Carmen Yue
Harbord C.I.
Toronto Mandarin Lions Club Academics Award
Harbord C.I.
Toronto Mandarin Lions Club Academics Award
Achieving a high academic average was Carmen’s goal when she arrived seven years ago from China. She had to overcome the challenges of learning a new language and establishing herself in a new country. She accomplished this all through high school where she maintained an overall average of over 90%, as well as 100% in math. She was also 100% committed to her school as the treasurer of the Girls’ Athletic Association, a peer facilitator and a member of numerous school teams and clubs.
Carmen received many academic awards at Harbord C.I., including the Binh To Award, Lena Winesander Award, Stella Campbell Award, Junior “H” for leadership, Centennial Scholarship, Edward Culmer Award and Junior Engineering and Computer Science Gold Price Award. For two years, she participated in the Aventis Biotech Challenge at the Hospital for Sick Children where she led her team to receive the Award of Merit. She represented her school at the University of Toronto Brain Bee and Biology Contest. As a Royal Canadian air cadet in the aerospace program, she won the Best Academic Performance Award for achieving 96%. She is the recipient of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award.
August Lew Kee
Malvern C.I.
Murphy & Chung Chartered Accountants Athletic Award
August’s love of sports began in the after-school programs of Toronto’s Parks and Recreation centres when she arrived as a toddler from Hong Kong. In her later years at high school, she excelled in athletics. She was the captain of the championship swim team and synchronized advanced swim team. She represented her school competitively for cross-country running, badminton and volleyball. As a proponent for eliminating gender bias in sports, she was on the school’s tennis team for men. And through her initiative, the qualifications for the school athletics awards were changed so that they were the same for men and women. In the community, August was an instructor for Tae Kwon Do and a coach for softball, swimming and basketball. She won the ladies’ single and doubles tennis championships.
August’s awards in athletics include 2003 MVP, Junior “M”, Senior “M”, and Honours “M”, as well as over 30 gold, silver and bronze awards for her accomplishments on the teams for swimming, slow pitch and basketball. She was an Honours student through high school.
Patrick Kam
Unionville H.S.
Toronto Elegant Lions Club Arts Award
Art and music are Patrick’s favourite subjects in school. Piano lessons started at age six and continue today where he is currently working on his Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 10 piano, music harmony 5, and music history 5. His achievements in music festivals and piano competitions include 39 trophies, 8 medals and 4 North American Championships. He won first place, Certificate of Merit, and second place in Grade 9 piano (Chopin) in the Music Scarborough Festival and first place, Grade 9, and second place, Grade 8, in the Markham Music Festival. His other awards include the Academics and Arts Award and Mayor’s Youth Task Force Youth Award. Patrick plays in the jazz, honour and enrichment bands at his high school.
Patrick also loves to express himself though art. He is majoring in visual arts where he is developing his technique in drawing and sculpture. Patrick’s artwork has been recognized with numerous awards and has been displayed at the Markham Civic Centre.
Joyce Chan
York Mills C.I.
TD Canada Trust Community Services Award
Volunteering in the community is important for Joyce who developed her leadership skills during high school. She was President of the York Mills’ Athletic Council for two years. As the President and Vice-President of the International Issues Club, she promoted awareness of the cultural diversity in her school. She co-founded the Terry Fox Run at her school and organized its annual Multicultural Performance for two years. She coordinated the Student Leadership Conferences in 2002 and 2003. She was the Assistant Captain of the volleyball team that won the 2002 North York Championships and the Captain of the 1999 North York Soccer Championship team.
Despite the demands to maintain her high scholastic achievements and involvement in student activities, Joyce volunteered at the Extend-a-Family program. She developed a lasting friendship as a mentor with a young person with a disability. She also volunteered at the Cummer Lodge Retirement Home, Covenant House and Eva’s Place.
Joyce’s numerous awards include the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, Outstanding Achievement Award, Canadian Millenium Scholarship, Gold and Silver Citizenship Awards, Canadian Merit Scholarship and the Chinese Cultural Centre Youth Achievement Award.