B.A.’S Susan Young: An all-around student

We had our student after some discreet inquiries. That student is Susan Young, who has excelled in all the above mentioned areas for the past several years, has been part of championship sports teams, delighted us with her singing at the various concerts, has gotten involved with community service events, and has kept up with honor roll marks.

Susan was that voice from the bench a few years ago, so we decided to have a chat with her and her folks over the holidays, and talked about how she does all that work, her influences, and maybe what makes her tick.

We asked Susan how she has found the time to do all these activities and keep high marks. “Honestly, I just say to myself, if it’s something I wanna do, you’ll take the time to do it, and I really have to say the teachers and the admin have let me poke around because I do so many things that I’m never there for every single event that takes place, but I just pop in here and there and give it my best,” stated Susan.

For someone who’s involved in lots of stuff, there must be some positive influences in the background. Susan definitely mentions, “My biggest influence would have to be my family, especially my parents, they’ve been there for me since day 1, pushing me, making me feel like nothing’s impossible.” Musically, Susan mentions Christina Aguilera and singer Craig Owens from Chiodos for having overcome pneumonia, and athletically, proudly says teacher Miss Jamanji was there for her, “she believed in me, she made me try really hard in wrestling, and achieved a silver medal, when I thought that I wouldn’t be in the top 3.”

The influences of her parents and her confidence came in handy a few years ago, when she stopped the singing thing in Sec 2, because as Susan says she wasn’t good enough, and parents having told her, “If I try really hard, I’ll be able to achieve it.” So Susan took a break from singing in Grade 9, and continues, “I’m gonna work hard for a year or two, give it my all, and hopefully when I come back, I’ll be the star that I so desire.”

Susan, also a pianist, made a triumphant return last year to the BA stage being asked to sing at the Peaceful Schools ceremony singing a Sarah McLachlan song, and since then has given us powerful performances at the past two music concerts well documented in this paper and also sang the national anthem at last year’s grad.

Susan readily admits to loving school, much to the delight of the teaching staff, citing French as her favorite subject but not being able to name any bad subjects. This attitude has served her well having earned exceptional merit or honor roll recognitions, including a first term average of 89% this year.

Her involvement in community projects proudly shows when she talks about ‘Kids Help Phone’ as a student ambassador and Susan continues, “It touches me, it’s a toll-free call for teens in need, and getting the word out there about it, makes me feel really happy to know that I’m giving back to the community.”

Susan’s positive attitude about school and getting involved in after-school and community activities, the support of her parents, along with the confidence in her abilities by people from outside the school milieu, will no doubt serve her well in the future in whatever path she decides to follow in her pursuit of being as she says, “the star she so desires.” Then maybe, an ordinary superstar!