SHAD Essay

November 2017

SHAD Essay

Jeremy Lin is one of the few Chinese people playing basketball in the NBA. He is an icon for Chinese basketball players: someone who represents their culture in the NBA. He inspired my friend David Zhang, who wrote an autobiography he titled “Zhangsanity” -named after Lin’s “Linsanity” craze-, about his aspirations in basketball. Like Lin’s influence on the asian basketball world, I found my own way to be my community’s connection to hockey. In the summer of 2015, my uncle approached me to run some a hockey camp for my 5 year old cousin and others in the Chinese community.

The new program was a learning experience for all of us. We had 10-15 participants, depending on the day. It was the first time for us working with young children. The kids always liked competition, so races were popular; however, they didn’t understand our talks about technical points in drills, and when that happened the kids would wander off. We felt a little disorganized.

The following year was very different. This camp was starting to show major growth; it had grown to upwards of 30 kids. Everything ran more smoothly. I had experience running the camp, and I found ways to change and adapt practice plans to keep the kids engaged but still learning: incorporating competition into drills motivated participation; ending practice with a scrimmage meant we always ended with something fun. The change was evident, as kids listened and really enjoyed the experience.

By the summer of 2017, the camp had grown bigger than I’d imagined it would: there were more than 40 kids involved, with many returning members and with kids of various ages, levels, and ethnicities. We continued thinking about strategies for keeping kids involved, and we started dividing the kids into different levels, to work on different needs. The opportunity to participate in an affordable summer hockey camp, in their community, gave them the opportunity to reach higher levels of performance. After the 2017 camp, four of our participants from the start had joined competitive level teams.

I wanted to serve as my Chinese community’s connection to hockey like Jeremy Lin was to basketball. In my part of Ottawa, Chinese hockey players are a growing population. When my older brother played hockey, he was one of the few Chinese playing the sport, as opposed to the 30+ Chinese kids that were in my hockey camp alone. Being able to serve as these 30+ kids’ connection to the sport of hockey is the impact I have made on my community.

Novel Study: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Novel Study: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

(published 1843) Reading Log Assignment, Staves 1 & 2

1. Select a scene and identify its setting and indicate how it contributes to character, atmosphere, or theme (choose one).

In stave 1, the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s former assistant, appeared in his dreary, former room that now belongs to Scrooge. The literally cold setting complemented Scrooge’s unfeeling and cold stubbornness, where he wouldn’t even spend a little for extra firewood to keep his fireplace lit.

2. a) Identify a theme that Dickens introduces or implies in this section of the novel.

A greedy man is always poor.

b) Explain how the theme is developed by Dickens. Clearly connect it to the novel.

Marley thought he had been rich in life, but after death he realized he’d actually been poor spiritually. Because of his uncaring attitude, he lacked family and friends, things that are worth more than money.

c) Connect it to your life, to other texts, or to the world today. Use two examples.

The General Motors scandal where the company knew they were distributing faulty cars, and caused the deaths of 124 people, crossed all lines of known human ethics and morals. In the world of the Hunger Games, the glamour of Capital City was a mask for all its emptiness, because wealth was all they had; all the districts of the poor suffer, for the benefit of the greedy.

3. Select one character from this section of the novel and complete a character chart like the one below. Ensure that you present a variety of characteristics. Avoid physical aspects; focus on personality traits.

The Nephew

Characteristic	Proof in own words	Supporting Quote	Page #
Jolly	He greets his uncle in a very happy manner.	“A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!” cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge’s nephew	7
Determined	He is relentless in changing his uncle’s stubborn idea about Christmas.	“Good afternoon,” said Scrooge. “I want nothing from you; I ask nothing of you; why cannot we be friends?” “Good afternoon,” said Scrooge. “I am sorry, with all my heart, to find you so resolute. We have never had an quarrel, to which I have been a party. But I have made the trial in homage to Christmas, and I’ll keep my Christmas humour to the last. So A Merry Christmas, uncle!” “Good afternoon!” said Scrooge. “And A Happy New Year!” “Good afternoon!” said Scrooge. His nephew left the room without an angry word,	9
Innocent	The humourous way he’s depicted like a child, in his glowing adoration for Christmas, and disregard to the  firm negativity of his uncle.	“Uncle!” pleaded the nephew. “Nephew!” returned the uncle, sternly, “keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.” “Keep it!” repeated Scrooge's’ nephew. “But you don’t keep it.”...	8-9

Why SHAD

November 2017

Why SHAD

Recently, I’ve been trying to find what I want to do in the future. With science being one of my biggest interests, the STEM sector was a large target for research. In looking for enrichment programs, I came across SHAD. As a young adult in a large world, I look to make my mark wherever I can; I became interested in the SHAD program because I see examples of people who can say the same for themselves. I believe that I fit in well at SHAD, and I can contribute a lot to the community I want to become a part of. 

SHAD is important to me because of what I want to do with my life. In my future, I want to become a difference maker. In my own community, for example, I have been working extensively with kids, be it in my own hockey camp, or volunteering experiences I have had with the city of Ottawa. Being able to say I helped 5 young kids in the minority Chinese hockey community make competitive levels is something I am proud of, and in doing so, opened the doors for them and any other young Chinese hockey players throughout my community to infinite possibilities. 

Science had always interested me. It is something that affects the entire world around me, and is a frequent topic in my household; my parents majored in physics and computer sciences as students. Even as a child, the most simplest of computer programs amazed me, and the slightest bit of code intrigued me to great extents. Being able to participate in SHAD is important to me because it would allow me to explore my possibilities within the STEM sector from the instructors and my peers from all around Canada. 

Working with other people may be a dread for some, but it’s something I enjoy. Through working with others, I get exposed to different ideas and ways of thinking. Through SHAD, I want to be apart of this community, but also I want to contribute to it as well. My experience from starting my Mock Trial Club and my hockey camp and examples of initiative that I can bring to SHAD. Working with other people in this extensive community, I believe the opportunities are endless if I could apply my initiative with others to set forth a change in our country, using all the tools provided to us. 

SHAD presents me an opportunity to find myself. The exposure to the different ways of thinking from instructors and peers from all around Canada gives us tools that can help us all realize our potential at SHAD. My interest in the STEM sector, my desire to make change, and my initiative are reasons why I am a good fit for SHAD.


Update Febuary 7,2018 - I was accepted into the prestigiousSHAD 2018, as a grade 10 student.