Burnaby North Secondary student Jennifer Hao has made a name for herself, volunteering and leading many local initiatives. Her work caught the eye of TD Bank Group, which recently granted her a major scholarship.
Jennifer Moreau: Please introduce yourself.
Jennifer Hao: Hi, my name is Jennifer Hao, and I'm a Grade 12 student at Burnaby North Secondary.
JM: You just won a major scholarship. Can you tell us about it? How does it work?
JH: I was luckily one of the 20 young Canadians to receive the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership, valued up to $70,000. How it works is that every year for four years you can receive up to $10,000 for tuition costs and $7,500 for living expenses, and you also get offered paid summer employment, mentorship opportunities and invitations to annual gatherings.
JM: How did you get it?
JH: I first submitted an application, then had to go through an interview with a panel of judges, which was fun! I really enjoyed talking to them; it wasn't like an interview at all, but a light-hearted conversation.
JM: What do you want to do with it?
JH: I would like to use it towards my university education, but I'm not quite sure which school I'd like to go to yet. Probably somewhere in the East. I also want to use this scholarship to generate excitement and conversation about how great it is for young people to get involved. It's the best when youth can inspire other youth.
JM: What kind of volunteer work have you done?
JH: I have done quite a lot of work in the community, but I'd like to tell you about what I feel is my most significant contribution. Two years ago I co-founded the Burnaby Youth Sustainability Network (BYSN), a student-driven organization that fosters environmental stewardship in schools throughout the district, with the support of the Burnaby school board. One of our initiatives includes hosting monthly meetings that revolve around different themes, from saving energy to conserving water, joined by Burnaby high school students and various local environmental organizations.
BYSN is Burnaby's central hub that brings eco-conscious citizens together, no matter what age you are or where you're from. Last year, BYSN also hosted DO IT GREEN 2011, our school district's annual environmental conference for youth by youth that successfully provided over 150 students with a keynote speaker, workshops, sustainable lunch and a booth fair. This year we're hoping to host DO IT GREEN 2012 on Friday, April 20th.
JM: Where do you get the energy to do all of this?
JH: Most of the energy comes from directly seeing the impact that I've made on my community. You feel great that you were able to give back, and it makes you want to continue to do it.
JM: You believe sustainable change starts by adopting the right mindset. What do you mean by that?
JH: There's always all this talk about change, but sometimes people forget that what's important is that the change is sustainable. A great way to do this is to make sure to get involved in something that you're truly passionate about. Don't jump into something too quickly, because there's so much opportunity out there you're bound to find something you love.
JM: What do you want to be in the future?
JH: I'm not quite sure yet, but I take great interest in business, psychology, media and environmental sustainability.
JM: Do you have any advice for our readers?
JH: Always remember that our world is one interconnected system; everything we do affects one another. What kind of legacy are you leaving behind?
Also, make sure you apply for the TD Scholarship for Community Leadership.
www.twitter.com/JenniferMoreau
