Ethan, Comox Valley Grad 2021
๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง - ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
This session was a dream to me because it can't seem real that Ethan is graduating (and because it was crazy fun). Ethan is a third of four to graduate in his family and I have been lucky enough to capture all of them, mostly since they were babies. Ethan has an incredible spark - he lights up a room and makes others feel part of it and no matter where his life will travel, he will have the ability to find connection and joy. Congratulations Ethan - you are amazing!
(Note: Shooting on active railroad tracks isnโt safe or cool. These railroad photos were taken in a defunct, non operating railroad track)
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ?
The biggest surprise this year was how well I did during a pandemic. I assumed that I would have struggled a lot more, or that my extracurriculars wouldn't be as fun but I was sure wrong. Improv kept going through the year and we practiced lots and intensively to ultimately become double national champions in both Destination Imagination, as well as the "Canadian Improv Games"
๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ?
The hardest thing this year was just keeping up with all of the work, whether it was actually working at Starbucks, trying to captain a team of improvisers to the National Finals of the Canadian Improv Games, working tirelessly on Destination Imagination, or the copious amounts of schoolwork that I have needed to do has been difficult to try and balance it all.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ?
I am looking forward to having a summer that is somewhat normal again after last year's summer, it should be nice to go out with friends again.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ?
What makes me proud of this grad class is just the fact that we have all made it out of this weird COVID year always trying to just power through it and eventually accomplishing that goal relatively unscathed.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐-๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ?
The difference maker was Lori Mazey, always fighting to try and make things as normal as they could, with running improv and all of the other drama classes and everything. She has always pushed me to go above and beyond and was the person who has helped me grow the most in my confidence and has shaped me into who I am today.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ?
My best high school memory was definitely in grade 9, Knoxville Tennessee. In a crowded stadium full of people competing in the same competition, having our name be called for first place in the entire world for the Destination Improv challenge. 8000+ people cheering and clapping for us as we all ran up and got medals and a trophy was a really surreal experience.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ฑ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ?
Hopefully 2 years at NIC and then transferring to UVIC to get my BSC in Biologay and then after that take the MCAT and get into UBC Island Medical Program where I can then become a doctor.
