Karina Rizzo won first place with her essay entry.  She is attending Western University for Medical Sciences.  This year, we asked our entrants to tell us about their life goals, to expand on themselves and their community involvement.

Below is an excerpt from Karina’s essay:

“The pandemic also had a significant impact on my outlook of life and allowed me to grow as a person.  In February of 2020 when the first lockdown commenced, I broke my ankle playing hockey and required surgery. This process allowed me to grow as an individual and taught me how to stay positive despite my circumstances. It tested my drive and work ethic because I had to go through the rehabilitation process with the absence of a physiotherapist. Therefore, I had to keep myself accountable. Due to my inability to walk, I could not exercise and was concerned that I would fall into an unhealthy spiral. I was able to eat healthy and do moderate exercises to remain mentally and physically fit. The process of rehabilitation during the pandemic taught me the power of consistency and discipline, two traits that I must exemplify to reach my aspired career.”

Carissa Dedes was our second-place winner this year.  She is attending Simon Fraser University for Kinesiology.

An excerpt from Carissa’s essay follows:

“Through volunteering in the Special Olympics, a slow pitch tournament for adults with disabilities, I discovered my sense of fulfillment when helping others. During my time volunteering at the Special Olympics, I helped to line the fields, score keep games, and give out food and beverages to the players. Through these simple acts of kindness by assisting people in need I realized that helping others is what I wanted to dedicate my career to. Volunteering showed me the joy of making someone else’s life that much simpler or less stressful. I believe I can achieve this gratification in my studies in health and fitness by pursuing a career such as a physiotherapist or a naturopath.”

All the best to both Karina and Carissa – we look forward to following you as you become successful in your chosen fields!!

Congratulations!

Deb, Kelly, Gary, James & Fiona