent candidate for the Quest for Excellence bursary.
I have been a part of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet program for 6 years and hold the senior rank of Petty Officer First Class. My current position is Corps Gunner. It is my duty to maintain and enforce the drill, dress, and deportment of all cadets within the corps. I am also an instructor, so I am required to teach weekly classes to the corps cadets. Within the Sea Cadet program I take part in multiple community events such as the Canada Day parade, the Battle of the Atlantic parade, the Candle Light Vigil and Remembrance Day ceremonies. As physical activity is an important part of sea cadets, I take part in several activities such as camping, scuba diving, boating, and sailing.
For the past four years, I have also taken part in all opening ceremonies for the B.C. Lions team in Vancouver. For two years I have been the cadet in charge of the flag party and all cadet activity in the opening ceremonies and half time shows. The leadership this requires is tremendous. At times there may only be a few cadets taking part. Other times, such as at veteran games, there are hundreds of cadets participating in the ceremonies. It is my responsibility to coordinate and organize, teach, and lead all of these cadets. I see this role to be truly significant in my life as it has often required me to take my leadership beyond points where I felt completely confident. By doing so, it has expanded my abilities and enabled me to
feel comfortable in any positions of leadership.
For as long as I can remember, I have believed in, and strived for, the ideals of social justice. When presented with the chance to take part in a mission to Rwanda, I knew this was an opportunity I had to take. I wanted to be able to help those in need more than anything, even if it meant expanding my own community by going halfway around the world. I committed a year of my time to this endeavor. I fundraised thousands of dollars and raised awareness to the cause, prior to the trip. In July 2010, I travelled to Rwanda with a group of twenty-five people, and together we ran day camps for the children at Kigali Christian School. We were also able to build a playground for the children at the school! As well, our group travelled to multiple villages to help rebuild homes that had been destroyed by heavy rains. We also gifted the families with goats, a gift which can change an entire village.
I sincerely enjoy being able to make a positive impact in my own community. In the summer of 2011, I volunteered at Summer Jam, a children’s day camp. My co-leader and I were in charge of a group of approximately ten children and we were responsible for their well-being and activities. Similarly, every other week I volunteer at a children’s group called Transformed Kids. I take care of the preschool aged children, and we do crafts, games, and theatre shows. In addition, during the Paralympics in Vancouver, I volunteered with the Argyle choir to take part in the Paralympic opening ceremony.
During the past several years I have worked in a variety of environments, all of which have been enriching and beneficial for both myself and those I teach. For three years I’ve worked as a teacher and assistant at Kumon, a Math and reading Centre. I work with children ages 3 to 18. I typically teach students at the pre-calculus and calculus levels, and my responsibilities include both instructing and marking the work of my students. I also independently tutor in the areas of English, verbal reading, science, social studies, and math. I enjoy and take pride in helping my students advance within the school curriculum. Whether it is simply child-minding or structured tutoring jobs, I truly enjoy my time with youth, enriching their lives through learning, both formally and informally.
Within my school community, I participate in various activities. I am a member of the Argyle Student Council, Environment Club, and Santa’s Breakfast Council. I am also an active member of the District Student Leadership Council (DSLC). The DSLC represents student opinion on educational issues which affect learning within the School District. The council reflects the opinions of a diversity of students, as students from secondary schools, within the district, are permitted to attend the monthly meetings. The North Vancouver School District (NVSD) board
believes that through this council, educational programs will be improved when students can voice their own needs and opinions directly to the NVSD.
After many years of learning, volunteering, fundraising and teaching in so many capacities, I have come to some very clear ideas of what community is to me. Community is not simply the space in which I live; it is more about what I can do with that space, how I can enrich it and how far I can outreach. Community can be local, national or international, and there are no limits to what I can do! Enriching the lives of others in the many communities I have been privileged to take part in has, in turn, brought a wealth of experience and motivation to me. With my leadership and communication skills I intend to challenge myself even further in my community goals. This has been, and always will be, a part of who I am.
Andreea Pirvu Richmond, BC This was the best summer ever, thank you were the words of a nine year old girl who had never been fortunate enough to experience many of life’s opportunities. Coming from a family with low income, she often described staying at home, unable to go swimming or to movies like other children. It was only then that I realized I wanted to make her summer an amazing experience.
As a high school student, most of my summers were wasted away watching television or sleeping in. On the summer of 2010, my best friend suggested that I volunteer at the day camp which was being organized by the local church. Sonshine day camp is a non- profit organization that charges parents only for special out trips and at a low price. At first, the idea sounded absurd; wasting my break watching bratty little kids, was what I thought of it. A week had passed and I decided to volunteer at the camp, as there was a possibility of new lessons or experiences. On the first day, I couldn’t believe how many children had signed up to be a part of this camp. To my surprise most of the participants were very well behaved and I began enjoying the time I was able to spend with them. On one particular trip to the outdoor swimming pool, I had been in charge of watching three girls, one of them being Bella. Before entering the pool, Bella informed me that she was unable to swim, after reassuring her, she entered the pool. That was the beginning of one of the most important lessons I would ever learn. Watching the boys and girls have so much fun in a pool of water, I began realizing that the simplest things in life can give such happiness if you open up to allow it. After that day, I had requested to have Bella in my group for everything, including bible study and crafts. She explained about her family and
told me about her close friends. I felt so privileged to be a part of this girl’s life, being her support system and advising her about what’s ahead in life. Day to day I was able to watch the joy on her face become more and more prominent and believe I had a part in making that happen. Being able to influence the lives of others for the better and expecting nothing in return, I was able to enjoy the amazing experiences of this camp. Because of the previous volunteer experiences, I knew how to work with children and enjoyed it very well.
Since the beginning of high school, I was involved in the Mini School program; a class of thirty students that met the requirements to be accepted in this program. The program is designed to teach students how to ‘push their envelope in different situations. Students are encouraged to stimulate and advance their physical, spiritual, and mental capabilities and welfare. I learned self-reliance while I was on a group trip in the wilderness, trying to survive on what the nature had to offer. I learned to persevere when I pushed myself to not give up, and instead ride my bike to the finish line on top of the hill. I learned to take initiative while canoeing white rapids, so our group could reach the base without falling in the water. All these achievements are part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and were recognized by receiving the bronze/silver award. It was because of this that I was able to apply my leadership skills into everyday activities.
Clubs were also available at McNair secondary. Although I did not participate in many of them, I enjoyed being part of the graduation committee. As part of the grad committee, I was involved in raising money and planning our graduation events and trips. This includes making posters, fundraising, and booking event locations. It is our responsibility to make sure that all the events go smoothly, safely, and at the same time; enjoyable. The committee meets once every week in order to discuss new ideas on ways to improve both the committee and ideas for events. The main goal is to come up with a grad legacy which will be kept by other graduating students. An example of this could be fundraising to contribute to countries in need, or support groups.
With all these lessons and experiences gained from the past five years, I have matured and grew into a better person. By trying new activities and involving myself within my community it became clear that you must also help others to enhance your knowledge. In order for a society to prosper and grow, people need to contribute and become part of their communities. I learned a lot by working with well respected people in a great environment which focused on helping other people. I wish to make a difference in this world by working to spread both knowledge and service.
Mark Goudie Vancouver, BC My life, along with many of my perspectives, was forever changed on the 21st of June 2007 when my father, Derek, was killed in an automobile accident. As one of the major role models in my life up until that point and an incredibly close friend of mine, I struggled to readjust to life without my father, and, several months later, to life in a completely new school environment. I faced social and academic challenges in the wake of his death, and went through a period where I felt as if I was alone. However, rather than allowing the grief that came along with my father’s passing to take over my life, I ultimately decided that my father himself would have wanted me to chase excellence for his sake, and for my own sake.
Thus, only in the eighth grade, at the age of twelve, I began a quest to pursue excellence to the best of my abilities, to rediscover the confidence and drive I had before his death, and to bring myself to a point where I was comfortable with my own circumstances. Although a difficult goal often proving elusive, I have often found excellence in the most unlikely yet fulfilling of places.
First, my quest for excellence led me to the classroom as a student struggling to overcome ADHD and a fine motor skills disability, and determined to live up to the legacy of my late father, himself an associate professor and research scientist. I gradually rediscovered my passion for literature, history, and debate, enrolling in accelerated and advanced classes and achieving top marks in all of them. In fact, my passion for debate and speech has led me to the speech contest of my high school, which I won in the eighth grade, to several Model United Nations conferences, where I received multiple accolades, and to the schools debate team, competing in the provincial championships. I have also sat on and led the schools Reach for the Top team to several wins, including a third place finish in the Provincial Championships, and challenged myself to write the English 12 provincial six months early, receiving a grade of 89%. The quest to rediscover and meet my academic potential in the wake of my father’s death was not an easy one, requiring motivation, dedication, and commitment. However, as an Honor Role student among the top in the grade, I feel that I have made both myself and my father proud.
Next, my quest for excellence led me to the water, as the coxswain of my schools rowing team. In charge of the crew, the movement and steering of the boats, and the execution of race plans, my role as a coxswain has consistently challenged me to exert leadership and display confidence in times of high stress and competition. My time on the rowing team has yielded
many medals, and many losses, but it is the sense of discipline, commitment, and teamwork that comes with 5am practices five times a week, that I cherish most. That being said, my crew came 1st at the CSSRA Championships in St. Catherine’s, ON, in 2011, bringing us our first ever National Championship, a source of immense pride. Months after my father’s death, I truly doubted that I would ever have the confidence to compete in the field of play again. Several years later, I accepted the trophy for a National Title on behalf of my crew. Now, I have been recruited by the University of British Columbia to cox their Varsity Men’s Eight, among the top boats in Canada, and have begun to explore opportunities associated with coxing for the Canadian National Team.
Then, my quest for excellence has also taken me to several other places. To the University of Toronto as a student shadowing with the U of T law school during my summer, to the Varsity Lettermen association of my school, to the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps where I was named a Master Corporal, to achieving a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Doe at the age of 13. Each of these achievements gradually helped me to regain the confidence and leadership abilities I had before my father passed away.
However, my true passion, that which has done the most for me on my quest for excellence, is volunteer work. First exposed to social justice initiatives in the eighth grade as part of a school program, I became intensely interested in volunteerism. I have done hundreds of hours of work with the Food Bank, Union Gospel Mission, the Living Room, Sisters of Atonement, and the St. Vincent de Paul Association. However, the experience that I have enjoyed the most was the week I spent in New Orleans during the Spring Break of 2011, restoring flood damaged homes in the poverty stricken lower 9th ward. This was an incredible opportunity that challenged me to reconsider my priorities and make volunteer work an even larger priority in my own life. I have also spent two weeks restoring the watershed Musqueam Creek in Vancouver and working with Aboriginal children. If anything, I hope to continue this volunteer work, which has taught me the pride and sense of fulfillment that come with self sacrifice.
If one had asked me in June of 2007 where I would be in close to five years, I would have likely been unable to respond. If one had asked me where my quest for excellence would take me over the course of my high school years, I would have had no idea. I would never have guessed that my quest would take me to the Honour Role (six terms), to the National Rowing Championships, to Model UN, to New Orleans, to the Musqueam Creek, and (hopefully) to UBC to pursue a career in law.
I feel that I have beaten the odds, rediscovered my confidence and drive, and re-found a purpose in life. The joy that comes with volunteer work and positively influencing my community can be compared to no other. Although I have come up short many times, and have not found the excellence which I sought, my life over the past five years has been nothing short of a quest for excellence.
Tesicca Truong Vancouver, BC As a child, I was always eager to grow up so I could change the world. Now in my final year of high school—after hearing so many stories of hope and looking back on my own career—I have realized that there is no age limit for greatness. After hearing stories about my parents’ childhood struggles, I have always felt extremely privileged to be growing up in a country where I have access to a world class education and a wealth of opportunities. I have not taken this privilege for granted by dedicating myself to my studies in both the French Immersion and the International Baccalaureate Program. I hope that one day I will be able to use my education to better the lives of others, but in the meantime, I seize every opportunity to give back to the community and to create a more sustainable future.
My leadership story began in grade ten when I was accepted into the TREK Outdoor Education Program. During that year, I became increasingly aware of the environmental challenges our generation faced, I knew I had to do something about it. I dreamt of organizing a conference that would unite youth from all across Vancouver to create solutions to issues related to urban sustainability. With a team of four friends and a dedicated teacher, we set out to turn my dream into a reality. Three months before the conference, our major partner had undergone funding cuts and was no longer able to sponsor our event. We were left without a venue, catering and funding and the conference—my dream—was on the verge of being cancelled. Instead of giving up, I saw the opportunity to host the conference at my school. For the remaining three months, we persevered despite a limited budget and a tight timeline. In April 2010, Plan-It Earth united over 100 youth, speakers, city officials and planners from around Metro Vancouver to collaboratively create a vision of our sustainable future.
Unfortunately, TREK was only a one-year program and the following year, I returned to my home school. For some, the story may have ended here, but for me this was just the beginning.
Though our planning team was now separated at four different schools, Plan-It Earth had been such a success that we knew we had to organize a second one. This year, I foresaw the need for a larger budget so I applied for funding and we were successfully awarded a total of $1000 from the Vancouver Foundation and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Our 2011 PlanIt Earth Conference brought together over 200 delegates, double the previous year’s record. I have gone on to helping organize several regional initiatives and symposiums as part of the Metro Vancouver Youth 4 Action Advisory Committee. It is my belief that climate change is the greatest challenge that our generation faces and it is crucial that we engage youth to discuss and address these issues.
On top of the organization skills I acquired from planning a large-scale event, I also gained an unyielding confidence in my own abilities to make change in the world. It is with that same confidence that I started the Churchill Youth4Tap movement to tackle the bottled water problem at my school. Our goal was to implement a ban on the sales of bottled water while promoting tap water and improved the existing water infrastructure. Half a year later, my team has raised enough money to purchase two $4000 water refill stations and I have negotiated the removal of bottled water from our school’s vending machines. Additionally, we have made presentations to over 2500 students, we have sold nearly 100 reusable water bottles and over 150 students have signed our Tap Water Pledge. Our story has even been featured on the Vancouver School Board Website as well as in the Vancouver Courier, a newspaper distributed city-wide. Although we have had success in all three aspects of our goal, our work is far from done. I am currently organizing an inter-school competition to raise awareness for our cause and create a unified movement to push for a district-wide on the sales of bottled water in our schools.
In addition to my contributions to the environmental movement, I have been recognized as an accomplished athlete. I play a variety of sports, having competed on the basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross-country and ultimate team. As the captain of the Juvenile Basketball Team, I led our team to the city finals where we were named city champions. Over the years I have been awarded the Leadership Award and recognized as the Top Bulldog Player and Churchill’s Female Athlete of the Year. Not only have I led both on and off the court as the captain of the Senior Girls Basketball Team, but I have given back to the athletic community in numerous ways. Within the school, I help host major tournaments such as the Bulldog Classic and I am an assistant coach for the Juvenile Volleyball Team. Beyond the school community, I was selected for the National Athletic Instructor Scholarship Course where I was named the Top Female Athlete. Upon returning to my local air cadet squadron, I became involved at the intersquadron basketball competition both as a player and as a referee. Through sports, I have
learned countless lessons of teamwork, commitment, dedication and I am proud to share these lessons with future athletes.
Within the Churchill IB Program, I have created a sense of community as an elected representative on the International Baccalaureate Student Council. Over the past two years, I have organized the year-end celebration and numerous other events, facilitated the purchase of grad clothing and acted as liaison between the IB Coordinators and the student body. As a youth intern on Board of Directors of the Vancouver Chapter of Room to Read, I have been able to share my love for learning to those who are less privileged. Through numerous fundraising events, we fund for the creation of schools and scholarships, thus spreading the gift of education. Last May, I was honored to be selected as one of the twenty four youth to share my leadership story at the 2011 Learning to Lead BC Program.
My involvement with environmental movement, athletics, my school and the greater community are just the beginning of my quest to make the world a better place. I intend to live my life with passion, curiosity and generosity. With the RE/MAX Quest for Excellence Bursary, I will be able to satisfy my curiosities and fearlessly pursue my passions at a post-secondary institution. Armed with this education and my passion, I will continue to serve the less fortunate and instill in others the confidence to change the world.
Emily Atherton Victoria, BC At the start of this school year, my Media Literature teacher shared with me conversation he’d had with an old student. He’d been helping the boy search for scholarships, and in an attempt to get a more accurate perception of the student my teacher had asked him what he’d accomplished during his four years of high school. The boy replied with a simple Oh, I hung out with my friends. Needless to say, the student did not go on to win many scholarships, but this seemingly straightforward conversation allowed my teacher to pass on to me an important message. It doesn’t matter how much time you have, it’s what you do with the time you’re given that counts.
Throughout my years of high school, I made the eventual choice to become active in my community. I started Grade 9 full of energy and expectations for myself I’d heard about the range of clubs my school had to offer, and couldn’t wait to join in. When I did, however, I was disappointed by what I found. Nobody seemed to actually care about the cause they were promoting. Sure, they always showed up to the lunchtime club meetings, but when it came time to volunteer outside of school hours there was a sudden and mysterious lack of volunteers. After overhearing several conversations of how the clubs were boring but looked good resumes, I started to get annoyed. After one memorable 28 Hour Famine used by many of its feminine participants as a weight loss method, I became so frustrated with the seemingly impassionate human race that I actually quit volunteering for a while. Besides, what could one person like me actually do for this world of pain and hardship that we live in?
The following year my world turned upside down when I became ill with anorexia, the result of a lifetime of low self confidence and expectations set too high. Throughout that year I lost everything my health, most of my friends, and most importantly my sense of purpose in life. My jeopardized health made the high energy lifestyle Id previously known impossible. I quit dance. I quit volunteering. I quit caring. I dropped off the edge of the social map of high school. It wasn’t what I wanted - what 14 year old girl WANTS to spend her Friday night shivering under her covers and listening to the irregular beat of her compromised heart - but I wasn’t me anymore. What I wanted didn’t matter.
In April of that year, my choir went on a trip to Cuba. Id signed up for the trip the before falling ill, but by the time the trip rolled around my parents were in no way inclined to let me go on account of my poor health. However, I fought very hard for my right to go and was eventually permitted. On the trip we visited a small Cuban orphanage. When I reflect on the experience, I cannot describe it as anything short of life changing. I was rendered speechless by the incredible vibrancy of the children I met. Though they possessed so little and came from such deplorable family situations, it was easy to see the potential each child held. While playing tag with one unbelievably enthralling six year old, the revelations started coming. I knew these children deserved a better life than what they were bound for, and it saddened me to think that these kids were just 18 of millions of children living in unforgivable circumstances around the world. I returned to my home in Victoria with renewed vigor and renewed purpose; I had remembered why life was worth living.
It’s been almost two years and a two month hospitalization since that trip to Cuba, and my battle with anorexia is still that a battle. Something significant has changed, though: my mindset is totally different. I’ve realized that I have the means and the potential to do something with my life that will make a difference in the lives of others. I’ve also realized that I can’t do this and be sick at the same time. At the end of Grade 11 I made one of the hardest choices of my life: I chose to become a leader. I want to help people and animals and the environment and just about everything else. And I don’t want to do it half-heartedly.
I can now reflect that this decision to give up anorexia so that I could so something meaningful with my time was the best choice I’ve ever made. Today I am involved with multiple volunteer organizations, and I’ve never felt surer about my purpose in life. At the start of this year, I was part of the four-member Finance Team that counted and kept track of the $45,229 my school raised for Cops for Cancer. I’ve stepped up my game in Agents of Change, a school club that raises money and awareness for the high AIDS population of Lesotho, Africa. Though Teachers Job Action has made this difficult, we have been raising funds all year in the hope that next year the club will be able to sponsor a small school. I’ve joined Grad Leadership and have been working as part of a committee to fundraise for our grad classes “Legacy Project” a project meant to make the local community just a little greener.
Though I am very proud of all my work in these areas, I feel my main contribution to the global community has been through my involvement in Interact Club. This group is basically a youth extension of Rotary International. Through it I have had the opportunity to hear from speakers such as Major (Ret.) Philip Lancaster, Military Assistant to General Romeo Dallaire, and Rwandan genocide survivor John Nsabimana at a forum called Rwanda: Hope after Tragedy.
Their inspiring stories have helped both me and my fellow club members gain a better understanding of the hardships felt by millions around the world. I have taken initiative and volunteered to lead the clubs Malawi Girls fundraiser, in which we aim to raise money to send girls in Malawi through high school. In Malawi, something as simple as a high school education makes all the difference in the world for a girl and her family – it relieves them of a lifetime of adversity as her job prospects improve almost exponentially. I can hardly wait for the day when we’ve raised enough to support our first girl that will truly be an accomplishment to be proud of.
In June this year, I will be leaving behind my school, my friends, and my teachers as I finish the last leg of my 12 year journey through grade school. The one thing I don’t plan on leaving, however, is my drive to see change and do good in this world. Next year I plan on starting university and then taking six to nine months to volunteer at a school for the blind in England. In the long run I hope to become a veterinarian, as my true passion lies with caring for animals. These are just plans, though, and they could change as quickly as the wind. One thing’s for certain: I don’t want this life to pass me by. I am a leader. I want to make a difference. And one way or another, I will.
Christiana Moser Victoria, BC I have been a member of Girl Guides of Canada (GGC) since 1999, and voluntary service is an integral part of Guiding. This focuses primarily on community service, as demonstrated by my organization of an Annual Clothing Drive for Street-Link, our local shelter for homeless youth. This project was expanded in 2008 to include a drive for the Sagarmatha Children’s Home in Kathmandu, Nepal. The GGC have enabled me to participate in many environmental activities including annual broom pulls, habitat restoration initiatives, and the Federal-Provincial Salmonid Enhancement Program.
Of these initiatives, my efforts for the Sagarmatha Children’s home are the most extensive. The Sagarmatha Children's Home is a registered non-profit organization that aims to provide home, food, education, and entertainment to children in need. The organization is currently running two orphanages located in Kathmandu, Nepal. I led the collection of donations of winter clothing, books, school supplies, and small musical instruments within local schools. I also collaborated with my Colquitz Youth Combating Intolerance Club to collect clothing and monetary donations,
which were used to approach small local businesses to purchase items at the manufacturer's cost. We collected a total of three hockey bags laden with donations and sent them with a local couple that was adopting a child from Nepal. This project held importance as it effectively raised the profile of the plight of children in developing countries and global awareness amongst the youth of Victoria while demonstrating that even youth can generate a positive change in the wider community.
Presently, I am involved in the GGC as a Junior Leader. From 2006 until 2008, I was aiding the 1st Raven Sparks Unit in their weekly meetings and activities. In addition to the duties of a Junior Leader, I was gifted with the opportunity to act as the mentor for a young girl in the unit with Aspergers Syndrome. Working with (anonymous) enriched my perspectives immensely, and caused me to see the potential that I have to assist others. In 2008, I transferred to the 53rd Brownie Unit upon the closing of the Sparks unit.
To date, I would consider my most financially significant volunteer contribution supporting childhood cancer research. The most tangible contribution that I have made would be the shaving of my head. My long, lustrous curls were donated to make wigs for children, and the $2,160 raised was donated to the Cops for Cancer. The shearing of my locks was inspired by two people. The father of one of my VAC-Procity cycling teammates was diagnosed in 2010 with cancer. My teammate and I requested to join the Cops for Cancer riders in their journey, but we were denied due to liability issues. Undeterred, my teammate and I decided to shave our heads instead, as part of a fundraising event at Esquimalt High School. The second inspiration is the son of a family friend. Jack is an energetic eight year old who was diagnosed with ALL at age five. His mother runs in the Royal Victoria Marathon every year with a relay of sponsors beside her; the proceeds are donated to the BC Children's Hospital Pediatric Oncology to expand the pediatric ward at Victoria General Hospital. For the past three years I have been a part of her marathon team, and co-ordinated youth volunteers for her Team Jack Kick-Off Benefit.
My most current service project and most physically challenging service I have provided is participating in the twelve hour :Cycle for Change� at Esquimalt High since 2009. This year, I am the school co-chair for this endeavor. In 2008, the “Cycle for Change" was created by a member of the social justice club "Esquimalt Youth Combating Intolerance" (EYCI). During the Cycle for Change, sponsored cyclists completed as many laps as they could in a single 12 hour interval. I joined EYCI in 2009, and we decided to expand the nature of the event by allowing more students to ride the full twelve hours, and our raised funds would be donated to The
Victoria Women's Transition House.
While my role in my first year was one of support as opposed to leadership, this year was instrumental in my development as an athlete. I set a goal of riding for 6 hours, which seemed quite insurmountable at the time, and I was thoroughly surprised when the 10 hour waiver limit passed. After the ride, I was invited to join our local cycling club, sponsored by Aviawest-Van Dessel at the time.
In 2010, after a year of training with VAC-Aviawest, I was the youngest of the first three women to complete the full 12 hours. Our riders raised approximately $3,000, a rather lofty sum for our small club. The CFC 2011 team raised our goal of $5,000, and I set the course record of 311.2 kilometers shortly after being selected as a member of Team BC Cycling for the Western Canada Summer Games. By this point our previously small event had developed immensely. We received phenomenal support from local businesses, bike shops, mechanics, musical groups, the press, the school, and the community.
For the 2012 Cycle for Change, I am glad to have assumed the role of co-organizer. We are planning on expanding our event to include riders from other schools and local teams, as well as some national cycling celebrities. Our target sum is $7,000, and I am striving to pass the 350km mark.
These examples are a portion of the many activities to which I have dedicated my time and efforts, and I would like to thank you for considering my application to the RE/MAX Quest for Excellence Bursary Program.
Michael Crabb Borden, SK I live in a small community and I have tried helping out in many ways over the years. I have volunteered, I have done some fundraising, I try to be a good leader and as well, I try to live a positive lifestyle showing others how to live with an incurable disease.
When I was 8 years old I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Instead of letting this disease take control of my life, I used it as a tool to motivate and help others who had problems of their own. Sometime after I was diagnosed, there were 2 others in my school who were also diagnosed with the same disease, and with my experience I was able to motivate and support them to get into a regular routine and live a relatively normal life. I have participated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes, held in Saskatoon, every year since I was diagnosed. I have sold paper sneakers and have raised money for the cause, as well as participated in the walk. My family and friends came with me on the walks every year, as well as helping to raise money to help find a cure. Fundraising for this event has been good as its going towards helping curing my disease and helping countless others.
There are a number of annual events around my community that I help with. At our Annual Threshing Day I help with setting up tables at the hall and selling food from the cook car out at the field. During the Halcyonia School Canada Day Community Picnic, I help clean up the large school yard, help clean the one room heritage building and also help with setting up tables and benches for the supper. I have been doing this for about 4 years now. I have even been a volunteer at a silent auction, auctioning myself off with some friends, to do some yard work to the highest bidder. Not a usual form of volunteering, but it was for a good cause. As I live in a small community, there are numerous events that happen throughout the year where I try to help out as often as I am able to.
I wanted to take more of a leadership role in my community and recently became a student leader for our local Youth Group. This youth group takes place every Thursday, and I arrive an hour early to practice songs, as I play guitar in the Worship Band, as well. I also sometimes lead the younger students in performing skits as drama is a great interest to me. As part of the youth group I have helped tear down fences, sing Christmas Carols at the local care home and
have helped deliver food to those in need in Saskatoon. I have attended Youth Quake in Caronport, Saskatchewan for the last two years. I feel that my faith is a place that has been a great strength to me, and I feel hopeful that I can encourage others to explore their faith as well. As part of the youth group, I can share my faith and try to be a good example to those younger than me.
Last summer I participated in a Leader-in-Training program at Redberry Bible Camp. For the first week I was training for my role and during the second week I was a cabin leader with a group of kids from 8 to 12 years of age. In my cabin I had a very diverse group of kids who needed a good deal of leadership in order for them to all get along and stay relatively in line behaviorally. There were a couple of boys, who were really displeased with being at camp, and wanted to go home. I took it upon myself to talk them through this situation and tried to motivate and encourage them to stay at camp. For one camper in particular, he felt like the others were picking on him. I talked to the others in our cabin to encourage them to be more aware of how their playfulness was affecting others, and I feel like I was able to make a difference in this young boy’s time at camp, as well as improving the atmosphere in our cabin.
Music has been a large part of my life since entering Grade 5. I have played trombone for approximately 8 years in our band and for 3 years in our jazz band. One of the main reasons that I love music so much is that it allows me to share the expression within it and that others are able to feel the enrichment and joy it can give to them when listening to it. In 2010, the jazz band that I participate in was invited to attend Nationals in Markham, Ontario. We received the invitation only two months before the event took place, and our band members (all teens) and teacher needed to raise $16,000 to for flight and accommodation costs. Since our jazz band consisted of 15 students who all lived in different small communities, raising the funds was quite a challenge. We performed two to four gigs per week, held bake sales, ran hot dog sales, and worked at bingo nights and raffles, in order to raise the money we needed. It made me realize how much work is involved when a group is seriously fundraising for a project. It takes commitment and hard work from everyone involved and dependability and drive are so important.
Over the years I have performed Christmas carols at our community centre, as well as performing with the Worship Band at an interdenominational community church service.
I have always tried to have a positive attitude and excitement towards what I do in my life. Even though living with diabetes requires numerous blood sugar checks, injections of insulin or site changes now that I am on an insulin pump, I have done my best to keep participating in as
many things as possible. I do my best to show others that living with a disease doesn’t mean you have to settle for anything! I am busy trying to achieve good grades in high school, being active in senior boy’s basketball as well as being involved in band and youth group. I also work part-time at Subway, in our neighboring community.
I enjoy spending time with my friends, and try to make sure that I surround myself with positive people, who have personal goals. I think it’s important, no matter what age a person is, to have goals and to think ahead. I want to make sure that choices aren’t going to be something I might regret in my future. I hope that when I am with others, that they see the direction I am going in and that I am trying to lead by being a good example. If I can be the best I can be: whether I’m at school or at my job; if I can be a good supportive teammate when playing basketball team, I hope that I can be someone that people can count on. If I can be the best student leader for youth group possible, and the best lead trombone player that my band can depend on, then I am hopeful that the young teens involved will feel that I have made a difference in their lives.
Tara Willett Regina, SK My name is Tara Willett, and I am a young Aboriginal leader. I am a social rights activist, a student, an entrepreneur, a youth educator and an active contributor to my city and my province. I have been involved in many projects over the years, but for the purpose of this essay I would like to tell you about the activities and accomplishments that I am most proud of, to convince you that I deserve one of the Re/max Quest for Excellence Bursaries.
Seven years ago, I joined a program in Regina called ACT, which is an anti-racism, antibullying, and anti-discrimination group for elementary and high school students. In ACT, I learned about many social justice issues in a safe environment, and was able to discuss with other youth my own experiences regarding racism and bullying. Three years ago, I started facilitating ACT workshops for youth in Regina myself, and have now educated hundreds of youth about bullying and harassment through the ACT workshops.
I was also the President of an organization called Be Above Your Bully in 2010-2011, and oversaw 16 employees involved with the Junior Achievement Program. As President, I ran board meetings, put together a business plan, facilitated the production and organization of a business, gave speeches, and problem solved regularly. Our organization worked to educate
youth about bullying and harassment in Regina and raise money for our cause, and after we donated the $2345.45 we had raised to the Red Cross RespectEd program in January 2011 we closed our organization as our time in the Junior Achievement Program ended. We ended up being the first organization in the history of the Junior Achievement Program, which is an international organization, to be not-for-profit.
I have also done work in relation to promoting safe sex to youth in Saskatchewan. Three years ago I joined a youth group at Planned Parenthood called Y.E.A.H, which stands for Youth Educating About Health. Y.E.A.H works to educate the youth in our city about healthy sexual practices, and we provide a safe space for youth to come ask questions, get free condoms, and educate themselves about birth control options, including abstinence. I also facilitated workshops for the Girlzone youth group in Regina, promoting healthy self-esteem and body image to preteen girls. A Saskatchewan newspaper called Eagle Feather News published a story on me in 2011 in regards to my work in promoting safe sexual practices to youth. I also currently represent Saskatchewan on a National Youth Advisory Board, partnered with the Native Youth Sexual Health Network.
When I was fifteen years old, I started University as a High School Accelerated student at the University of Regina. I completed one full credit University course (Sociology 100), and earned a certificate from the University of Regina as well at that time. In the same year I got this certificate, I also made honor roll at my high school.
Just weeks ago, teachers at my school selected me to represent Campbell Collegiate and receive an award through the Focus 91 High School Recognition program. Out of the approximately 1600 students at Campbell Collegiate, it is an honor to be chosen as one of the five students representing the school.
When I was sixteen, I was selected for a competitive, Canada-wide military program called Bold Eagle, in which I went to the Land Force Western Area Training Center in Alberta for six weeks to complete my Basic Military Qualifications course. In this program, I was taught the basics of military knowledge: weapons handling, navigation with map and compass, first aid, drill, outdoor field craft and survival skills. Many recruits left this program due to the many difficulties, but I am especially glad that I stayed because I learned self-discipline, teamwork, confidence, and the true value of hard work. After graduating from this program, I then went on to join the Medical unit in Regina as a Private, and several months later I left the Canadian Army due to personal reasons.
In October 2011 I was selected to appear in the Proud Generation Calendar, which is a Saskatchewan-based calendar featuring young Aboriginal role models. I also received a $500 bursary from the Proud Generation Board, which I am extremely grateful for.
I volunteer regularly at Chili for Children, an organization in Regina which provides inner city children with a hot meal every day. I have been doing this since grade 9 along with other students from my school who care deeply about social justice issues.
Through my work in exploring social justice issues, I have reached hundreds of youth in my province and plan to reach many more. I have educated others about bullying, harassment and racism, promoted healthy sexual lifestyle, promoted healthy body image and self esteem, and have taken the responsibility of being a good role model for youth in Saskatchewan, both Aboriginal and non Aboriginal. I have also learned excellent communication and problem solving skills through my many experiences over the years.
Oddly enough, being involved in so many things has only made me want to become involved in more things. I have become so motivated to create change in this province that no matter what I accomplish I always believe I can do more. I don't think I'll ever stop being an activist, it has become part of me now. I will always work to create the change I wish to see in the world. I believe I am an excellent candidate for the Re/max Quest for Excellence Bursaries, and I sincerely hope I am given consideration. Thank you for the opportunity.
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. Each office is independently owned and operated.