Meadowridge School Talon 2014

2014 Magazine for Meadowridge Alumni, Families and Friends

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL | THE TALON THE TALON is published for alumni, families and friends of Meadowridge School.

DESIGN & PRODUCTION:

CONTRIBUTORS:

Renée Cummings

Hugh Burke

Christy Mooney

Renée Cummings

PHOTOGRAPHY: Anita Bonnarens Christy Mooney Grads BC The Ubyssey EDITORS: Advancement Office

Daniel Le Page '05 Christy Mooney Jason Parker Kathleen Read '11 Kyle Sholes ‘12 Ashwin Singh '13 James Willms

GLOSSARY OF TERMS IB: International Baccalaureate CIS: Council Of International Schools PYP: Primary Years Programme MYP: Middle Years Programme DP: Diploma Programme

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adventure in our own backyard

CONTENT

Your questions and comments are welcome.

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From the headmaster

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A Meadowridge Year

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Alumni Feature: Andrea palmer '09

Take a look back at the past Meadowridge school year.

An alumnus who is engineering a bright future.

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Welcome to our newest alumni

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ALUMNI FEATURE: Victoria Beckler '95

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ALUMNI FEATURE: Bio cho '09

Grad Highlights from the Class of 2014.

Meadowridge School 12224 240th Street | Maple Ridge, BC | V4R 1N1 Canada Phone: 604.467.4444

An alumnus dedicated to bettering the community.

Fax: 604.467.4989 Email: info@meadowridge.bc.ca THE TALON © 2014 Meadowridge School, Maple Ridge, BC.

Meadowridge School is proud to be accredited by or a member of the following associations:

Connecting students with a click.

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graveson goes global

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adventure in our own backyard

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Being the change they wish to see

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graveson goes global

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alumni feature: alanna coady '07

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Class notes

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alumni feature: Daniel TESZKA '05

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from here to harvard

Enhancing the educational experience through outdoor learning.

Alumni who are taking service beyond the walls of Meadowridge.

Reflecting on his years at Meadowridge before heading off to Shanghai.

How one alumnus made the move from here to Harvard.

What have our alumni been up to?

An alumnus who is finding passion in both work and play.

On the Cover Members of the Class of 2014 gather outside the school to show their Meadowridge pride after receiving their grad ties.

FROM THE HEADMASTER Hello everyone, As you read through this Talon you will see our alumni successes, accomplishments, and achievements. From a student gaining acceptance to Harvard with a Dean’s Fellowship, to profiles of our most recent alumni who are going on to medical and business school and parliamentary programmes, we have much to celebrate.

I am proud to read these stories and see how our alumni maintain their academic excellence while embracing the international, intercultural and well-rounded world view inspired from their days at Meadowridge. They continue to do good in the world, to shape, serve and lead.

As our alumni grow, so does the school. We still hold tight our core Mission of “Learning to live well, with others and for others, in a just community”, but as our Vision states, “change is the only certainty” and our current state of growth reflects this.

This was our first full year as a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS). We have now applied for full accreditation, which will place us among only one other school in Canada of being both CIS and IB accredited. This was our first year completing IB Diploma Programme (DP) exams. I am proud to say that 100% of our students passed (compared to the 2013 world average of 80%), the average score was 33.1 points (world average of 29.5), and we had no subject failures (world failure rate of 20%). These are incredibly impressive results, especially for a first year DP school.

The recently purchased ten acres of land, referred to as the North Forest, will be undergoing major development in the next couple of years. There will be a bridge connecting the school to an outdoor gym and track, exploratory trails, and science and outdoor education made possible by access to the creek.

Our teachers and students are excited to take advantage of this new ten acre classroom.

I would like to invite all our alumni to come back to the school and chat. It would be a pleasure to hear what each of you are doing now and how you are living the Mission of our school out in the world. The next time you are near, drop in: the doors to Meadowridge are always open.

Hugh Burke, Headmaster

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FEBRUARY 2014

OCTOBER 2013

Grade 3 students find a "sit spot" in the North Forest to continue their classroom work outside.

DECEMBER 2013

The dragon parades the halls during a Chinese New Year celebration.

PYP students sing seasonal songs during the PYP Winter Showcase.

SEPTEMBER 2013 Kindergarten students getting to know their Grade 12 buddies.

JANUARY 2014

New murals adorn the gym walls, proudly displaying our Gryphon pride.

SEPTEMBER 2013 A PYP student is greeted by Mr. Donaldson on his first day of school.

NOVEMBER 2013

OCTOBER 2013

The Senior and Junior boys soccer teams proudly pose for photos after winning the GVISAA Championships in their divisions.

Meadowridge parents and community members gather at the Hotel Vancouver for the annual Meadowridge Gala.

a mead owrid ge

APRIL 2014

Members of the Meadowridge Fencing Club, now the largest school fencing club in the province, take part in the Meadowridge Youth Open Fencing Tournament.

MARCH 2014

JUNE 2014

APRIL 2014

A Junior Golf Team member practices his swing at the Drive Fore the Future Golf Tournament.

A DP Art student works on a piece for the Grad Art Exhibition.

Students in Grades 10 to 12 explore the history and culture of Spain during their extended field trip.

MAY 2014

Members of the Class of 2014 prepare for their convocation ceremony.

MAY 2014

APRIL 2014

Grade 10 students conduct science experiments in the new MYP Greenhouse.

Nicholas Larsen ‘14 takes the stage in the play The Sparrow.

MAY 2014

Cast members of The Jungle Book take a bow after an outstanding performance.

year

MAY 2014

A cheque for $10,000, raised over one year by the students, staff and families of Meadowridge, is presented to Free the Children to build a school in Haiti.

Filled with sports, spirit, studies, service and so much more, a Meadowridge year is something to behold. www.meadowridge.bc.ca 7

get a kick

out of this s o c c e r p l ay i n g r o b o t s Interview by Ashwin Singh '13

Following graduation in 2009, Andrea Palmer pursued her passion for engineering by enrolling in the Engineering Co-op Programme at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

This decision has kept her nothing short of busy, and Andrea has taken her passion even further by entrenching herself in extracurricular engineering programmes. Already, Andrea has held the position of Student Programme Coordinator for the Women in Engineering Programme, Technical Team Captain of the UBC Thunderbots and President of the Engineering Undergraduate Society at UBC. If that wasn’t enough, Andrea is also an active participant in both domestic and international engineering competitions.

She and her team hold several victories in many competitions, including the UBC Engineering Competition, the Western Engineering Competition and the Canadian Engineering Competition.

Of course, with membership to the UBC Engineering Department comes certain duties, and Andrea was tasked with the job of addressing two pranks which sprung up in the news. When a Volkswagen Beetle mysteriously appeared atop the UBC bell tower and the Dean of Engineering’s office was renovated into a janitor’s closet, everyone turned to the Engineering students. These types of stunts have become an engineering tradition, organized in part to show off the skills engineering students have learned; of course, Andrea, along with the entire UBC Engineering Department, officially remained mum on the subject.

We caught up with Andrea to learn about everything from her schooling, to stunts, to soccer-playing robots.

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When did you first discover your passion for Engineering? It was a first year computer programming course at UBC that made me fall in love with engineering. It showed me that engineering was more than building bridges or calculators; it's really a way of thinking. To be honest, I didn't fully understand engineering when I applied to UBC. I was going to study math and science, but my mother suggested I try engineering. So I did and now I love it.

You, along with three other team members, represented UBC and Canada at the International Engineering Competition in September.

How was that experience? It was an amazing experience. We had competed in three competitions in Canada prior to the International Engineering Competition. Each challenge posed a unique problem that required extensive research and creativity to solve, and teams had to consider the social and economic impacts of the technology. It was especially exciting to see the problem solving procedures of the European teams and what areas they focused their solutions on.

As former Captain, and current member of the UBC Thunderbots, could you take a moment to explain the idea behind the bots you’ve built and how they can even play soccer? UBC Thunderbots design, build and compete autonomous (meaning no human controls) soccer-playing robots. The robots are designed completely by students in various engineering and science departments at UBC. They play 6-6 soccer against teams from around the world. Three or four wheels act as the robots' legs, allowing them to move around the field.

Andrea (left), Christmas carolling with the Associate Dean.

Andrea (top left) with her Executive Committee members

Two coils of wire that induce magnetic fields force metal components to "kick" and "chip" the ball to teammates.

Cameras above the field act as the robots' eyes, allowing them to interpret the position of other players, the ball and the field boundaries. Students write the artificial intelligence to act as the coach and command the players around the field. All communication is done via radio.

With such a busy schedule, have you had the opportunity to travel at all? I’m lucky to be involved in extra-curricular activities that allow me to travel around the world. I’ve traveled to Turkey, Mexico and the Netherlands with the Thunderbots, and across Canada and to England for conferences. Occasionally I get to add on a few days for sight-seeing. I even got to visit one of the German exchange students from my Grade 11 year at Meadowridge after RoboCup in the Netherlands.

Gryph spending time with the UBC Thunderbots.

Of course, in light of recent events, I was hoping you could shed some light on the now infamous VW bug prank: do you have any comments? The Engineering Undergraduate Society does not support any stunts or pranks. The word on the street is that it was engineering students, but I can't confirm that. I have seen the pictures that surfaced and read the letter in the Ubyssey about why they did it. The authors of the letter were anonymous, but claim to be responsible for the two pranks that occurred during Engineering Week. A quote from the letter states: "During a year when the news has been full of stories of student organizations who have hurt and alienated people, we wanted to show the positive side of a strong student culture."

I THINK THE BIGGEST IMPACT THAT MEADOWRIDGE HAS HAD ON MY POST-

After a decade at Meadowridge, how has your time here impacted your postsecondary life? I think the biggest

SECONDARY LIFE IS MY PASSION FOR MATH AND

impact that Meadowridge has had on my post-secondary life is my passion for math and science, particularly physics. I would have never gone into engineering if I hadn't been inspired by such great teachers. Meadowridge also helped establish my time management skills, as I balanced playing sports with leadership activities and academic pursuits.

SCIENCE, PARTICULARLY PHYSICS. I WOULD HAVE NEVER GONE INTO ENGINEERING IF I HADN'T BEEN INSPIRED BY SUCH GREAT TEACHERS.

What do you miss most about Meadowridge? I miss the atmosphere at Meadowridge the most: everything from the Kinder Buddies, to the student-teacher relationships, to everyone I graduated with.

You’re involved in so many things, and you’re clearly very passionate about Engineering; what do you plan to do after you complete your degree? I plan to work for a few years before considering a Master's degree. I see myself in a position where I will be constantly challenged and required to research and learn new topics. I am hoping to land a job in consulting, either engineering or business consulting, which will be best aligned with my current experiences and interests.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2014!

137 Post-Secondary Acceptances Over $637,000 in Scholarships and Bursaries 100% DP Exam Pass Rate The Class of 2014 has been accepted to the following post-secondary institutions: Acadia University Art Institute of Vancouver Bishop’s University Caldwell College California Polytechnic State University Douglas College Emily Carr University George Brown College Hofstra University Howard University King’s University College Kwantlen University Langara University London College of Communication McGill University Mount Allison University Ontario College of Art & Design Queen’s University Pennsylvania State University Queen’s University (QuARMS) Quest University Canada Ryerson University Saint Louis University Simon Fraser University Thompson Rivers University Trinity Western University Class of 2014 (left to right) Top Row: Jaspal Sanghera, Gaganoor Parmar, Connor Gunnell, Richard Lin, Hazhar Atthari, Arpan Brar, Thomas Laurie, Joshua Lampen, Jayden Johnston*, Rijk Mollema, Nicholas Han, Isaiah Hasham* | Third Row: Evan Zhou, Christopher Awram*, Nicholas Larsen*, Liam Watt, David Gouws*, Bayley Germain*, Malone Chen, Ryan Cho, Tanner Ko*, Andrew Im, Shaquille Dhanji | Second Row: Geneva Weber*, Genevieve Reynolds, Kelsey Peng, Adriana Marchand*, Emily Super*, Layne Liberty*, Victoria Horne*, Mehar Kang*, Elisa Kuan, Tianna Stewart | Bottom Row: Helena Parewyck, Davina Gounden, Aidan Waugh*, Gurveen Dhaliwal, Nicole Duncan, Emma Graveson*, Kimberly Dyer, Katlyn Richardson*, Emily Hwang

University of British Columbia University of Calgary University of Connecticut St. George’s University University of Dundee University of Guelph University of Guelph-Humber University of Ottawa (Parliamentary Page Program) University of the Arts London

The asterisk (*) indicates a lifer, a student who has called Meadowridge home since Kindergarten.

University of the Fraser Valley University of Toronto University of Victoria University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario York University

cL ASS OF 2014

gR AD HIG H LIG H TS Words by RenĂŠe Cummings and Kyle Sholes '12

geneviĂˆve reynolds '14 What school will you be headed off to in the fall? Have you decided on a concentration?

I'm going to be attending the University of Ottawa, doing an Honours Bachelor of Arts with specialization in English. I'm also exploring international relations and may change majors if it's something that appeals to me.

As a graduate from the first DP cohort, how do you feel the DP has prepared you for your post-secondary pursuits, including the Parliamentary Page Programme? DP has definitely taught me to multi task, which will be invaluable next year as I balance my work schedule with my course load. I've had to become more organized and I've improved my work ethic a lot, so I'm not that daunted by the demands of university.

What sparked your interest in the Page Programme? Is there a specific reason you decided to apply? Through my DP history course, I've learned so much about politics and the nuances of international relations. This sparked my interest in the Page Programme, since

I'm going to be seeing up-close how the government works and be a part of the process. It also seemed like a fantastic way to get to know a new city and to settle into a new life, since the Pages tend to become close friends.

camp counsellor. I'm going to be spending my days running, swimming and singing around the Sasamat Outdoor Centre and enjoying every minute of it.

THE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME HAS DEFINITELY TAUGHT ME TO MULTI TASK, WHICH WILL BE INVALUABLE NEXT YEAR AS I BALANCE MY WORK SCHEDULE WITH MY COURSE LOAD. What are you most looking forward to this fall? The independence that I'll gain is definitely going to be exciting because I haven't lived on my own before.

I'm also not going to miss having to commute for an hour to get from home to school!

How do you plan on spending your summer before heading off to school? This summer, I have the best job in the world - a

Do you have any words of wisdom for the Grade 11 students who will be heading into Grade 12 next year? First of all, you're halfway there! Congratulations! You'll have a lot of assignments coming up, so do them on topics you enjoy or that you're interested in. It will make the process a lot easier and you'll be excited to work on them. Also, remember to take time for yourself.

M e har k h an g ' 1 4 Can you explain a little about the Queen’s University Accelerated Route to Medical School (QuARMS)? It is most definitely an honour to be accepted as one of ten students in QuARMS. This is a unique programme in Canada which allows ten students to enter Queen’s Medical School after two years of undergraduate education. These initial two years prepare students for direct entry into medical school through enrichment seminars focused on honing collaboration,

BY CHOOSING TO DO THE IB PROGRAMME, YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN ON A CHALLENGE THAT IS WORTH TAKING... YOU WILL BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS AND GLOBAL CITIZENS. advocacy, and professionalism. This is truly a humbling experience and I am thankful for every single person who has helped me get to this point and made me who I am today.

What sparked your interest in studying medicine? It was definitely a combination of experiences, role-models, and my own extra-curricular interests that validated my interest in studying medicine. From a young age, I feel fortunate to have gained exposure to the profession from my parents, and though our dinner table discussions about their days at work. Seeing how passionate they were about their work

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as physicians sparked the initial interest in me. As well, witnessing my grandparents suffer from chronic illnesses as well as neurodegenerative disease made me more aware about the "other side" of medicine. Role models such as my parents and my grandmother’s palliative care physician showed me the importance of providing comprehensive care while developing rapport and strong bedside manner with patients and their families.

With the IB Programme throughout middle school and high school (MYP and DP), I have been able to explore diverse academic interests; however, I was ultimately drawn towards human biology as well as language and literature. I was able to incorporate my passion for medicine in many courses including math investigations and theory of knowledge discussions. Outside of the classroom, I was drawn to volunteering in the healthcare setting as First Aid Responder at the Vancouver Sun Run, Group Leader at Summer Social Therapeutic Camp for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, and Student Leader at the National Core for Neuroethics Workshop on stem cells.

From all of these humbling and exciting opportunities, I realized I wanted to be a physician; I admire the capacity to combine compassion and intellectually stimulating medical knowledge to initiate positive change in the quality of lives for patients, while allowing me to fuel my aspiration of contributing to my community and the profession at large.

Can you tell me a little about the admissions process? How did you prepare? The admissions process for the QuARMS programme was pretty intense! I think over 3,000 students from across Canada applied, of which only ten were selected. For me, this process began last August when I

was searching online for programmes and universities I wanted to apply to. Queen’s was definitely on my list, and I learned about this programme on their website. Applicants had to be nominated by their school for the Chancellor’s Scholarship and be ranked in the top third of all applicants.

Then 300 students were selected to submit a supplemental application to the QuARMS Selection Committee. From further selection, 40 students were invited for interview at Queen’s Medical School in Kingston. The interview process was such a wonderful experience and I feel truly privileged to have bonded with such amazing candidates, medical students and physicians.

I particularly liked experiencing the MMI, real-life scenarios, and pressure that came with an intense interview day. A few weeks after the interview, I got the call informing me that I was one of the ten! Definitely a moment I will never forget.

What are you most looking forward to about post-secondary? I am excited about everything the programme has to offer and feel privileged to be accepted. I am most looking forward to being able to explore diverse academic interests in my first two years of study as well as the enrichment modules designed to prepare students to enter the School of Medicine. As a whole, I am excited to engage in a career that involves lifelong learning, patient advocacy, responsibility and collaboration.

How do you plan on spending your summer before heading off to school? This summer, I plan on volunteering in various projects with clinical researchers at UBC and the Division of Hematology at Vancouver General Hospital. As well, spending time with family and friends is a priority before I leave for Kingston.

Do you have any words of wisdom for the Grade 11 students who will be heading into Grade 12 next year? I’d have to say, look for ways to challenge yourself both inside and outside of the classroom. Take advantage of the resources you have in your community and at school! Most importantly, by choosing to do the IB Programme, you all have taken on a challenge that is worth taking. Don’t fear asking for help from teachers the moment you need it. At the end of all the analysis and profound discussions that the IB entails, you will become critical thinkers and global citizens. My experience being a DP student has definitely been challenging, insightful, and valuable. At the end of these two years, I feel that I have grown not only as a learner, but as an individual.

The academic rigour of this programme has enabled me to manage my time efficiently, persevere, and develop skills that have helped me get involved in meaningful opportunities in the community.

malo n e chen '14 Malone Chen began his career at Meadowridge in Grade 6. Now he has been accepted to and will be attending his top choice of university, the University of the Arts London in the United Kingdom. You may be wondering, how does a Grade 6 student in Maple Ridge become an internationally-bound student of Graphic Design in London? For starters, Malone’s mother is an art teacher, his father is an interior designer and architect, and his brother works as a motion graphics designer. You could say it runs in his family.

In addition to having the “art gene”, Malone’s time at Meadowridge allowed him to pursue his passion and prepare himself to follow a path towards a career in graphic design. Malone credits teacher Rhonda Laurie for introducing him to a summer course at Emily Carr in Grade 10 where he discovered his love for graphic design. From then on, Malone was able to develop his portfolio through various summer programmes.

His DP Art class with Mrs. Laurie allowed him to focus on his interests, mainly graphic design, and gave him the opportunity to develop his skills and showcase his work.

When it came time to apply to university Malone was unsure he would be accepted to his top choice, but Mrs. Laurie encouraged him to apply. Again, Malone credits Mrs. Laurie for giving him the support and confidence he needed throughout the application process.

As Malone prepares for his life after Meadowridge, he is confident that the organization and time management that was required by the IB Programme will help him succeed in his university career. In addition to succeeding as a graduate of our first DP cohort, Malone will remember Meadowridge for something else: “The community at Meadowridge is so tight”, he shares. “You get to know most of the people and it really feels like you are a part of community regardless of when you started at the school.”

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e va n zhou '14 Evan Zhou began attending Meadowridge in Grade 9 and now after four years, a successful graduation, and an acceptance to the prestigious UBC Sauder School of Business, he’s ready for a break.

Of course, Evan’s plans during his year-long deferral don’t include much downtime: his plans will keep him as busy as any discernible first-year university student.

To begin with, he is ready to immerse himself in the workforce and gain some work experience. He also hopes to explore his creative side by learning to both cook and play guitar.

Evan also has big plans to organize a charity walk for a cause that hits close to home. Two years ago, his grandfather passed away from liver cancer; now, Evan intends to raise awareness and funds for others fighting the same battle by planning a 5-kilometre charity walk with the goal of raising $20,000.

After Evan’s eventful gap year, he is looking forward to commencing his post-secondary education in business studies, which he has had a passion for since his first business class at Meadowridge, Business Education with Carolyn Green. Evan has been able to watch and learn from two experts in the field: his mother and father. From watching his parents, both actively involved in business, he has been provided with an invaluable, firsthand glimpse at what he can expect when he enters the workforce.

With many plans for the upcoming year, Evan credits Meadowridge as preparing him to tackle his goals as well as earning him an acceptance to an esteemed business programme. Evan notes that the DP challenged him, forcing him to improve in his weaker areas. For example, Evan initially struggled with English, but ended up taking and succeeding in the IB High Level English course.

Support, Evan relays, was also a key factor in his success at Meadowridge and the caring community of teachers and peers at the School provided him with endless amounts of it.

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David Gouws has attended Meadowridge since Kindergarten, making him one of the 16 lifers who graduated last year. David is also part of another significant group: our first cohort of DP graduates. David credits the IB Programme as having not only guided his choices in education, but also equipping him with the means to follow them. Now, after 13 years at Meadowridge and a busy final year, David is headed off to the Queen’s University Commerce Programme in the fall to commence his postsecondary education.

Looking forward to starting his next chapter in education, David feels well-prepared to excel in his first year courses, and has even used the same Case Study method in his senior level classes as those used at Queen’s and Harvard.

While having decided on pursuing studies in Business, David notes he was able to explore all of his passions at Meadowridge, including Economics and English, which allowed him to learn that Business is where his true interest lies.

Having decided on Business, David selected Queen’s Commerce as his top choice university for a variety of reasons. Living in Kingston, David is excited to be just a few hours from one of the busiest hubs of Canadian business: Toronto. David is also looking ahead to facilitate his future goals; with a career goal of practicing corporate law, David is keen on positioning himself near the large law schools where he will one day study. Of course, David notes that there are other guiding forces which swayed his decision.

Particularly, his mother, a proud alumnus of Queen’s, inspired David with her found memories of her time at the school.

Although David is looking ahead to the new experiences Queen’s has in store for him, he cannot do so without remembering a number of fond memories from his 13 years at Meadowridge. Above all? The close-knit community and the classroom experience allowed by our teachers’ passion.

dav i d g o u ws ' 1 4

U T U F E H T IVE FORE

WR O D A E M

DR

T N E M A N UR O T F L O G RE

OL O H C S IDGE

Save the D a Saturday, Ju t e ne 20, 2 015

an education

in service Words by Renée Cummings Early this year, alumnus Victoria Beckler ‘95, née Heller, found herself once more in the halls of Meadowridge, interacting with the students and faculty while clad in uniform, quite similar to her days as a student at the School. The uniform, however, was slightly different than the tartan kilt and Gryphon tie Victoria donned in her high school days; this time around, Victoria, now a RCMP officer, proudly wore the RCMP regular duty dress while speaking to students about Cops for Cancer. The irony of the ever-present uniform is not lost on Victoria, who laughingly explains, “It's funny because before I went to Meadowridge I raged against the idea of wearing a uniform every day. Now I look back and laugh as every day at work I wear a uniform.

Victoria has decidedly changed her opinion, recognizing the importance of a properly worn uniform: “it shows professionalism and pride” Victoria affirms.

After graduating from Meadowridge in 1995, Victoria enrolled at Douglas College to spend time exploring her career options. Deciding on Psychology, Victoria transferred to Simon Fraser University to begin her post-secondary education. As an elective to Victoria’s degree programme, she took Criminology on a whim and realized her intrigue laid elsewhere: Forensics. Victoria looked into joining the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and, after a

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session with her career advisor, learned a career with CSIS would begin with policing. So that’s what she did.

Victoria joined the Port Moody Police Department in 2003 and, after a decade of service, decided to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to get into the investigative work she desired. After going through the application and hiring process, Victoria spent five weeks in Regina, Saskatchewan for expedited Depot training and was posted back to Maple Ridge.

As a RCMP officer, Victoria’s work is diverse: her average day can consist of everything from mediating arguments to helping find people who have run away. Victoria is also the lead investigator for stopping and charging people who are driving under the influence, as recognized by “Alexa’s Team”.

As varied as her day-to-day job description can be, Victoria can always count on her fellow officers “[it’s] my favorite part of the job,” Victoria explains of the brotherhood and sisterhood that exists with her coworkers; “I depend on them to have my back in a fight for my life, and they have the same faith in me. There is no stronger bond.”

Another thing Victoria can count on? Having to know, and remember, very detailed elements of various acts and codes, something which Victoria credits to her time at Meadowridge.

“Meadowridge was key for me in learning how to study,” Victoria affirms, explaining it taught her how to study so that she could retain information more efficiently. “As you can imagine, police training involves learning very detailed elements of the criminal code, liquor control and licensing act, the controlled drugs and substances act and the motor vehicle act, so you can appreciate how being able to study efficiently would come in handy.”

While visiting Meadowridge this past school year, Victoria shared information about Cops for Cancer with our students, which is a policedriven initiative that raises money for children undergoing cancer treatment. Half of the funds raised go directly to Camp Good Times: a camp in Maple Ridge where kids go to visit with each other, play and just be kids. “I have met so many people who have been positively impacted by Camp Good Times in my fundraising events so far. The repeating message is that it makes a world of difference for them," Victoria explains.

[IT’S] MY FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB,” VICTORIA EXPLAINS OF THE BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD THAT EXISTS WITH HER COWORKERS; “I DEPEND ON THEM TO HAVE MY BACK IN A FIGHT FOR MY LIFE, AND THEY HAVE THE SAME FAITH IN ME. THERE IS NO STRONGER BOND. When Victoria first heard about Cops for Cancer, she knew right away she wanted to take part: “It's a part of a strategy of mine to involve myself in positive police interactions,” she explains. “Volunteering for things like this help remind me that there is good in the world and it's worth fighting for.” Ever since her decision to sign up, all of her spare time has been spent training for the 900 kilometre ride all over the south coast of BC, including the Sunshine Coast, Galiano Island, Whistler and Pemberton, and through Maple Ridge to Richmond.

Of course, Victoria does have some down time, which she spends with her husband and their three rescued German Shepherds. And her plans for the future? Well, Victoria jokes, “The [Cops for Cancer] ride is coming up in September, but I'm pretty sure when that's all done I'll have earned a week or two vacation on a sunny beach somewhere.”

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finding your passion: there’s an app for that Words by Renée Cummings

After graduating from Meadowridge, Bio Cho ’09 began his post-secondary education at the University of British Columbia. Inspired by his Biology classes back at Meadowridge, Bio elected to pursue a degree in Microbiology and was excelling in his courses.

Things continued to go well for Bio well into his second year, until one day he decided to watch a series of TED Talks on Robotics and Computer Science, and something "clicked".

Intrigued by the series of talks, Bio enrolled in a few Computer Science courses during the summer semester and, while the initial transition proved to be difficult, Bio found the learning to be both rewarding and enjoyable, “I realized that Computer Science’s focus of software creation was much more rewarding than the focus on observation in Biology,” Bio affirms. Realizing his passion, that fall he made the switch from Biology to Computer Science.

One year later, Bio was entering the UBC Digital U Contest with his very first app. The contest, which challenged participants

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to create a mobile app that would dramatically enhance the UBC experience, intrigued Bio from the get go; “I thought it was a great initiative by UBC to encourage students to think about how to leverage technology to make an impact in their own community.” Bio’s idea for a dramatic improvement to the UBC experience? UBCme. After noticing friends tagging other friends in screenshots of their timetables, Bio realized that there was a need for a streamlined process for viewing, sharing and comparing student schedules. So, he created UBCme: an app which allows students to easily access their timetables, get directions to their classes and overlay class schedules with any number of friends, allowing free blocks to be easily found amongst friends. Bio was overjoyed when he learned he won

first place, “I was fortunate enough to win the competition with UBCme. It was the first iPhone app I had ever made and it was an incredibly rewarding experience” he explains.

After winning the UBC Digital U Contest, Bio caught the attention of Ali Saheli, who was also working on a web application built for students.

Ali reached out to Bio shortly after the end of the contest and the two quickly partnered up. Together, they created Foro Technologies Inc. and have since created two new mobile apps.

The team’s first foray into mobile apps, Foro, was another student-centric app.

Foro allows students to buy and sell with other students nearby, and removes the uncertainties often faced when buying or selling online. With the app, students could now easily know who they are dealing with, what university they attend and how many mutual Facebook friends they share. They both visited local campuses and also travelled as far as California, spending time at Stanford University getting other students to sign up.

Moving onward, and dabbling into a new variety of mobile apps, Foro Technologies released Truth early this year: “[it's] a new messaging app that enables honest communication between friends and colleagues.” Bio explains.

With two new mobile apps launched, the team began investigating ways to raise seed capital and discovered FounderFuel, a programme, which Bio candidly describes as “a boot camp for tech startups and their founders.”

Out of hundreds of other teams who applied, Bio and his co-founder were one of the 20 to be chosen. Now stationed in Montréal for the three month programme, Bio spends his days working with other tech teams in workshops, feature presentations, and one-on-one meetings with mentors and

investors. Foro Technologies Inc. has, to date, raised $150,000 in capital and is continually growing.

Having come so far in such little time, Bio looks fondly on his days at Meadowridge; specifically, how they helped him in his first few years of university. “I remember taking an Advanced Placement Biology class at Meadowridge, and it definitely helped me in my first year at UBC as many of the concepts were repeated in my first year Biology classes.” Bio continues, “In general, Meadowridge helped set the academic bar high enough that first year material wasn’t too difficult. It really did help that Meadowridge’s class sizes were small as I was able to learn a lot from teachers directly.”

teachers’ assistants and professors to ensure that you know the material. If you can make a habit of being proactive and reaching out for help, you will succeed.”

Another Meadowridge memory? The house system! “I miss being an Alouette Alligator. Spirit Days were also so fun!”

Bio exclaims.

Of course, Meadowridge isn’t just about academics and Spirit Days, and Bio leaves us with a resounding truth we

MEADOWRIDGE HELPED SET THE ACADEMIC BAR HIGH ENOUGH THAT FIRST YEAR MATERIAL WASN’T TOO DIFFICULT.

However, as Bio mindfully notes, the small class sizes offered at Meadowridge can present a learning curve for new university students. “The transition from small, focused classes to large 400-person first year lectures can be a challenging transition for some students. The biggest change is that teachers will no longer reach out to make sure that you’re learning the material.” As a solution, Bio offers the following, “you must reach out to your

hear from many of our graduates. At Meadowridge, the tight-knit community is the maker of lifelong friendships and Bio, along with his grad class, is no exception: “the friendships you form in Meadowridge will be lifetime bonds.

Our grad class was really like a big family."

We look forward to hearing more and watching Bio grow into his life as an upand-coming developer in Canada’s tech and entrepreneurship scene.

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adventure in our own Words by James Willms and Jason Parker

13

Garden plots

9.6 ACRES

greenhouses

of outdoor learning space in the North Forest.

150

1,000

volunteer hours

spent by students, staff and parents over the summer to help remove the invasive species in the North Forest.

1,200

2

for our PYP students to till, plant, tend and harvest.

plants plotted

MYP students will plant 1,000 plants in the greenhouse as part of inquirybased experiments this school year.

vegetable seeds planted by PYP students in the gardens

our state-of-the-art MYP greenhouse is already built and the PYP greenhouse is coming later this year.

1

butterfly garden Peas

Carrots Lettuce

Beets

Herbs

Radishes

Cauliflower

Zucchini

Pumpkins Tomatoes

planted by our Grade 1 classes to observe butterflies in their natural environment.

It has been an entire year since the first Primary Years Programme (PYP) students set foot onto the North Forest property. As more and

backyard

more students have explored the creek, the forest and the garden, a sense of awe and wonder has been

1

endangered species the Northern Red Legged Frog was discovered by the Grade 3 classes and the Nature Conservancy School during a class trip to the North Forest.

12 bat houses

constructed by our Grade 7 Design and Technology students and hung in the North Forest.

growing within the staff, students and parents that have experienced the property.

Joseph Grange, an environmental philosopher, sums up this sense quite nicely by saying that, “Surprise is the general reaction of the attentive walker in natural space.�

From the beginnings of planting a PYP vegetable garden in the old horse paddock last spring to having entire Units of Inquiry built within the dynamic North Forest, teachers in the PYP are starting to uncover the incalculable value of learning in a natural setting. When students enter into the garden or the forest, they enter into a learning environment that is continuously inviting them to explore and engage with whatever the natural space has to offer.

The space is mysterious and ever-changing with an abundance of inquiry that is unique to natural spaces and not intended to be recreated in the confines of four walls.

www.meadowridge.bc.ca 21

At different points this year, PYP students have accessed the garden and North Forest during Units of Inquiry, Math and Art and for outdoor education. The Grade 1 students focused an entire Unit of Inquiry on the statement that, “people journey to expand their sense of place,” and used this idea to journey into the North Forest, explore, and learn how to respect this part of their home.

The Grade 2 classes are both currently involved with the South Coast Conservation Project, which is piloting an awareness programme for endangered species and has made plans to start monitoring endangered species that inhabit our North Forest, such as the Northern Red-Legged Frog which was identified by the Soaring Eagle Nature School.

WHEN STUDENTS ENTER INTO THE GARDEN OR THE FOREST, THEY ENTER INTO A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONTINUOUSLY INVITING THEM TO EXPLORE AND ENGAGE WITH WHATEVER THE NATURAL SPACE HAS TO OFFER.

The Grade 2 students have also committed to tend to the vegetable garden every Wednesday during school, as well as to continue with the management of the invasive Himalayan Blackberries that are trying to consume the riparian area in the North Forest. Both Grade 3 classes have had one and a half hours of exploration in the North Forest and Garden every Tuesday for the entire year.

They have gained a strong sense of place, describing the forest as “safe and calm” because of the “strong, confident, towering trees,” and have started to name characteristics of the forest like the "Little Dip" and "Juno’s Tree."

The Soaring Eagle Nature School has met the Grade 3 students in the forest twice this year, and has explored with

22 THE TALON 2014

the students how the physical landscape of the North Forest has influenced the local Sto:Lo First Nation people and have learned that almost all of the plants in the forest have medicinal and nourishing properties.

The Grade 3 students connected the influence of physical landscape to how they express themselves artistically and have generated beautiful art work inspired by their "sit spots" in the North Forest. It is becoming increasingly busy in the PYP garden, and both the Grade 4 and Grade 5 classes committed to tending their own garden beds during the school year. As these experiences have occurred throughout this year, many positive observations of student learning have emerged, such as increased student engagement, extended personal inquiry, greater respect for others and for the environment that we all share.

It is an incredible privilege for the PYP students to have these countless opportunities to enter into such a meaningful learning space.

As an IB Continuum World School, we are constantly pursuing new and meaningful ways to facilitate engaged and intrinsic learning, and the North Forest and the PYP garden have enabled teachers to facilitate this method of invaluable learning.

In light of the rapidly changing and uncertain world in which we live, students ought to have an intimate sense of place so that as they venture into the broader world, they can mindfully appreciate and value other places and ensure that their ethics and way of being are reflecting of school mission of how to “live well, with others and for others, in a just community.”

In the MYP, Mrs. Rajeev has been using the North Forest to supplement and inform her science classes.

Students use our natural surroundings to do handson experiments. To date, students have conducted analysis of plant, insect and wildlife species.

We have improved MYP access to the North Forest to preserve instructional minutes. You will notice we have installed doors on the north side of the building from the MYP Science Exploratorium and adjacent classrooms. Teachers have requested we investigate the possibility of designing communal spaces in the North Forest so that they may conduct classes and deliver lessons outside that do not disturb the underbrush.

In the DP, Mr. Marriott has used the North Forest to complement his instructional efforts by conducting experiments in the “real-life” surrounding of the creek. In Biology (Standard Level and High Level) they have conducted an analysis of water samples from Latimer Creek.

Specifically, they have tested the water for conductivity and oxygen concentration.

Students have also engaged in observations of flora and fauna, documenting their findings, classifying species and creating a growing inventory of the plants and animals that live in the forest. They are in the process of conducting an in-depth study of biodiversity in areas along the creek bank where invasive species have been removed. The assumption is that biodiversity will be greater in zones where native species are absent. The data is being collated by students

and will be subjected to statistical analysis in order to establish relative levels of biodiversity.

Physical Education teachers are eager to expand access to the North Forest. They have requested an investigation into establishing a trail network so that students can run across varied terrain, while remaining on school property.

The most significant advantage, and perhaps joy, comes from the fact that all of these emerging opportunities are available to staff and students without traveling far from their brick and mortar classrooms.

While some schools plan months in advance to take their student out into the field in order to observe the natural world, our students are able to make their way across the fence into a forest in minutes. We are hopeful that in the coming years we will have more points of access, running trails, a bridge providing access to the other side of Latimer Creek and a series of buildings to support their learning.

being the change they wish to see As an IB Continuum world school, service or action are an integral part of all three of our programmes, and Meadowridge students participate in a variety of volunteer and community service commitments both inside and outside of the school. Our students and alumni can attest: community service is an integral part of being a member of the Meadowridge community. We caught up with six of our alumni to see how they’ve carried their commitment to service beyond the walls of Meadowridge.

FEATURED ALUMNI

FARAN MAHBOUBI Class of 2012

24 THE TALON 2014

EMMA GERMAIN Class of 2012

LYNDSEY MERRY Class of 2012

MADELINE HANSON Class of 2012

CAJA BLOMLEY Class of 2013

EMILY DRAIN Class of 2013

EMILY DRAIN Currently at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia

Currently at McMaster University in Ontario I’m so appreciative of the many opportunities attending Meadowridge has allowed me.

I was involved in Senior Student Council and the Global Citizenship Club for three years, and I also did some volunteering through the school with the Friends in Need Food Bank and as a peer tutor. I also helped in setting up an updated recycling programme in Grade 12. I became highly involved with Free the Children while at Meadowridge and it was the first club I joined at McMaster University. In the coming year, I will be serving as one of the club’s co-presidents. Perhaps one of the most exciting experiences I’ve participated in post-Meadowridge, was the Me to We trip to Kenya that I went on last May. I still think about the amazing people I met there every day. Community service has made an indelible mark on the person that I’ve become thus far and the person that I aspire to be. It is not just about helping people (as my younger self would probably say), but it’s about forming a genuine connection to the service that you do and a love for who or what you do it for.

Quite honestly, it has taught me more about compassion, courage and love more than anything else in my life.

LYNDSEY MERRY

I volunteered extensively while at Meadowridge, both within the school and in the community. I was in the Free the Children group for four years, fundraising and organizing awareness campaigns, and I became co-chair in Grade 12. I also helped out at Coats for Kids every winter, volunteered at Halloween Fun Night, and various grad fundraising events including the Gala and Welcome Back Fair. In the community I volunteered at the Mennonite Central Committee’s thrift store and soup kitchen, helped run the CIBC Run for the Cure in Abbotsford, and worked extensively with the Arabian Horse Association of BC, fundraising and organizing local shows. Service has continued to play a large role in my life since graduating from Meadowridge and I hope it always will. As Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

FARAN MAHBOUBI

Currently volunteering at a youth program in British Columbia Three months after graduating from Meadowridge I embarked on a seven month journey in which two weeks were spent constructing a women's community centre in Gashora, Rwanda and six months were spent being an assistant teacher at the Ocean of Light International School in the Kingdom of Tonga. It was during my time in Tonga that I served as an "animator" (youth mentor) for the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme, in the village I was living in. I'm currently a full-time volunteer, engaged in this same programme, but serving in Kamloops, BC.

www.meadowridge.bc.ca 25

MADELINE HANSON Currently at Queen’s University in Ontario While at Meadowridge, I was involved with the Global Citizenship Club. Specifically, we worked together to raise money for Free the Children, an international charity that strives to remove barriers to education and empower communities to break the cycle of poverty. This was during the first year of the Global Citizenship Club, so we really got to decide which direction the club would take. We decided to implement and plan a benefit concert, which, unbeknownst to us at the time, was actually quite a large undertaking. Not only did we have to choose a reputable organization to donate to, we also had to find performers for our concert, deal with logistical details, and advertise the concert so that people actually came. That being said, I learned quite a bit from the experience, such as how to set and achieve goals, work effectively with others to achieve those goals, and market final ideas. The first concert was so successful that we held another, and another, and this year the 5th annual benefit concert was held.

I continue to use the skills I learned from organizing the benefit concerts. I attend Queen’s University, and I am currently involved with a group that contributes to an equitable atmosphere on campus. This past year, we wrote a code of conduct for undergraduate representatives regarding equity and educated Queen’s students on equity through various campaigns. To ensure a successful launch of the campaign, I had to draw on my goal setting and creative marketing abilities that I learned at Meadowridge to make them successful.

I have been involved in service in school as well as in my community for many years now. Volunteering has opened so many doors for me and has led to what I consider to be some of my bigger achievements. I was offered a position as a sailing coach at Rocky Point Sailing Association because I was so heavily involved as a volunteer there. I have also had the opportunity to become more involved in the political landscape, as well as to network and make connections that will be important in my future path. My interest in service stemmed from being raised in a family that values providing support to their community. At Meadowridge, I would jump at the chance to learn more about myself as well as the school’s community by providing support in whatever way I could. I enjoy filling my time with projects that will improve the lives of my peers and the greater community. I am a huge advocate for local service. I strongly believe that we have to address the root of the issue and address those that are closer to us (both geographically and emotionally) before we begin to deal with those that we might not understand as well. This year I was on my residence’s student council and was able to work to tackle issues and to encourage community building. Being involved gives me so much joy, and the service I have provided to others has been the most rewarding part of my life.

26 THE TALON 2014

CAJA BLOMLEY

Currently at McGill University in Quebec

EMMA GERMAIN Currently at Western University in Ontario “To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the world's work in the community where I am placed because of the joy of service thereby bestowed and the talent of leadership multiplied” – Alpha Gamma Delta Purpose

Above is a line from the purpose of my sorority; I feel this accurately encompasses the essence of my personal commitment to service. From a very young age, and while growing up, my family instilled the importance and a commitment to helping my community in any way I can. I was taught to split my first allowance into three crafted, pink glittered piggy banks labeled “spending” “saving” and “charity”. I have always lived a privileged life but my parents strived to keep me grounded in my community.

I CANNOT PIN-POINT A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO DOING “VOLUNTEER HOURS”. FOR ME, SERVICE ISN’T A CHORE OR A JOB; IT IS SOMETHING ESSENTIAL TO MY BEING. IT GENUINELY BESTOWS JOY TO MY LIFE.

I think that is the reason I never felt I did a lot of “community service”. When the phrase comes up I think of planting trees or building schools or picking up garbage: things I have never really done. I cannot pin-point a time in my life when I decided I was going to make an effort to doing “volunteer hours”. For me, service isn’t a chore or a job; it is something essential to my being. It genuinely bestows joy to my life.

Meadowridge gave me the opportunities to grow as a leader and branch out into my community. As Community Service Gryphon in my final year, I was able to plan events such as the Terry Fox Run, Autumn Harvest Dinner and Food Drive. Planning these events taught me organizational skills and the skills to run successful community events. My greatest personal accomplishment during my time at Meadowridge was establishing a Global Citizenship Club group to support Matthew’s House. It is such an honour to know that Meadowridge students still continue to raise money and funds for an organization that is so close to my heart.

The majority of my time at Western is spent supporting my sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta (AGD). AGD bases its values on three pillars: scholarship, philanthropy and sisterhood.

During my time as a member of the organization I have been the Social Coordinator and Vice President of Scholarship. I am proud of the huge presence, both on campus and in our local community, of my sorority. With AGD every year we hold a bottle drive, organize a Parent Gala, and host a yoga event called “Downward Dog for Diabetes” for the AGD foundation, which supports juvenile diabetes. We also host a bone marrow drive with Get Swabbed Canada, support Right to Play, participate in Relay for Life, support the Children’s Miracle Network, attend a mental health camp-out for Canadian Mental Health, organize a food drive in the local community, participate in the Cinderella Project, support the Canadian Red Cross, and welcome the opportunity to help in the London, Ontario community any way we can. During my summers I work in the Surrey School District for an organization called Super Chefs, which works with children teaching them food skills, and how to live healthy lives.

I am grateful that I was given so many opportunities at Meadowridge to lay a foundation on which I have been able to build my life around. The leadership skills I gained have carried through my university years thus far. All the projects I am a part of are very dear to my heart, but the fact that Meadowridge still supports Matthew’s House after my graduation is extremely gratifying. I am ever grateful for the support of the Meadowridge community and I think my accomplishments alongside those of my peers attests to the nature of the school’s values.

www.meadowridge.bc.ca 27

graveson goes global Alan Graveson is one of the longest standing Meadowridge staff members. He shared his reflections on his time at Meadowridge with us before leaving for Shanghai to counsel Grade 11 and 12 students at the Shanghai American School.

Interview by Kyle Sholes '12

How long has Meadowridge been a part of your life? I met Graham Hookey,

responsibilities have you taken on during your time here? I taught French, English,

Meadowridge’s Headmaster from 1990 to 1998, in Toronto in the spring of 1990. He did all the talking but he hired me anyways. It must have been my immaculate Windsor knot. I stopped in a mall to ask an old guy to tie my tie.

Having never attended an independent school myself nor never having had a real job, I never learned to tie one. So yeah, September 1990 to June 2014: you do the math. (We did, and that’s 24 years.)

Law, Geography, Yearbook, Philosophy, Theory of Knowledge, but most of all I taught kids. Okay, so my role model is Jerry D, (from the CBC Show "Mr. D"): still, I spent time in the classroom with students. I also did some administrative roles: Head of Department, Director of Student Affairs, Director of Advancement, and Graduation Coordinator.

You’ve been at Meadowridge for over twenty years; what different roles and

by far the most interesting and inspiring role I have had at Meadowridge. I love

28 THE TALON 2014

Which of these roles has been the most rewarding? Graduation Coordinator was

to work with students and their families to make important life decisions about post-secondary studies and careers. It is such a diverse role: equal parts party planner, academic advisor, teacher, and administrator. In a sense it is the most privileged position because I get to help students fulfil their mission after 12 years of education. Young people are so inspiring!

What is your favourite quality of our School?

Our greatest strength is our capacity to innovate. As a small independent school with strong leadership, a dedicated staff, a unified student body and committed families, we can always find better ways

to educate. We can experiment, we can seek professional development, we can build, we can add programmes, we can consult one another, and we can act.

What differences do you notice between our students from 1990 and our students from 2014? Well, when I started there were only 60 of them. Now there are over 500. So that is a big difference. But the students themselves haven’t changed.

They still want to hang out with their friends, they still want to be respected by their peers and teachers, they still want to please their parents, they still appreciate the value and the difficulty of a first rate education, they’re still interested in relationships. Cell phones are more sophisticated, gaming graphics are generations better, the world is more connected and global, but essentially kids are the same.

How have you changed over your years at Meadowridge? I have a lot more confidence that things will work out

30 THE TALON 2014

in the end. When you are learning to teach, you have to plan so much, measure frequently, ask yourself a lot of hard questions, then ask the kids for the answers to those questions; you feel like you are never quite doing a good enough job. Don’t get me wrong, teaching is like that for all teachers all the time, but once you have been through the annual cycle a few times, then a decade, then another one, you start to see patterns of success that reaffirm that what you are doing is working.

This allows you to be more natural and spontaneous in your role and ultimately more effective.

Yourself and your students aside, what is the biggest change you have seen in the School during your time here? The maturity of the institution. We used to sign a one page contract saying we would do what the Headmaster asked us to, and we did this with the full understanding that if there were no students the following year we would be looking for a job in Turkey.

We used to joke that our students were getting a good education because the walls in the portable were so thin they could hear two lessons going on simultaneously (assuming the bullfrog under the class wasn’t in full throated frog song). Now we have a sophisticated international curriculum, an administrative arm for school advancement, a legal apparatus for risk assessment, and many other administrative structures that support student learning, but are only possible in a larger, more mature school.

Our Vision states “change is the only certainty”. How do you think the School will develop and grow in the future? Clearly we are heading down the path already to a more international school: International Baccalaureate curriculum, international recruitment efforts, and we are currently seeking accreditation from the Council of International Schools. This accompanied with a vision to purchase land,

GRADUATION

COORDINATOR

WAS

BY

FAR

THE

MOST

INTERESTING AND INSPIRING ROLE I HAVE HAD AT MEADOWRIDGE. I LOVE TO WORK WITH STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO MAKE IMPORTANT LIFE DECISIONS ABOUT POST-SECONDARY STUDIES AND CAREERS. expand programme options, increase numbers, and commit to environmental sustainability will make us an attractive school for the entire world.

Can you share a unique story about your time at Meadowridge? I remember one day Graham Hookey called me into his office for what essentially was a mentor session. I was having some difficulty with organizing my lessons, my time, my daybook etc. I had a great deal of admiration for Graham because he had accomplished so much in a relatively short period of time. He was so focused, so directed, so visionary. In that meeting he shared with me his philosophy on setting goals. He had a planner broken into 15 minute segments with goals programmed in for the many roles he played: father, husband, parent, citizen, Headmaster, community leader, colleague. In short, he had a daily action plan with measurable goals that recognized the diversity of his personal and professional roles. It dawned on me in that moment that rather than casting an eye on some distant shore and dead reckoning toward it, a methodology that had worked for me thus far, I could actually set a compass course with a fixed destination and make the necessary adjustments to the rigging to get there. It was a simple but effective life lesson that made me a better teacher.

These kinds of eureka moments came at many points from the many inspirational leaders that Meadowridge

has been blessed with. I can claim one myself. Cindy Hops and I shared an office, well actually it looked more like a combination dishwasher-dumpster in the beginning. But she credits me with teaching her the basics of… wait for it… getting organized.

You are one of our longest standing staff members. What are you going to miss the most about the community you have been a part of for over twenty years? The commute. Mrs. Villadiego’s singing.

Staff get-togethers at Mr. Burke’s. Café Night and Musicals. Graduation. Mostly though, I will miss the defining feature of our school: community (the feeling not the TV show). When you spend as much time interacting as intensely as we do at Meadowridge you really develop a strong sense of connection with the people here. I found as a faculty member with children at the school, that our school life and social life are kind of indistinguishable. I teach our friends’ children, our children know their teachers out of school, we love to be a part of school events: plays, fairs, galas, grade socials, and any number of other reasons to get together and celebrate this great community.

As you prepare to leave Meadowridge, what are you looking forward to about living and working in Shanghai? If you google image "Food Shanghai" you will know what I’m talkin’ about! When our family is in a hotel room we watch a lot of House Hunters International (we don’t have cable at home). While we won’t be buying a penthouse in the Shanghai Tower, we will at least get a taste of the international lifestyle at Green Court 2.

Professionally, I am excited about the learning opportunities presented by working with a team of experienced international counselors. At Shanghai American School, four counselors split the Grade 11 and 12 cohorts while two additional counselors work with the Grade 9 and 10 students. There is also a psychologist, a nurse, and administrative support to round out the counseling and care for the students. It is a much larger school than I am accustomed to and Shanghai is about 24 million people more populous than Maple Ridge.

Also, did you know that Disneyland will be opening a theme park in Shanghai in 2015? Need I say more?

www.meadowridge.bc.ca 31

from here to harvard Alanna Coady joined the Meadowridge community in Grade 5, spending seven years learning, exploring and growing to become a proud graduate of the Class of 2007. After her graduation, Alanna spent a year travelling and volunteering in places around the world, an experience which eventually informed her education. Alanna returned home and completed her bachelor’s at the University of British Columbia, and has now been accepted to the Master’s of Theological Studies programme at one of the most renowned schools in the world: Harvard. We caught up with Alanna before she made her move from here to Harvard.

Interview by Christy Mooney and Kyle Sholes '12

Where has life after Meadowridge taken you? After I left Meadowridge I spent a year traveling and volunteering. I went to South Africa, Thailand, Nepal and India (which eventually became my area of study). I think that my travels really set the tone for my next few years and particularly influenced my path through university. I began an undergraduate degree at UBC after returning home and fumbled around trying to figure out academic life for a while. It wasn’t easy – I changed my major four times.

www.meadowridge.bc.ca 33

Can you tell us more about your studies?

Was there someone or something at Meadowridge that helped guide your direction? I eventually completed an Honour’s Degree in Religious Studies at UBC in an almost accidental way. I had originally intended to study English Literature (thanks to Hugh Burke’s Literature 12 class at Meadowridge, actually), but was swayed by philosophy at UBC (an interest that also originated at Meadowridge in a philosophy class with James Clelland, that was fabulous). However, philosophy turned out to be overwhelmingly analytic and conceptual, and I sought a more humanistic grounding for the ideas I encountered; so I ended up in Classics learning about Greek, Roman, and Egyptian cultures and the origins of

out that the programme of Religious Studies allowed me to focus on the cultures and languages of India while incorporating my earlier educational experience of philosophy and literature. It took me six years from when I started to actually emerge with a coherent bachelor’s degree!

Now that you have been accepted to Harvard, can you reflect on the application process?

How did it compare to other applications you have encountered? I find any application process tortuous. Essentially you have to strike this awkward balance between presenting yourself as a likeable, well-balanced human being and relentlessly bragging about everything you have ever done (and could potentially do if only the institution to which you are applying

Mainland where you can go to write the test. It’s important to complete the exam long before the specific application deadline so that there is enough time for your results to come in.

The application itself called for a personal statement (in which I had to propose a concise, well-supported, and interesting [to at least a handful of people in the world] research project), three letters of recommendation from professors, and a short essay responding to a question relevant to your subject area that Harvard asks.

The statement and essay were made easier by the fact that I love what I study. I suppose for anyone to write a truly impressive application, they first have to love what they are applying

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORY FROM YOUR TIME AT MEADOWRIDGE? Most of my favourite memories from Meadowridge involve some kind of activity or event. I remember fondly my days of both loving and being terrified of performing in school musicals.

Learning music with David Noble certainly goes at the top of the list of Meadowridge memories for me. And going on the biology boat trip in the Sea of Cortez with Mr. Davies.

That was simply one of the best experiences I ever had. philosophy. By that time I was halfway through my third year, and began to think that university wasn’t for me.

I felt limited by the disciplinary boundaries of any specific degree programme and decided to leave for a time. I took a semester off to return to India for six months and once again was inspired by and fascinated with the cultural diversity I experienced along the way. When I came back to UBC to complete my degree, I hoped to enter the department of Asian Studies to learn more about India, but found I would have to begin almost completely anew to complete the requirements. It turned

34 THE TALON 2014

gave you the opportunity!). But it’s worth it, and once you have a basic template of balanced bragging, you can adjust it for all kinds of applications.

What was required of you in the application process? To begin the application process, I had to write the GRE - a standardized test that all graduate students applying to schools in the States have to take. It’s a bit of a racket. There are books and DVDs and even classes you can pay loads of money for to help you prepare. I got a GRE study guide out from the library and did just fine with that. There are various centres around the Lower

to do. The letters of recommendation were dependent on the relationships I built during my undergraduate studies, and, I imagine (though I was never able to read them), they must have said something good about me.

Why Harvard? What is it about the school that made you apply? The programme at Harvard that attracted me was the Master’s of Theological Studies at the Harvard Divinity School. The Divinity School is unique in that there are some pursuing a path in religious training, some that are there to study religion as an academic subject rather than a personal vocation, and some that are a combination of the two. I am

primarily interested in the relationship between religion and politics, so the interdisciplinary programme at Harvard Divinity School allows me to combine religion and political science while interacting and engaging with a diverse religious/cultural community.

Did you feel confident on your acceptance into the programme? In all honesty, Harvard was a long-shot. I was so convinced that I would never get in that I actually didn’t bother applying for financial aid. When I first got the letter of acceptance, I laughed in initial shock, and then felt rather sad because I immediately realized I couldn’t afford to go. But I had not finished reading the letter.

One of the wonderful things about Harvard is that they have more money than most countries do and, as I read my acceptance letter further, I discovered that Harvard had awarded me with a Dean’s Fellowship, which completely covers tuition and provides a modest living stipend. I sang “For

She’s a Jolly Good Fellow” for a while and then called my family.

Cambridge area is beautiful. There is a lot happening: art galleries, shops, restaurants, clubs – it’s all there.

What is it about religious studies that made you decide to pursue your Master’s?

Religious studies deals with a lot of the issues I am interested in: how do we respect and preserve the integrity of diverse individual identities in an increasingly globalized world? What does it mean to be treated with dignity? How and why do violent cultural and religious conflicts emerge? What sustains these conflicts? What does this mean for our approach to religious freedom, human rights, and policies of international ethics?

Are you looking forward to moving to Massachusetts? Will you be living close to campus? The Harvard campus is dispersed and intermingled within the town of Cambridge, and overlaps in some areas with MIT. So campus is town and town is campus. I’ll be living on my own in a studio apartment I found on Craigslist. The whole Boston/

Do you have any plans for the future? I am hesitant to make plans. Six months ago I had absolutely no idea I’d be moving to Massachusetts! I suspect I will either continue on to a PhD, or maybe return to Vancouver and pursue a career in public policy.

What is something that you learned at Meadowridge that you have taken with you through your journeys? From what I have heard from students that went to other high schools, Meadowridge gives you a huge leg up academically. The thing I learned from Meadowridge that I’ve taken with me is (and this sounds nerdy, I know), how to write an awesome essay. You can impress the pants off important people (recommendation letters, remember!) and you can apply for anything you want. If you write well, you’ll do well.

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Class Notes 2008 DAVID BHAURUTH is developing and programming computer applications for his computer company, FrostTree Games. He has finished his undergraduate coursework at the University of Victoria and will be working at IBM for his final co-op term in his Computer Science programme.

2009 MATTHIAS KEMPE graduated from UBC in April of last year and has since been employed at Philips Electronics in the department of mechanical design and continuous improvement.

Matthias is looking to pursue an MBA in the near future, which he hopes will lead to a career overseas.

2010 JASON CHAI is in his third year at Simon Fraser University in the Beedie School of Business. Upon graduation, Jason plans to pursue a position at an investment bank.

JULIA LARSEN will be graduating from Douglas College with a Criminology Diploma in the spring.

She works as a Kennel Attendant at a canine security and detection company, where she cares for and maintains training for German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers used in detection and security. She is also pursuing a volunteer position with the Surrey RCMP for their Restorative Justice Programme.

JAYTEN PATEL is in his fourth year at Simon Fraser University, studying in pursuit of a BSc. Kinesiology degree, additionally achieving a certificate in Applied Human Nutrition and a certificate in Health and Fitness. He works as a Personal Trainer and also works with teams and clubs as an athletic trainer.

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1

2011 SHAUN LAMPEN is entering his fourth year of undergraduate studies in Anatomy and Cell Biology with a double Minor in Kinesiology and Biotechnology at McGill University.

Shaun was recently elected as Vice President, Internal Affairs of the Science Undergraduate Society and has been planning the Freshman Orientation Week for first year science students heading to McGill in the fall of 2014.

KHALIL KASSAM has been working on his dual degree in Business Administration and Sports Management at the Ivey Business School at Western University. Khalil has started a sports website called The Sideline and has recently partnered with Yardbarker, a division of Fox Sports online, to promote his site.

This past summer, Khalil worked as an analyst for a Vancouver-based hedge fund to expand his business experience. After graduation Khalil plans to work in Management Consulting to gain experience in the business world. Khalil’s long term goal is to work as a strategist for a professional sports organization, but not before a well-deserved graduation trip to the Euro 2016 Soccer Tournament!

LAURA ROUNDING is entering her fourth year of study at the University of British Columbia, where she is completing a Bachelors of Science in Applied Animal Biology.

Since she is in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Laura has had the opportunity to explore many interesting fields of study, including food animal production, ecology, and entomology.

Her schooling and passions have allowed her to gain unique work experience over the past few years.

Laura has worked for two years as an animal caretaker at Elizabeth’s Wildlife Centre, where she rescued and rehabilitated injured and orphaned wildlife. Located in Abbotsford, Elizabeth’s Wildlife Centre is a nonprofit organization that rehabilitates hundreds of birds and small mammals every year. Laura nursed many baby rabbits and squirrels back to health, and quickly developed a passion for working with wildlife.

ALYSHA BADIANI has just completed her Accounting and Economics Degree at the University of Manchester. She now plans on obtaining her Chartered Accountancy qualification in the coming year.

KEVIN OH is continuing his studies at Duke University in Bioinformatics and

Computer Science. He is a research assistant for Dr. Miguel Nicolelis who is in charge of the Walk Again Project, which was unveiled at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

KHALLIL MANGALJI has continued working on his double degree in Business Administration and Computer Science at the University of Waterloo. During his latest co-op term, Khallil worked at Facebook in San Francisco where his team was responsible for the popular Lookback Editor. In his next co-op term, Khallil will be traveling to Kenya to join a small four person bitcoin startup that will enable the transfer of funds to and from Kenya. Following four months in Kenya, Khallil will be moving to Singapore to do an exchange semester at the National University of Singapore. We look forward to seeing where the world takes him! [Photo 1] MICAELEE HANSON has attended the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, studying Interactive and Social Media Arts. This past fall, Micaelee had the opportunity to travel to Estonia where she studied at the Estonian Academy of Arts as well as the Baltic Film and Media School.

During her time abroad Micaelee was able to travel through Europe and North Africa on her weekends and experience the unique design culture of Europe. This past summer, Micaelee kept busy with multiple summer jobs in the interactive arts.

Micaelee taught video game and music production, designed an interactive display for the Fraser River Discovery Centre, and worked on a freelance branding design project for a local art show. [Photo 2]

2

2012 LYNDSEY MERRY is in her second year of the Bachelor of Health Sciences programme at McMaster University. She has decided to enter their Child Health specialization this year because she will eventually pursue something in the field of pediatrics. Lyndsey is also on the executive team for McMaster’s Free the Children chapter and an Eco-mentor for a programme that does environmental education programmes at local elementary schools.

KYLE SHOLES is preparing to move to France for his third year of undergraduate studies. He will be attending L’institut d’études politiques in Reims for the next two semesters where he will continue studying political science and French.

While he’s away he’s hoping to travel Europe and learn more about its vast history and diverse culture as well as improve his French. Next year, he will return to the University of Western Ontario in London Ontario for his final year of undergrad. [Photo 3]

2013 3

BEN DANFORTH is studying Science at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where his passion for mathematics and physics has continued to grow.

QAISARA BOGANI is studying Geology at Imperial College London, in the Royal School of Mines. She is heading to Urra in Spain for two weeks of fieldwork experience. As Qaisara moves into her second year, she has chosen to follow the geology programme which will include a fieldwork experience trip to the Pyrenees. Following this learning experience, Qaisara will complete an independent mapping project before the start of her third year.

LAUREN CRAWFORD is studying Chemistry at Durham University and is playing rugby on the starting lineup for the Durham University Women’s team.

JANINE DE KLERK is studying Arts and Science at McMaster University.

She intends to take the MCAT in 2016 in preparation for medical school after completing her undergraduate degree.

RAHEEM ESMAIL is at the University of Western Ontario in the BMOS (Business Management & Organizational Studies) programme and is rooming with fellow Meadowridge graduate Kavya Shah ’13. Raheem hopes to gain entry into the Richard Ivey School of Business after his second year of study to obtain his HBA (Honours in Business Administration).

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The sky's the Limit Daniel Teszka ’05 has travelled across the world, entrenching himself in other cultures and learning

from the languages, beliefs and history that Europe has to offer. Besides travelling, Dan found time to finish medical school and explore another unknown: the sky.

Interview by Daniel Le Page '05

What year did your family join Meadowridge and how would you best describe the School at that time? I joined Meadowridge way back in 1993, in the first grade. We were still using portables on the "front field" as classrooms, and the building that was then known as Phase One had just opened officially.

You have always been interested in the outdoors and have embarked on many memorable excursions. Can you share some of the things that you recall doing while you were a student at Meadowridge? My most memorable adventure during my time at Meadowridge was a two-day expedition to summit Mount Baker in Washington State. It was a very technical and challenging climb with a variety of obstacles such as crevasses and steep inclines. This was 15 years

38 THE TALON 2014

ago, so I was a lot younger at the time and these challenges took a great deal of courage and determination to overcome.

Since your high school graduation, life has taken you all over the world. What are some of the greatest things you have experienced post-graduation? You could say that my entire life turned into one big trip when I chose to go to medical school abroad. Just living in another country and aligning myself with the culture there was an experience in itself. It also opened up the door to explore all the different countries that make up Europe.

A highlight certainly was a road trip all the way from Gdańsk in Poland to Paris, over 1,000 miles of different

languages, sights, and cultures! I also spent over two months living in New York as part of a professional exam preparation course. There were, of course, many other trips within Europe, made possible by the advent of low cost airlines and relatively small distance between places of interest.

You are now officially a doctor! What did that track look like for you school wise and how did Meadowridge help prepare you for the path you chose? When I graduated from Meadowridge, I didn't plan on attending medical school. I hadn't actually thought about it until much later. Originally, my plan was to pursue a career as a professional pilot in the airlines, and had already started moving towards this goal by completing a Private Pilot License. It

became apparent that the industry was a tough one and jobs were very scarce at the time, and the dreams I had of flying for fun quickly evaporated. My ambition got the best of me and I switched from a BBa at UCFV (Prof.

Pilot Programme) to a BSc at UBC, with the plan to pursue medical school following a degree.

This sort of change was possible because during my final year at Meadowridge we were driven to succeed in post-secondary applications, and I had received offers from more than one University, all in very different fields. This was key in giving me the option to pursue another career path. During my first year at UBC, another option presented itself: medical school abroad. It would be in Gdańsk, Poland, at the same university that my father finished his medical training 25 years before. Instead of finishing a Bachelors degree and then going through the application process in Canada, with limited chances of success at best, I could immediately apply for and commence a six-year MD programme. So after mountains of paperwork, an interview, and entrance exam, I was off to Poland to begin my journey through medical school and life abroad.

The advantage of completing a degree in the European Union was that, with the right post graduate exams, I could work as a Doctor essentially anywhere in the world! No further exams were required to work in Europe, including the UK, where I currently practice.

Canada requires the MCC (Medical Council of Canada) examinations and the US requires the USMLE (US Medical License Exams). I did in fact challenge and complete both, earning ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) certification in the US in the process, enabling me to apply for residency training should I wish to do so.

Based on your academic experience, what advice would you give to the upcoming graduating class, ten years after you graduated? I would definitely try to decide on a career early on and tailor your education and extracurricular activities towards that choice. Try to experience as many different professions you‘re interested in as possible.

Explain what your job entails at this stage of your career. I am currently a Senior House Officer (SHO), which means I’m a doctor who has just achieved "Full Registration" with the General Medical Council in the UK, following a year of general internship. I continue to rotate every four months through different specialties, and am currently working at a busy Obstetrics and Gynecology unit in London. My job involves everything one would expect a doctor to do in this specialty, minus the specialist interventions and critical decision making, which is left to the more senior Specialty Registrar grade doctors and Consultants.

I was able to start flying as a hobby again, just the way I had dreamt to do so when I graduated from high school. No schedules to keep or

DURING MY FINAL YEAR AT MEADOWRIDGE WE WERE DRIVEN TO SUCCEED IN POST-SECONDARY APPLICATIONS, AND I HAD RECEIVED OFFERS FROM MORE THAN ONE UNIVERSITY, ALL IN VERY DIFFERENT FIELDS..

We also supervise, teach, and mentor medical students and junior doctors in their intern year, and attend numerous training days to broaden our skills and knowledge. After one year of rotating as an SHO, I can commence specialty training in one of the Royal College specialty training programmes.

As a young adult, what things, aside from work, pique your interests nowadays?

unruly passengers to sort out, just pure soaring in the skies on my own accord. I've recently delved into flying all sorts of weird, wonderful, and rare aircraft, and have even found myself at the controls of an ex-military jet! Most of my flight time is now dedicated to training in aerobatics, in which I have started competing recently in British Aerobatics Association events.

My favourite pastime is everything related to aviation and flying. After a small break during medical school,

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