Grade 12 - Reflection - Over Arching Reflection

I have gone to Collingwood since Kindergarten and I can’t remember anything else. My time here has been filled with memories, all of which have shaped me into the person I am today and helped me grow into an adult ready for the next stage of life. Collingwood has given me the opportunities to succeed and showed me how to thrive. I have been very involved in all of the four strands throughout my entire time at this school, but particularly in the Senior School.

In service I have accomplished many things including volunteering each summer at diving and gymnastics camps, travelling to Belize to build schools and clean up beaches, helping out where needed around the school, and being involved in the Student Work and Advisory Team at West Vancouver Community Center. My most rewarding and involved commitment, however, has been my involvement in coaching springboard diving to young children in the municipality of West Vancouver.  This experience has taught me a lot including how to deal with conflict, solve problems, and interact with children of all ages, cultural backgrounds, and ability levels.  One of the most satisfying elements of this activity is watching the young children I coach gain confidence on the boards and continue on to thrive in the sport. This opportunity has shown me how to be more patient with others and compassionate towards individual situations. I hope to stay involved in this sport next year at university and be able to continue to give back in this way.

In academics, I have achieved a lot over the years and all my hard work and commitment has finally paid off this year with my acceptances to university and ultimately my decision to attend McGill next year. My rigorous academic program has challenged me and allowed me to open my eyes to aspects of the world I would have never understood before. I have faced some challenges throughout the journey, but I have learned to persevere and the study techniques requires to success because of these trials. I have been very involved in the sciences this year and am really beginning to enjoy them over most things. There is so much to learn in the science field and I would love to expand my knowledge and continue my learning in this area. The four-strand system has taught me self-confidence, ambition, and how to challenge myself in everyday situations.  I believe I have learned adaptability by encountering these different situations and having to be able to act as a team member.

           

            In athletics, I have been very much a part of the Collingwood community. Throughout my time here I have played on the volleyball team each year as well as tried out cross-country, track and field, soccer, and badminton. This involvement in volleyball has led me to play in club teams outside of school and travel to Nationals for three years because of what I learned from my coaches here. This year I even am helping to coach a younger team with my club, The North Shore Stars. I have really enjoyed this opportunity because it has taught me how to problem solve and see the sport from a different angle and position than before.

            Lastly, in the Arts strand I have made significant contributions to the school in dance, visual art, yearbook, and photography. I am not as involved this year as I chose to focus on my studies, but I do love the arts strand and it has provided me with a much-needed stress reliever over the years. My favourite involvement was that in photography. I loved how I was able to capture small moments and turn them into something great. I was happy with the art that got into the end of year show last year also. This year I contributed to the grad photo wall, which was a very time-consuming yet rewarding process and resulted in a beautiful display of our grad class and was a window into their lives, allowing the rest of the school to get to know our class a little better.

            My time at Collingwood has been nothing but fantastic. As I am excited to move into a new chapter and experience a new city, I will miss the comforts of my second home and all those who have made my journey what it has been. Grad class of 2014 has finally run our course at Collingwood and we are all moving to different parts of the world and starting new pieces of our lives. We will always know, however, that we have somewhere to come back to when things take a turn and we will always share the bond that Collingwood has created for us. Grad 2014!!!! 

Grade 12 - Reflection - Athletics - Volleyball Coaching

       I have played volleyball for as long as I can remember at Collingwood. It is my favourite sport and I have been very involved throughout my years here. Unfortunately, I couldn't participate on the Sr. team this year because of school work and university applications. I wanted to play for the Stars Volleyball Club like I had done for the past three years in the Spring, but because of Grade 12 activities and other commitments, we didn't have enough girls for a team!

     After having shown interest in staying a part of the Stars and volleyball community in general, I was asked to Jr. Coach the U16 team with three of the other girls on my team from last year. Since January we have been present at every practice; running drills, helping out where needed, and being extra players if some of the team was missing. Every second weekend we would go to tournaments and be in charge of running warm-ups as well as taking stats on the bench and facilitating the time-outs and pep talks! I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this group and being in this new and different role. It has allowed me to stay involved in the sport that I love and inspire the younger girls to keep playing and to try their best. It has also strengthened my relationships with some of my old coaches and my former teammates, which I have really enjoyed.

   This year, our team qualified for Nationals in Regina, Saskatchewan! This was definitely the highlight of the year for both my self and the girls on the U16 team. We played very well and, although it might not have showed in the overall rankings, we gave 100% and played the best we has all season. This was an awesome experience for me because I had been on the player end of this trip and it was interesting to be on the coach end and see what goes on behind the scenes there.

     I hope this year I have inspired the girls to continue playing and have made their season all the more fun. I learned a lot this year about problem solving, organization, and time management from this opportunity and I am very glad to have had it. I hope next year at university I can play again myself and become more involved in the sport once again weather that be playing intermural or varsity volleyball for McGill!

Grade 12 - Reflection - Service - Encounter

I have been on 4 encounters, all of which have had a large impact on my life and helped me see life in a new light. I have learned so much about myself and others through these experiences and I am so happy to have been a part of this program. As a candidate, I was one of the only grade 11's, which was scary at first, but I was able to make a lot of new friendships through this experience since I didn't have any friends to rely on and prevent me from making new relationships. This retreat was so amazing that I decided to come back as a leader in the spring. Encounter XXI was equally as meaningful for me and it was so rewarding to be able to give back to the program. Leading my peers and seeing them change for the better and be affected the same was I was really showed me the value of this program and what it really can do for those who are affected by its magic. After realizing the positive things that can come from giving back to such a valuable program, I decided to join Encounter XXII as an assistant rector last September. This was a very different role, more behind the scenes, but it was a good experience also and what I really gained from this retreat was the knowledge that I wanted something more. That I wasn't done with Encounter and that I really still needed to give back in another way for all it had done for me. I was asked to be rector for the past encounter, XXIV, and this was by far the most rewarding retreat for me. Being able to facilitate a trip from start to finish really taught me a lot about problem solving, organization, people skills, public speaking, and how to lead a group of peers. I was able to give back in the way I so craved, which gave me so much satisfaction knowing I had done all I could for this amazing program. Encounter XXIV taught me so much more than any other encounter because I learned compassion. Most of all, I learned the most about myself of this retreat. I shared more than I had before because I was finally comfortable with the surroundings and that no one would judge me, that everyone cares for me and that the Collingwood community really is that, a community. Encounter has done so much for me and I have done so much to carry on its legacy. I will never forget this experience and I am so glad for everyone that has allowed me and helped me through along the way.

Grade 12 - Reflection - Academics - McGill

This year has been a whirlwind. Grade 12 has flown by, but it has been filled with ups, downs, and exciting times. At the start of the year I knew I had to achieve high grades to get into the schools I wanted to go to. This included University of San Diego at the time, and Western. I knew to get the scholarship I needed for San Diego I would need all A's, and for the program I wanted at Western, about a 90% average. I decided I would work harder than I ever had before so I would be able to achieve the marks I needed and attend my dream schools.

To achieve this, I had to give up other things like sports that I loved, and some social events once in a while. This was hard for me because I had never had to really put in that much effort in school before.  Calculus was my hardest subject by far and I knew to achieve this grade I would really need to step up my work habits. I got a tutor and raised my mark from pre-calc 12 by 6 percent, something I am very proud of. APES was a push for me and I had to really study for every test, focussing on details and finding old exams to help me prepare. I was upset that my mark had dropped by the end of the year, but it was still a good mark and I was proud that I could achieve and A in the course anyways. All my hard work finally paid off when I was admitted to Mcgill Arts & Science. At first, McGill wasn't in the picture for me, simply because I didn't think my grades were high enough or I had even the slightest chance of getting in. This was so exciting for me and I accepted as soon as I heard back from them. Knowing all the long nights of studying had paid off was a great feeling, and I knew that my efforts had been recognized. In the end, I got into most of the schools I had applied to, which really solidified for me the work I had put in not only this year but throughout my years at Collingwood.

McGill is going to provide me with so many amazing opportunities and an amazing experience next year. I am so happy that I have made this decision and that all my hard work did really pay off. Although I didn't end up where I had originally intended, I believe everything happens for a reason and I am so excited for this next chapter of my life.

Grade 12 - Highlight - Choice #3 - SWAT

In grade 8-12 I was in the Student Work and Advisory Team. We work with the WVPD to organize events for youth and work to prevent crime in the community.

Grade 12 - Highlight - Choice #2 - Coaching Diving

This year I coached diving again for the Dolphins Dive Club and the Cruisers Dive Club. I was more involved; taking the kids to competitions, writing their lists, and registering them

Grade 12 - Highlight - Academics - Law

This year I took law 12 and I really enjoyed the course because it was new and taught in a university lecture style, which I thought was a nice change to everyday classes at Collingwood