Congratulations To Our 2014 High School Grads!

Congratulations to Mackenzie C, Emma B and Catalina G who graduated from Grade 12 last month! These three graduates are all senior NPIDA dancers, Assistant Teachers and members of Eire Born.

Mackenzie and sister Camryn

Mackenzie

Mackenzie

Mackenzie

MACKENZIE
Mackenzie has been dancing with NPIDA for many years and is a longtime Eire Born team leader and Assistant Teacher, as well as being a multiple World Qualifier. She is an Open Championship dancer, and at the past three North American Championships she placed 7th (2012), 5th (2013) and 4th (2014). At the World Championships Mackenzie placed 32nd in 2014 and 28th in 2013. She has also been a top placer and World Qualifier for seven consecutive years at the Western Canadian Oireachtas, including as a U-11 Prizewinner dancer! She placed 5th (2007), 6th (2008), 4th (2009), 6th (2010), 3rd (2011), 4th (2012) and 2nd (2013).

Mackenzie's dedication to dance and her exemplary leadership skills as an Eire Born team captain and NPIDA Assistant Teacher have been recognized with multiple awards, including the NPIDA and EBIDS Garlene Pickett Awards (2009-2014 consecutively) and the Pat and Vic Eire Born Team Leadership Award (2013).

Mackenzie has graduated from Windsor Secondary School in North Vancouver. She and a few other students volunteered to set up an initiative at Windsor for mental health, creating a poster filled with positive notes, resources to get help and visual examples of what mental health can look like. She also attended the youth mental health conference "Talk at the Top" as a representative for Windsor. Mackenzie was also involved in the Interact club, Best Buddies program (forming friendships with special needs students), and Student Council.

Mackenzie has been accepted into the Human Kinetics program at Capilano University and has opted to defer her acceptance. She plans to attend Blanche MacDonald Centre in the fall of 2014 to take Freelance Makeup Artistry, and attend Capilano University the following year.

This summer Mackenzie is continuing to teach at NPIDA camps and workshops. She plans to continue teaching, dancing and competing with NPIDA this upcoming year. Congratulations Mackenzie!

 

Emma and her soccer teammates and coaches at grad

Emma and her dad Greg

Emma before her grad banquet
with Mackenzie and Camryn

Emma

 

EMMA

Emma has been dancing at NPIDA for many years and is a longtime Eire Born team leader and Assistant Teacher. She is an Open Championship dancer and was a 3-time recaller at the Western Canadian Oireachtas: 15th (2008), 18th (2011) and 16th (2013). She has represented NPIDA at several North American Championships and also competed at the 2013 World Championships in Boston as a member of NPIDA's senior 8-Hand team.

Emma's dedication to dance and her exemplary leadership skills as an Eire Born team captain and NPIDA Assistant Teacher have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Pat McAndless Award of Excellence (2013 and 2014), the NPIDA and EBIDS Garlene Pickett Awards (2009, 2012 and 2013), and the Pat and Vic Eire Born Team Leadership Award (2011).

Emma has graduated from Seycove Secondary School in North Vancouver. She was a member of the Seycove Grad Council, Student Council and the Seycove Ultimate Frisbee team. She also volunteered at Distrikt Movement in North Vancouver. At her convocation Emma was the recipient of several scholarships:

- Simon Fraser University Academic Entrance Scholarship
- York University Major Entrance Scholarship
- Vancouver Elementary Principal's and Vic Principal's Association Scholarship
- Canadian Federation of University Women's Scholarship
- Seycove Parent Advisory Council Scholarship

Emma has decided to attend Simon Fraser University this fall in the Arts and Social Sciences Faculty. She will be living in residence and hopes to join the intramural Ultimate Frisbee and softball teams. While at SFU she plans to travel abroad and hopes to join a co-op program. In the long term she is interested in International Studies, Economics and History.

This summer Emma is volunteering as a receptionist at Distrikt Movement. She is not certain presently what her plans are for dance next year; it will depend on the NPIDA class schedule and her SFU class schedule. Congratulations Emma!

Catalina and her family Claudia, Bill and Christopher at her grad

Catalina

Catalina with her new car -
a graduation gift from her grandparents

Catalina

CATALINA
Catalina has been dancing at NPIDA for many years and is a longtime Eire Born team leader and Assistant Teacher. She is an Open Championship dancer and was a 6-time recaller at the Western Canadian Oireachtas: 9th (2006), 7th (2007), 18th (2010), 13th (2011), 12th (2012) and 6th (2013). She was thrilled to be a World Qualifier at the 2013 Oireachtas, and attended the World Championships in London in April 2014. As well, she competed at the 2013 World Championships in Boston as a member of NPIDA's senior 8-Hand team. Catalina has also represented NPIDA at several North American Championships.

Catalina's dedication to dance and her exemplary leadership skills as an Eire Born team captain and NPIDA Assistant Teacher have been recognized with multiple awards, including the EBIDS Garlene Pickett Award (2009), the Pat and Vic Eire Born Team Leadership Award (2012), and NPIDA's Most Improved Work Ethic Award in 2014.

Catalina has graduated from Steveston-London Secondary School in Richmond. She was a volunteer in many capacities during her highschool years, including Student Council (Grades 8-12) and Remembrance Day Volunteer and Emcee. Catalina was also a member of the Drama Club in Grades 10-12 and took part in many plays, including several lead roles. She was a member of the basketball team in Grades 8-10 and the Ultimate Frisbee Team in Grade 12.

In Grades 10-12 Catalina volunteered as a Grade 7 Fun Day Leader, helping to organize events for incoming Grade 7 students and giving them an opportunity to meet their fellow high school classmates through games and activities, school tours, meeting teachers and talking to them about life in high school and how to get involved.

In Grade 11 she was a Grade 8 Camp Leader, helping to organize a 3-day camp retreat for Grade 8 students and leading camp events and activities. In Grade 12 she was one of three Grade 8 Camp administrators, overseeing leadership for the whole camp, organizing all camp events, activities, cabin assignments, dealing with medical information and allergies, overseeing the student leaders, and running all the planning meetings prior to the camp. In total this was 300 hours of volunteer time.

At her convocation Catalina was the recipient of several awards and scholarships:

- Steveston-London Major Service Award (outstanding service to the school)

- Etta Demerse Scholarship (for a student attending post secondary in Vancouver)

- Kronier Family Scholarship (outstanding involvement in the community)

- Richmond Sunset Rotary Art Scholarship (outstanding involvement in visual or performing arts)

- Richmond Chinese Community Scholarship: Michael Diston Memorial (outstanding involvement with fine arts)

Catalina will be attending Langara College in fall 2014 and taking General Arts for two years. She plans to then transfer to UBC to complete a degree as an Elementary School Teacher in order to continue her passion for working with children. This summer she is working at Brown's Social House Restaurant in Richmond. ("Feel free to stop by and say hi"). In mid-August she will be travelling to Waterloo Ontario to compete in the Canadian National Ultimate Championships.

 

Catalina has not yet decided whether she will continue dancing competitively next year, but she plans to stay involved with NPIDA through teaching, dancing in shows and taking dance classes for fun. She says "I am so lucky to be part of such an incredible dance school, and I just want to say thank you to my teachers, the dancers and all the dance moms who have supported me all these years!". Congratulations Catalina!

 

Congratulations Mackenzie, Emma and Catalina!

We are so proud of you!