Grade 12

Highlights:

Academic #1 – 91% on first Law Quiz

This year in my first law quiz I received 34 out of a possible 37 marks. Collingwood School’s law class is the only class that is run like a university lecture.  There is no homework but the tests and quizzes are usually difficult. I was very proud of my 91% because it gave me confidence in the coming university transition. 

Academic #2 – Gold Standard in School Speeches

This year in the annual public speaking competition I received gold standard in my final speech at Collingwood. This was a very meaningful accomplishment because throughout my time at Collingwood I earned the reputation of a consistent public speaker. I did my final speech on judging controversies in equestrian and figures skating. I hope that students and teachers enjoyed my speeches over the years because I thoroughly enjoyed writing and presenting them. 

Athletics – Horse Show in Thermal California 

This year for my athletic achievements I competed at an international horse show in Thermal California. I rode my long time mount Tene and achieved success in the 1.20 divisions. This year was memorable because it was the first time I went to California without my parents for the entire time. I was much more independent. 

Arts- Photo Marks

This year in photo 12 marks the first year that some of my work has been featured in galleries outside Collingwood. This is a tremendous achievement and I couldn’t have done it without the help and guidance of Mr. Francis. I have never considered myself to be a very creative person so to see other people applaud my work was very surprising and satisfactory. 

Service- Encounter XXII

This year for service I contributed to Collingwood School’s Encounter Program. This was a very rewarding experience because it shows the more you put into a special weekend the more you get out of it. It gave students a lot of responsibility, as we were the primary leaders on the retreat. It is one of my favourite memories from my time at Collingwood.  

Choice #1- Athletics

Altered Schedule for Riding 

This year I was fortunate enough to have the schools support in altering my morning schedules so I could ride in the mornings in Langley and avoid the traffic. This was a large academic test because I had to ensure that my marks would not be affected.  I and very lucky to have had this opportunity and my riding has benefited significantly from it!  

Choice # 2 – Arts

Photo- creativity improvements

This year in my first term of photo 12 I have made significant creative improvements in my photos. One of the large photo marking requirements as stated in the rubric is your ability to improve the creative aspect of your project. Last year I was primary strong in the technical aspects of photography and I am thrilled that I am starting to grow creatively as a photographer.  

Choice #3- Academic 

History 12

This year in History 12 I feel as though I not only have learned the required criteria but the actual pressing issues of the world today. History has always been a subject that fascinates me. One of my favorite units was learning about WWII. I am proud to say that my marks in this course reflect my deep interest in it.

Reflections:

Academic: Gold Standard in School Speeches 

This year for my final speech in the Collingwood School Public Speaking competition I decided to do my speech on judging controversies in equestrian and figure skating. This was a meaningful accomplishment for me because throughout my years at Collingwood I discovered that public speaking was one of my strengths. It has given me an immense amount of confidence as I have progressed though high school. I decided to do my speech on this particular topic because of a significant conversation I had I had over the summer with my friends mother at a horse show. She told me about the blatant judging discrepancies taking place in the hunter discipline of show jumping. It made me so incredibly frustrated and angry that I decided to put my frustrations into words. Unfortunately I was not lucky enough to win the overall title, but I was awarded gold for the 3^rd consecutive year. In total I have won gold 5 times and won the overall twice. I can confidently say that the two speeches I won overall on were some of the most meaningful topics I have ever chosen to write about. In my eyes they will forever be remembered as some of my finest performances and best pieces of writing. Public Speaking has been a large part of my life for the last 8 years and I can honestly say that I’m really going to miss it. Thanks for all the years of listening!

Athletic: Horse show in Thermal California 

This year the highlight of my athletic achievements would be the international horse show I attended in Thermal California. The horse show is run by an organization called HITS, which stands for horse shows in the sun. For the three-week circuit I had two horses to compete on. One of them was my long time partner Tene. We achieved success in the 1.20m divisions. The other horse I was fortunate enough to be able to ride was named Tino. Tino’s owner sustained a back injury 2 months prior to competition so she was unable to ride. We swiftly moved through the ranks starting at 1.10 and ending in 1.20 with many ribbons. They are both very differently horses with different sensitivity levels and personalities. It was a real test for me to be able to switch between both horses but it improved my experience significantly. Another first for this horse show was the absence of my parents. Usually for long competitions my parents accompany me to my events but this time I spent the majority of my time without them. One of my favorite parts of going to international horse shows is being able to watch the professionals compete. My trainer is the head of the International Canadian Show Jumping Team and was able to introduce me to several of my idols. Although perhaps one of the most rewarding parts to going to horses shows is to see the growth and improvements my teammates make. Equestrian is not a team sport but being a team player is still an integral component. Your are a team with your horse and part of a team with your barn. It is imperative that you remain humble and always have an uplifting attitude. Horse shows are my favorite way to pass the time and I’m fortunate Collingwood has been so supportive of my lengthy absences.

Arts: Photo 12

This year in photo twelve I made a lot of creative progress. Last year in photo 11 my main critique was always to not focus to directly on the technical aspects of the photo but take more risks creatively. In this course there is more creative freedom then last year. We had the opportunity to explore different fields and techniques of photography that I hadn’t looked at before. An example of this is the photo felid trip we went on this year. The grade 12’s spend the day downtown in the Yaletown/ Gasstown area photographing the scenery as well as the people. Not only did I walk away from this experience with fabulous photographic memories but also I learned so much. Another difference for the year before is the encouragement of everyday photography. The 250ish Project has made me very aware of the world around me and how to photograph it from an artistic standpoint. My favorite branch of this project is the theme 50. In this project we are expected to photograph things from our everyday lives that conform to one universal theme. Considering I love animals, I chose to photograph my cats. It is May now and I can successfully compiled 48 adorable well-shot photos of my cats Chester and Daphne, as they co-exist in their natural habitat. I have thoroughly enjoyed waiting for the perfect moment to capture my cats doing something cute or silly. These photos will also serve as fantastic memories when they are no longer here. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to take such an inspiring course and I would recommend photo 11/12 to anyone interested in the arts!

Service: Encounter XXII & XXIV

Throughout my time at Collingwood I have been fortunate enough to be apart of 3 separate Encounter retreats. In my grade 12 year I was apart of two leadership teams on two Encounter weekends. The Collingwood encounter program in unique because it is a largely student run retreat. Adults are mainly there for supervision as the student leadership takes almost complete charge. Every encounter is different. There is a set criteria that is followed each time on the island, but depending on the leadership team and the candidates it could go any direction. Dr. Corbett the founder of Encounter at Collingwood always says: the weekend will go where you take it. These are very inspiring words because it gives you so much confidence. Another aspect that makes the encounter experience so rewarding is the amount of teamwork that takes place in the preparations. Meetings occur frequently and demand a lot of hard work and commitment. The weekend would not be as special and rewarding as it is without the constant attention to details in the weeks leading up to the retreat. This being my third and final time on encounter I had the opportunity to reflect on just how different each experience has been. Going as a candidate, leader then AR/leader again all held very different challenges. Each time I discovered my strengths and weaknesses through the people around me. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to have been involved in such a fabulous program and I would not hesitate to encourage everyone and anyone who has the change to take the leap and go on the retreat!

Overarching: Collingwood School Experience

Collingwood School has provided me with a very unique experience. I arrived at the school in grade five and was less then pleased with my current situation. I was unable to read or write and possessed little confidence to interact with my peers. The key program has helped me immensely throughout my journey. With help and guidance from my teachers I was able to grow as a student and as a person. They taught me that learning differently is not something to be ashamed of, but a quality that can be tuned into a strength. I have come a long way in the seven years I have been here. Some memories that stick out still are throughout grades six through seven I spent my breaks and lunches walking Mr. Hughes PADS dogs. Drake, Luna, and Newton were some of my best friends in middle school. It was one of the first times I felt I was serving a purpose. Although, perhaps the most significant moment in my Collingwood career was when I realized I had a talent in public speaking. It was grade five and I had just won gold for doing a speech on my cat Daphne. From that year forward I had a new found confidence in speaking and expressing myself in front of my peers. It is a skill I have carried with me through the remainder of high school. My favorite speech to date was done in grade ten. The Hickstead speech was one of my defining moments. It is a topic very dear to my heart and I will carry it with me forever. I am fortunate to have attended a school that has given me so much confidence. Collingwood has given me the tools to grow as a student and as a human being. I am sad to be leaving but a cannot wait to see what the future holds.