Awards received for volunteering, compassion, and overcoming personal obstacles
The B.C. Catholic
NORTH VANCOUVER
The mayor of North Vancouver has recognized six teens with big hearts at St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Secondary School.
Darrell Mussatto personally handed out the awards for volunteering, compassion, and overcoming personal obstacles May 4.
“It was a big surprise,” said Grade 11 student Luke Harris.
Harris has a provincial gold medal in track, but it’s not his athletic skill that earned him an award from city hall. In 2014, while gaining gold and bronze medals, he began feeling excruciating pain in his legs, and in 2015, he had two tumours removed. While recovering, he met cross-country runner Ges Bushe.
“I was running at a very elite level. It was hard to get back,” Harris said. “Ges inspired me to get back to training and run again.”
Bushe, a Grade 8 student at West Vancouver High School, has a physical disability and needs help navigating the track. Harris became his running partner and friend, making a unique connection that got them on the front page of the North Shore News.
Harris called the award a win for para-athletes. “We’re trying to get para-athletics started within the school community. The more recognition we can get for running together, the better.”
Pierce Burns, 19, also received a Youth Recognition Award.
“I felt good. I was a bit nervous,” said Burns, who has a disability and took a transitional Grade 13 year to prepare for the working world.
“He has come a long way,” said Max Friesen, a job coach who works with him. Burns has gained Food Safe and First Aid Certification and held several volunteer jobs at places such as the Vancouver Aquarium and the Mt. Seymour ski resort.
He has just received his first paid employment at a law firm, a big win, Friesen said. “We’re so happy and so proud of him that he’s been able to achieve that.” Burns is proud, too.
Grade 10 students Katsy Concepcion and Dominic Annen received awards for helping their community.
Concepcion has logged more than 300 community service hours in the last two years. She volunteers at Christ the Redeemer Parish, the West Vancouver recreational centre, her local library, and summer camps. “I used to attend these things and I know how important they were to me,” she said.
Most of her volunteer hours are spent in youth ministry. “I really like being able to live out my faith in that way.”
Annen has a passion for seeing and filling needs. He volunteers at his former day care and elementary school and spends early mornings and late nights working on his school’s sound crew. For his last 15 birthdays he has asked friends to donate to charities rather than buying presents.
“I mostly just love helping people out any way I can. That’s why I do most of what I do.”
Grade 12 student Jack Coyne also received a Youth Community Enhancement Award for five years of serving on the North Vancouver City Library’s Teen Advisory Council. He acts as a voice for teens and helps organize events and displays.
Timothy Lin, also in Grade 12, was one of five students in the city to receive a Youth Centennial Scholarship worth $1,000 for his achievements and community service.
“It’s important to recognize all the good that our students are doing,” said English teacher John Mendoza.
“For us in the Catholic system, it’s an extension of what we believe. When they do good things in the community, it’s faith in action.”
Dozens of students from other public and private institutions also gained awards in various categories that day.
