Maple Ridge secondary student wins $110,000 scholarship

The grad class from Maple Ridge secondary school features 11 students who have earned academic scholarships ranging from big to whopping.

Daisy Li, an international student from China who has attended MRSS for the last three years, was the top scholarship winner with a $110,500 award.

She said it was an unbelievable amount, and she had to be convinced she had really won so much.

Next year, Li will attend the University of Toronto for studies in a Communication, Culture, Information and Technology Program, and said she hopes to work in the fashion industry.

She said her parents chose Maple Ridge to keep her focused.

“My parents know me so well. They know if they put me in Vancouver there are a lot of distractions for me, and I couldn’t focus on studying,” she said. “But Maple Ridge is quite a small town, and quiet. I can focus more on studying here.”

She put up a 97 per cent average, and admits her laser focus sometimes drifted to friends and shopping.

“I work really hard, but I also have leisure time,” she said. “Before COVID, I would go shopping every day.

There are also three more international student scholarships to UBC of $80,000.

Marshal Guo, from China, won one of the $80,000 scholarships, and he will study computer science. Guo has attended MRSS for five years, and said he has made a lot of friends. His average is a perfect 100 per cent.

Guo will also compete on the UBC fencing team, and looks to be an immediate contributor – he took second place at a Canada Cup event in 2019 in Richmond, in the under-23 class.

Diamond Gao, from China, also won an International Student Scholarship of $80,000, and will attend UBC in the engineering faculty. She is interested in engineering physics or electrical engineering.

Gao had an academic average of 99.5 per cent, while also participating in extra curriculars like the physics Olympics team and student council. She attended MRSS, where she has been for three years, because her good friend and neighbour in China also graduated from MRSS and went on to university.

Jessica Yoon won an International Student Scholarship of $80,000, and she will study science at UBC. She is interested in biology and neuroscience. Yoon came to Maple Ridge in Grade 8, and attended Garibaldi secondary for two years. She found there were numerous Korean speakers there, so she transferred to MRSS to use more English. She has an average of 95 per cent. Yoon also has a black belt in Taekwondo.

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Aidan Scarcella won a UVIC entrance scholarship of $28,000 and will study economics and political science. He posted an average of 98.75 per cent.

Jack Emley-Graham was awarded a TWU presidential entrance scholarship of $24,000, and will study human kinetics and kinesiology. His average is 96 per cent. He will also be a member of the track team, and the pole vaulter got an additional $5,000 as an athletic scholarship.

Ethan Page was awarded a UVIC entrance scholarship of $28,000, and will study music. He posted a 97 per cent average, and impressed in his audition as a percussionist.

Ivy Threatful won an SFU entrance scholarship of $27,000, and will study archeology and forensic sciences. Threatful posted a 93 per cent average, and was involved in numerous activities including the wrestling team, school council, field hockey, band and volunteer work. She also had an athletic scholarship.

Lily Carlisle was awarded a UVIC entrance scholarship of $24,000 for her 96 per cent average. She will study humanities, and hopes to go into anthropology.

Ella Treleaven won a UVIC entrance scholarship of $24,000 for a 96 per cent average, and will study theatre.

Afton Carlisle also was awarded a UVIC entrance scholarship of $24,000 for a 96 per cent average, and will study humanities.

It is believed to be the first time MRSS has had a grad class with so many large scholarship winners.