Anita and Advienne have been Homework Club attendees since Grade 8, and so we’ve had the great joy of watching them grow up these last five years. The daughters of Chinese immigrants, the twins grew up in the Strathcona neighbourhood alongside their three older sisters, one of whom was an HWC bursary recipient in 2021 and is now studying at Simon Fraser University. Homework Club has always provided them with a safe and inclusive space to do their studies, build relationships with peers and seek help from tutors. These days they are usually rushing around from one basketball game to the next, but always find time to say hello, fill their plates and get some work done.
I had these two on my caseload when they were in Grade 8 and remember them as quiet but eager. Now seeing them at almost 18 years old, knowing all the community activities they have engaged in and watching their leadership skills grow as thoughtful and confident young people, is a simple reminder of why we do what we do and the impact that programs such as Homework Club can have on our community. It is not the physical space that makes the difference, but the young people that fill it with their resilience, unique personalities, eagerness to learn and determination to want great things for their lives. Anita expressed to me that Britannia and everything it has to offer are a huge part of helping her become who she is today.
When you become a senior in the school, you realize that what you have available here is far beyond what any other school could offer; its unlike anywhere else. So much has changed for them in the last five years – they went from a linear system into three years of hybrid learning during COVID to a semester program all while taking on International Baccalaureate level academics. Their best piece of advice is to take on any opportunity that comes your way whether that’s trying a new method of learning in your class, joining a sport or after school program and leaning into the resources available because those will be the defining things that impact your high school experience.
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