Jasperite Diana Gil is on a path of adventure and continuous learning.
Following a year of private school in Victoria, B.C. and a trip to Cambodia and Thailand last spring, the 17-year-old is now heading to New Mexico on a full two-year scholarship to the United World College (UWC).
The college is a pre-university college where students complete an IB diploma鈥攅quivalent to a high school diploma. UWC has 12 schools in 12 countries, each bringing together students from around the globe in an attempt to create a more peaceful and sustainable future.
Gil learned about the program through her older brother Chris, who just completed his two-year UWC program at Lester B. Pearson College in Victoria鈥攖he only Canadian UWC campus.
鈥淲hen he first applied to it, I thought it was really cool,鈥� she said last week. 鈥淪o I started my research about two years ago. I looked at all the schools and thought it was such a cool thing.鈥�
So last winter, Gil filled out all the necessary forms, wrote three essays and sent her application off to the UWC. 鈥淥nce you get through that, you basically have to forget about it for three months and wait and see if you get in,鈥� she said.
It was March when a letter finally arrived in the mail saying Gil was selected for an interview. Shortly after she found out she was one of the students selected for the program.
Although attending UWC extends her high school career by a year, Gil said the experience will be more than worth it. 鈥淧lus I also get an extra year to decide what I want to apply to in university.鈥�
Gil leaves for Montezuma, New Mexico Aug. 19. She said she鈥檚 most excited to meet her fellow classmates and to learn about the world through their experiences and beliefs.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to meeting all the people and pushing each others boundaries in terms of cultural differences.
鈥淲hen we dropped Chris off for the first time, I saw the community of Pearson and it was amazing.
鈥淵ou see these people from Pakistan and Israel and they鈥檙e happy and together, there鈥檚 no conflict. I think if teenagers are able to live in a community and not have any fights or conflicts or issues that are affecting their own countries, why can鈥檛 adults be able to do that? That really opened my eyes. It was the real push to get me to apply.鈥�
Although it鈥檚 not easy having an empty nest, Gil鈥檚 mother, Jennifer, said she sees a lot of value in what her kids are doing and experiencing through UWC.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that they do everything they can, whether it鈥檚 a small or a big thing.
鈥淚 always thought it would be a waste not to do something. I think you have to live your life a in a way that when you leave the world it will be a better place because you lived.
鈥淚 think my children are aware of that and they want to pursue it.鈥�
Nicole聽 Veerman
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