New Westminster Secondary Student Iveta Demirova is up for one of country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships – the Loran Award.
Demirova is one of 84 finalists for the national scholarship, which recognizes character, service and leadership. The Grade 12 student has a number of accomplishments already under her belt, including leading the school’s Initiative for Neuroscience and Dementia club through which she founded the annual Communi-Tea, a day-long community discussion between residents young and old on dementia and mental health.
Last fall, Demirova won the Sanofi Biogenius Canada competition for a research project she began in Grade 10 on HIV/AIDS immunology. Through her research, she worked towards redesigning an HIV inhibitor.
Demirova will be in Toronto Feb. 3 and 4 for national selections hosted by Loran Scholars Foundation. If she is one of the 32 scholars chosen, Demirova will receive a $10,000 annual stipend, tuition waivers for a Canadian university, mentorship, summer internship funding and annual retreats and forums. The winners will be announced after the national selections weekend next month.
Best of luck, Iveta, we’ll be cheering for you.
Grand pals returns
Century House is looking for seniors to take part in the grand pals program with students from Lord Kelvin Elementary school.
Through the program, seniors and students at the elementary school spend time together during monthly visits. The plan is to alternate the visits between the school and Century House. It gets started in February.
If you’re interested, leave your name at the Century House office. Please indicate if you’ve been a grand pal before. Someone will call you with the details once the February date has been confirmed.
Parents’ Night Out
Teach your child about their digital identity with help from the Parents’ Night Out committee.
The group, made up of representatives from the New Westminster school district, Family Services, Fraserside Community Services, New Westminster Youth Services, New Westminster DPAC, New Westminster Police Department and New Westminster Teachers’ Union, is hosting another free info night for parents on Feb. 21.
“As a parent, you must lead the charge as a digital role model and help your child develop a strong digital citizenship foundation while reminding them that their digital footprint is a reflection of their real and online selves,” read an event notice.
Registration is required for the two-hour session, click here to sign up. The event will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Justice Institute of B.C., 715 McBride Blvd.
Purpose on display
Students at Purpose Secondary School are getting a show of their own when the exhibition On Purpose opens at the Gallery at Queen’s Park next week.
From Feb. 1 to 26, folks can stop by the gallery and check out artwork by students at the independent school, located in downtown New Westminster. There will be an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 1. It’s open to everyone and light refreshments will be served.
Gallery at Queen’s Park is open Wednesdays from 1 to 8 p.m. and Thursdays through Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
