Schoolstaffofferwords of wisdom to this year’s graduates
MINA KERR-LAZENBY MKerrLazenby@nsnews.com
Local Journalism InitiativeReporter
Graduation Day: One of those daysthat feels likeitmight neverarrive and then all of asudden it’shere, an open door leading to aworld of new possibilities.
As students leave the safe confines of secondary educationand embark on their next adventure, emotionswill run high and will likely be amixed bag. Rupi Samra-Gynane, principal of Carson Graham Secondary, encourages students to take amoment to pause and check in with their feelings, and to acknowledge that whateverisfeltis normaland valid.
the balance of studies and sociallife?
Congratulations graduates!
The AOLCC West Coast Campuses wouldliketoofficially congratulate youall on successfully completing your studies! The world is now yourstoconquer.Goforth and prosper!
“Many students arelikely experiencing excitement about the futureand the new opportunities that lie ahead,while also feeling acertain amount of anxiety about theunknown. Thereishope andanticipation,but also some uncertainty,” says Samra-Gynane
“Whether they feel excited,anxious, hopeful, or uncertain, it’sall part of thissignificant transitionintheir lives. My message tothem is clear: it’sOKtofeelwhatever they arefeeling, and in time, everythingwillbe alright.”
Feelings of uncertainty areunderstandable,with the route to the next chapterof life varying from student to student. For some, further education is lined up, which brings with it its own raft of questions and concerns. What subject is worthdedicating at least threeyears of study to?Should travel be afactor,orisstudying closer to home morebeneficial? Howdoyou perfect
For others, what comesnextare thefirst few,tentative steps intothe world of work. Some graduating students may opt for an entirely different path:moving abroad, volunteering, interningorapprenticing.
Leesa Alldred, career programs adviser at West Vancouver’sRockridgeSecondary, recommendsstudents keeptheir eyes and earsopenfollowing graduation, whether working or studying.
“Takeadvantage of all opportunities presented to you, whetheryou areattending college or notthis fall. If you aretalking to someoneordoing something that seems interesting, ask about it.People love to talk about their jobs,”she says.
No matter the choice,nothing has to be permanent,stresses Alldred.
“If you decide afterthe firstyear you don’t like your program or major,change. About 40 percent of students attending university change their major at leastonce, some change multiple times.”
AcademyofLearningCareer College is the largest Private CareerCollege (PCC) in Canada with over 50 campuses coasttocoast. Offering over 30 Diplomaand 20 Advanced Certificate programs including alllevelsofAccounting,Business, Sales& Marketing,Office Administration, Customer Service, WebDesign, Information Technology, Healthcareand Medical Office Assistant. Our Admissions Advisor can give you allthe information and recommendation you seek! Fordetails, please connect with us: (604)876-8600/(778) 233-3079 •AdmissionsNorthV@aolvancouver.com
CANADIAN UNIONOF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES LOCAL389
(North Vancouver) would liketocongratulate thefollowing recipientsof ourfifteenannual $1,000.00 Scholarships:
STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
James Raham
Handsworth Secondary
Gabrielvan Selst
Carson Graham Secondary
Evangeline Chu
John Knox Christian School
Holly O’Dea SeycoveSecondary
DevinMoore Sutherland Secondary
ClaraEllsworth Argyle Secondary
Hallie Whipple
Handsworth Secondary
KaiKonkin
Handsworth Secondary
AvaKnapp
Handsworth Secondary
Sophia Gale Argyle Secondary
CINDYMCQUEEN HIGHER LEARNING SCHOLARSHIPS
KarlaDiGregorio NorthVancouverCityLibrary
Olga Domagalska School DistrictNo. 44
Aylenna Holland NorthVancouverCityLibrary
Kevin Pokasuwan School District No.44
Catherine Salinas NorthVancouverDistrictPublic Library
On behalf of themembership of CUPE Local389, we extend oursincere congratulationstoall scholarship winners andgraduatesofthe Class of 2024!
Emotions will be high forgraduating students, says Carson Grahamprincipal Rupi Samra-Gynane. PAUL MCGRATH /NSN
Sentinel grad wins esteemed Loran award
JANE SEYD jseyd@nsnews.com
Olivia Mendes was out for lunch with her dad, getting the, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game” pep talk, when she got the call.
Mendes, who is graduating from West Vancouver’s Sentinel Secondary, learned she will become one of a select group of 36 Loran scholars this year, chosen from among thousands of applicants from across Canada.
The financial boost from the award is large – winners receive up to $100,000 towards tuition, living expenses and summer internship experiences over a four-year period of study
But Loran awards aren’t just about the money.
They are also set up to offer leadership training, oneon-one mentorship during post-secondary education and invaluable connections through other Loran scholars and alumni.
Marks do count in Loran awards (students are expected to maintain a B+ average while at university), but what the Loran Scholars Foundation is really looking for are leadership qualities and dedication to community service.
For Mendes, who grew up in West Vancouver and attended Ecole Pauline Johnston and Sentinel Secondary as a French Immersion student, those attributes seem to come naturally
Sentinel Grade 12 student Olivia Mendes is the recipient of a prestigious Loran scholarship PAUL MCGRATH / NSN
Award worth more than $100K
Continued from A20
While at Sentinel, Mendes started a Truth and Reconciliation committee and revitalized the school’s LGBTQ student support group. She’s also volunteered with children, and trained in ministry at her church, West Vancouver United.
Coming from political family, Mendes has also dipped her toe into that pool, working as a media and campaign manager for one of the West Vancouver council candidates in the last civic election. Her candidate didn’t win, but “I had an amazing experience on the campaign trail,” she said.
When award season came around, Mendes said it was her older brother – who had been a Loran semi-finalist himself – who encouraged her to apply
“He really encouraged me, really pushed me towards it, even though I didn’t think I was going to get it or really even make it to the first interview stage,” she said. “He was super encouraging.”
The application process itself – which started in October and continued to the spring – isn’t for shrinking violets.
It involved writing several short essays about her community work, how she faced challenges and resolved group conflict. For one of the “five fun facts” about herself, Mendes wrote about her love of the Jimi
Hendrix music that she enjoys with her dad. After that there was a “robo-interview” on an interactive website, followed up by a six-hour day of zoom interviews. The final selection process involved finalists being flown to Toronto for in-person interviews, where they also got to meet the other award hopefuls.
Despite the pressure, Mendes said she was happy to be in such a supportive environment.
“It never actually felt like a competition,” she said. “It felt like summer camp.”
“Every single person I met was 100 per cent deserving of that award.”
This fall, Mendes will head to McGill University, where she’ll start on a general arts degree.
Areas of interest include political science, philosophy, religious studies and psychology, among others. Mendes said she doesn’t know yet what she wants to do in the future, but has her sights set on NGO or charity work or higher education.
Before hitting the books, however, Mendes will join the other Loran scholars for an orientation camping trip in Algonquin Park in August, along with some leadership training.
“I’m excited for everything except the mosquitoes,” she said.
The North Vancouver- Capilano Conservative Association is proudto announce that CarterSteunenbergofSutherland Secondaryand Hallie WhippleofHandsworth Secondary have each been awarded a $2000 Sir JohnA.Macdonald MeritBursary.
We wish both Carterand Halliegreat success as they take thenext step into post-secondaryschooling. Thank you everyonewho appliedand we congratulate all2024 North Vancouver andWestVancouver high school graduates!
Félicitations
Job No. 1: Enjoy the moment
Continued from A19
Embarking on a new role but worried it might not be the best fit? Don’t fear, according to Alldred, stats show that Generation Z will have 17 jobs over five different careers in their lifetime, so don’t be afraid to try different things.
“Many jobs available now will not exist in five years, but there will be lots of new jobs that we haven’t even thought of yet,” she says. “Who would have believed that someone would work as a drone operator, cloud architect or social media manager a few years ago?”
To those who are stepping into their first job, Mark Barrett, Sutherland Secondary principal, recommends networking as much as possible.
“Entering the workforce early has its advantages in terms of building out a skillset to put you in a stronger position later in your career, to have a great fundamental understanding of the way an industry works, and it can also put you in touch with some great industry mentors,” he says.
“Whether it’s working in a restaurant, or working in construction, there are skills you can acquire early that can help you later, and people you’ll immediately come into contact with can help show you the way to advance in your field.”
When Barrett graduated, he says he wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do, but he allowed himself to follow the things he was passionate about.
“I followed what my interests were – history, travel, sport – and let my passions be my guide. I learned that I had the capacity to learn what I wanted to know, and that confidence in my ability to learn anything was more important than any single piece of knowledge,” he says.
Samra-Gynane reflects on her own graduation experience as one rife with growth and learning, yet, like so many others, she wishes she had taken more time to enjoy the moment.
“The world seemed incredibly complex at the time, but looking back, it was actually much simpler than it is now,” she says.
Above all, Alldred, Barrett and SamraGynane agree that the best piece of advice that can be given is to simply sit back and enjoy the moment.
“These next few years are typically a time when you don’t have a lot of responsibilities, so take advantage of this freedom, and have fun,” says Alldred.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOLS DIFFERENCE MAKERS
OUR GRADS ARE GOING PLACES
Congratulations to all ofour Grade 12’s from Inglewood, Rockridge, Sentinel andWest Vancouver Secondary. We areproud of your accomplishments, talent and leadership. More than 70 post-secondaryinstitutions around the world agree.
BRIGHT FUTURES
At West Vancouver Schools,the focus is on whoyou areand who you want to become. Inspiring asense of discoverybegins on day one and continues beyond graduation. Nearly 95 percent of WVSstudents attend post-secondaryschools within ayearofgraduationtopursue their dreams and makeadifference.
Acadia University
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ArtCenter College of Design
BCIT
Berklee College of Music
Bishop’sUniversity
Brock University
Brown University
California College of the Arts
Cambridge University
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CN Campus Winnipeg
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Gabelli School of Business NYC
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Ontario College of Art&Design
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BoardChair Chris Kennedy, SuperintendentofSchools
UniversityofCalifornia-Irvine
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UniversityofIllinois
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www.westvancouverschools.ca
Jessica Nanmanat Patanaariyangkul Rockridge Secondary University of Oxford
Roman Bicknell Rockridge Secondary Cornell University VarsityAthlete, Squash
Nicholas Zhang Sentinel Secondary Harvard University VarsityAthlete, Fencing
AlexandraTenn Sentinel Secondary University of Toronto Varsity Athlete, Track & Field
AnoushkaJohar West Vancouver Secondary University College of London
Cameron Quelch West Vancouver Secondary UBC
Coho Societyhands out trio of awardsto Earth-friendly grads
FATEMEH FALAH
Contributing writer
604-981-0050
Karin.Kirkpatrick MLA@leg.bc.ca
The futureofthe planet is in good hands,atleast judging bythe results of an annual grad scholarship selection processundertaken by theCoho Societyofthe North Shore.
The $1,000 Jim MacCarthy CohoSociety Scholarship Award, whichistypically given each year to one outstanding student graduating from asecondaryschool in North or West Vancouver,was awarded tothree exceptional recipients this year:Mariana Gutierrez Rojas, Nya JStreb, and Sophia Gale.
“Each year,weaward the Jim McCarthy Scholarship to astudentwho exemplifies our organization’svalues, has abright future,and is pursuing higher education,” said Tony Wachmann, president of the Coho Society.“This year is special becausewe received three exceptional applications. The boardunanimously agreed to awardeach of these outstanding students $1,000.”
To be considered for the scholarship, astudent must provide evidence of a significant contributiontoenvironmental stewardship onthe North Shoreand
demonstrate leadership and volunteerism in school and communityservice. Keeping these criteria in mind,the threescholarship winners haveproven themselves to be deserving candidates.
Gutierrez Rojas has lived in Lynn Valley for 14 years, immersing herself in thebeauty of naturewith its lush trees, majestic mountainsand calmingocean.
“I’ve dedicated thepast decade to protectingand revitalizing salmonstreams,” she said. “I’ve tried to make atangible impact on our local ecosystem through various initiatives and collaborations such as participatinginthe Coho Festival at Ambleside Park everySeptemberand Takaya Tours’ spawning salmontour.”
She has volunteered with North Shore Streamkeepers and Seymour Salmonid Society,participatinginneighbourhood cleanup events and hatchery-related activities.
“Myaim is to foster asense of collective responsibility for protectingour planet’s ecosystems,” she said. “I havewitnessedthe positiveimpacts of collective actiononthe North Shore.Bymobilizing communities,
ContinuedonA25
Congratulations to our2024 graduates! We are so proud of you. Youare resilientand empowered learners.Asyou head offtouniversities, colleges, trade certifications, andwork experiences, you have developed theskills for learningand for life. Youare ready to overcome any challenges in your path, and each ofyou will make theworlda better place
KennethGordonMaplewoodSchool: InclusiveEducation,IgnitingPotential www.kgms.ca
Three worthy students
Continued from A24
advocating for policy change, and leading by example, life on Earth can be protected and preserved.”
Streb believes that education is vital for climate action because it inspires people to protect the planet.
She has volunteered 386 hours at the North Vancouver Outdoor School in Squamish over the past two years, educating Grade 4 and 6 students about salmon habitats and life cycles
“Growing up, I wasn’t fully aware of how to protect salmon habitats,” she said. “Now I’m equipping the next generation with the knowledge to advocate for these crucial ecosystems. This educational ripple effect encourages students to spread awareness within their communities, fostering respect and protection for salmon and their habitats.”
Gale has proven to be a passionate and hardworking student through her involvement as a volunteer at the Lynn Valley Ecology Centre, a member and then a partner of the Argyle Environment Club, and, most notably, as a volunteer at the Cheakamus Centre.
She believes that environmental education is one of the most important ways to educate young students about the unique ecosystems surrounding them. She has helped teach these concepts for more than three years through her volunteer work.
While working as a camp assistant at the Lynn Valley Ecology Centre and a counsellor at the Cheakamus Centre, she has created unique and immersive experiences for elementary students to learn about nature and the importance of both respecting and protecting it.
Gale will attend the University of British Columbia, where she will study conservation of natural resources in the faculty of forestry. She hopes to pursue a dual degree in education and apply what she has learned by continuing to work in environmental education and protection.
The Jim MacCarthy Coho Society Scholarship Award was established in 2014 in memory of Jim MacCarthy, who lived in West Vancouver for more than sixty years.
“Jim was known as Mr Coho and led the Coho Society of the North Shore to unprecedented success,” said Wachmann. “He was a true gentleman and had the extraordinary natural ability to bring people together to reach a common goal. Under Jim’s leadership, hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised to support environmental programs and projects on Vancouver’s North Shore. He steadfastly supported the environment and believed in giving back to the community.”
Con-grad-ulations class of 2024
Celebrateyourgraduate’sachievementswithgraduation-themed tableware, décorand more from your localparty experts.
