Local student awarded prestigious scholarship

Jun 10, 2010

Amelia Redmond. Photo courtesy of Amelia Redmond.

Seventeen-year-old Amelia Redmond of Sharbot Lake was thrilled when she recently found out she was awarded a two-year scholarship to attend the Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia.

Nestled on the Pacific Ocean near Peddar Bay, the college - named after Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson - offers pre-university students an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, an internationally accepted qualification for university. The mission of the college is to “make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future” and its specialized curriculum aims to “educate the whole person and work towards peace, compassion and understanding between peoples.”

Redmond is one of just 200 students from over 100 countries worldwide to be offered the scholarship, which will pay her tuition, room and board over two years.

Students are selected “based on promise and potential regardless of race, religion, politics and financial means.

Redmond is currently finishing up grade 11 at KCVI in Kingston and when asked why she feels she was chosen, she said that although good grades are a definite “must”, her numerous extra curricular activities went a long way towards her selection as one of the three Ontario students chosen. There were 65 applicants from Ontario alone.

Amelia has been a member of the Student Association during her two years at KCVI and has been active in fundraising events there. At just 12 years of age she was a page in the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park, an experience that developed in her a love for politics. She not only does ballet but is also a well-rounded musician and plays ukulele and piano. She is a long-time member of the Cantabile Choir of Kingston and is also one half of the contemporary folk duo “Sara and Amelia", which performs live shows in Kingston. Acting is an ongoing pursuit; she has performed various roles in a number of local NFLT productions. If that is not enough, she also speaks French and Spanish.

Amelia admits that the application process was rigorous and she was required to write numerous essays about her suitability as a prospective student. Redmond says that though at 17 she is not 100% certain of what career she will pursue, she is looking forward to the challenges offered at the college.

“The program promotes cultural understanding by living and studying with people from other cultures, which makes perfect sense, and I’m really looking forward to the curriculum which allows us to delve deeply into a number of different subjects. I also really enjoy immersing myself in new environments and meeting new people and I feel extremely comfortable when having to adapt to new situations.”

Amelia is also well aware of the opportunities that will come her way as a graduate of the program, since many prominent schools around the world offer scholarships specifically to graduates of the college. There are a few general goals that she is setting her sights on: “I am hoping the course will secure me the kind of future that I want - which is to be successful by doing things that will benefit not just me, but the greater world. I definitely want to be able to make a difference.”

For Amelia’s parents, her acceptance to the program is bitter sweet. While they share her excitement, they understandably become emotional when discussing her imminent departure. “I’m so excited for her," said her mom, Rosanna, “and I rest assured knowing that every person I have spoken to who has attended the school has said it was the best thing that ever happened to them.”

Amelia and her parents will be making the trip out west in mid-August when her job at the Silver Lake campground finishes at the end of the summer.