Story:
Two high achieving students were recognized for their leadership in community projects this month with tens of thousands in Canada Millennium Scholarship funds.
Jaslyn Habert was awarded one of 19 national scholarships worth $25,000, and Eden Imbeau received one of 96 local awards of $4,500.
"When I actually found out I won - wow - it was quite a moment," said Habert. "We had a bit of a shriek-fest. My friends were over when I found out, and one of them was hugging me, and whips me around and I broke my toe on the wall.
"My reaction was great, except for the pain, but other than that it was really, really exciting," she laughed.
Habert said she has her sights on a United Nations position involved with communities on a grassroots level. Her aspirations mirror volunteer work the teen has already undertaken. Habert was recognized for the various community projects she's accomplished through the Howe Sound Secondary Interact Club, including four 30-hour fasts to raise money for the Emmanuel Boys rescue centre in Nairobi, and volunteer efforts with the SAM project (Sustainability through Agriculture and Micro-Enterprises), which enables local enterprise in communities in Southern Zambia that have been affected by HIV/AIDS.
Habert travels to Zambia in July to work on the agricultural micro-enterprising endeavours firsthand.
"Now it's going to be humanitarian aid work over there where they're actually on the ground doing agricultural projects and micro-enterprising. That's pretty exciting to get to see that."
Although she's never been to Africa, Habert said she's travelled to various Third World countries with her parents, which led her to want to dedicate her life to helping others.
Habert intends use the funds to attend UBC to study political science and African studies.
Imbeau was also recognized for organizing various community events, including a municipal all-candidates meeting for high school students not yet old enough to vote. She took on this endeavour out of frustration with low voter turnout, states the Millennium news release. Imbeau and friend Claire Ourum also organized last year's Remembrance Day ceremonies at the high school
Imbeau said she finds satisfaction out of the challenge of working with people and organizing something "out of nothing" to watch it come to fruition.
"It's a good feeling," she said.
She said both the students and municipal candidates appreciated the event on a somewhat surprising level.
"They actually liked it a lot, better than I thought they would. There were only a few people sleeping," she laughed. "We kept it really fast-paced so only one-minute answers, and only five candidates answering. When we asked the questions from the floor, the students really got involved. They asked a lot of really good question and I think the candidates were surprised."
Imbeau intends to use the scholarship funds to attend UBC and eventually enter the filed of health sciences.
