Life Changing Opportunities
Meet Emma
You may remember Emma from our last Yearbook, at the time a grade 11 youth finding great success and gratitude for Take a Hike and the community she discovered that was changing her life.
Emma recently graduated from Take a Hike and was the proud recipient of not one, but two major scholarship offers: the Beedie Luminaries Scholarship and the Corpus Christi Junior Fellows Scholarship.
Being part of the Take a Hike program for three years has been life-changing for Emma, and she’s grateful to Take a Hike's donors for giving her the opportunity:
“Two years ago, I didn’t have much hope for my future, but now I can say there are too many things I’m passionate about to pursue! I finally feel like I have a place in this world.”
“This is obviously phenomenally against the odds,” said Nick Boulding, Emma’s grade 10 and 11 teacher. “You would be hard-pressed to find another young person more deserving of it than Emma. In the 16 years I’ve taught in academic and outdoor education classrooms, I cannot think of anyone more standout in areas of self-reliance, creativity, academics and empathy. The remote wilderness is perhaps the best place to see goal-oriented resilience in action."
Nick said that Emma completed eight multi-day remote wilderness expeditions and never once made excuses, holding herself to the highest standard: "She is small in stature but can haul kayaks up the beach or carry a pack bigger than she is because she is mentally strong and sees that it must be done. Emma is the daughter of a single father who works many evenings, and does not have many resources with which to go to university. She is appreciative for what she does have.”
“This scholarship is life-changing for her, just as Take a Hike has been.”
Of the two opportunities, Emma chose the Corpus Christi Junior Fellows Scholarship, a full 2-year scholarship that includes tuition, co-curricular support, mentorship, leadership development, and opportunities for internships and service. Emma said, "the reason I was so drawn to the Circle of Fellows program was because it had many similarities to Take A Hike. Both have a rich, small community that is filled with support, and values leadership as well as giving back to the community.”
“I feel the same sense of belonging in this new program at Corpus Christi that I did in Take a Hike. ”
“Although my educational experience is a bit different this year, since everything is online, I can't wait to start the leadership program and get more involved!” Emma said. “I owe so much to Take a Hike for giving me this opportunity and a supportive second family."
“Thank you to all the donors for allowing this program to be possible, and for turning not only my life around but the lives of all my peers at Take a Hike. I’m forever grateful.”
