Welcome back to another blog post everyone. Today we are taking about my last project of the year. This is crazy, I can’t believe that my grade 10 year is already over. It flew by, with lots of highlights and very few low lights. With the year coming to an end we of course have our spring exhibition. This years theme was the evolution of Canada, focusing on the moments that built the county we know today. 

This project is called Definitely not the 51st State, and I think that this is something important and worthwhile to touch on. In recent times Canada has been facing diversity, which is nothing knew for us. Canada is being put on the spotlight right now, and we handling it right. A lot of this project was about learning why we should be proud about Canada, and I think that I have a even better understanding now of why I should. Canada is a small county in terms of population, but a massive county in terms of pride, and that speaks levels. 

There were three standout check points in this project: Learning how to take Zetelkasten notes, The Human Library, and then a speech on Canadian identity. My favourite out of all of these was definitely making and giving the speech to my class. This was a massive opportunity to tell everyone what it meant for me to be a Canadian. 

Here is a link to the speech I wrote.

https://rice-clean-3e5.craft.me/ptWpyJdDqgKujD

After we finished learning and creating these three keystones, we moved on to exhibition preparation. Honestly the day that they handed out the roles ad groups I wasn’t there, so when I got back to school Ii had a bit of catching up to do. My group of three was in charge of portraying a 1950’s suburban family in Vancouver. I would say that we got lucky with one of the easiest ones, because we basically just sat on a couch and argued while watching a TV. Pretty sweet deal right. The exhibition had a little bit of a hiccup half way though, when both me and one of the other people in my group had to go help with signing people in at the front of the school, leaving only one group member to talk to all the parents and guests. Since the exhibition was formatted so that parents could walk through and see all of us, this was a little bit of a problem. In the end it worked out, but it was just another thing we had to think about. 

Overall, this project and exhibition did help me find a better understanding of being Canadian, while also gaining pride in my country. This exhibition pushed me outside of my comfort zone by talking to a bunch of different parents on the spot, and even the flash mob. This exhibition pushed me out of my comfort zone, by talking to parents on the spot, and even the flash mob. I have had a lot of great times this year and will definitely miss grade 10. with that being said I am super excited for everything grade 11 has to offer, inside school and out!

(Thank you for coming to my presentation of learning. I am the expert on my own learning. I am also responsible and accountable for my own learning. You can expect me to give an honest evaluation of my progress. We will discuss my strengths and opportunities for growth. Thank you in advance for listening and offering feedback that I can use to improve as a learner.) 

Hi everyone, and welcome back to another Transitional Presentation of Learning. We’ve had an exciting year in PLP 10, with new teachers, an amazing trip, and some many projects. I can’t believe it’s all over so soon. 

In this presentation I’m going to be focussing a lot on our VMV, or Vision, Mission, and Values. This is something that I missed out on looking at in my Mpol, which I now realize was a big mistake. So, during this presentation we will be going through all 9 of the values I chose and see if I did follow them throughout the year, mainly academically, but also in my personal life. I will tie in some examples of how we can see these values.

The way I will be talking about each prompt is by giving either a green circle, a yellow circle, or a red circle. Green means I have practiced this value consistently, yellow means I’ve done it a few times, and red means I haven’t really practiced it throughout  the year. So, lets get to it. 

My first section is integrity. I chose this section at the beginning of the year because I had been starting to practice prioritizing myself and what is good for me to become a better person. My first and second prompt I chose aren’t that complicated. I have practiced many times this year. I can think back to any point in the year and be able to say, yes I have focused on myself when I needed it. My last prompt there about keeping myself in a good mental state by note pushing myself to hard I put as yellow. I put this one at yellow not becasue I didn’t do it, but because I did it too much. There were times when I didn’t push myself at all resulting in late assignments, and sloppy work. I understand that this is not okay, and I understand that for next year I have to find that happy medium of being in a good state, while not being too lazy. 

Alright, off to a good start… 

Our next section is Reflection. Reflection is a massive part of PLP. I have known this forever. I have heard my brothers talk about having to revise stuff since I was in grade 5. This year I think I’ve really learned what it means to revive something, even though I’ve been doing it since grade 8. This year I’ve realized that revisions aren’t something I should be complaining about, but something I should be grateful for, it’s an opportunity to improve your work in the correct way. My First and second prompt are things that I had been working on in grade 9 and were probably yellow last year. I chose them because I think they’re big pieces of PLP and I’d rather get good at them now then grade 11.

 I put stars around my second prompt because I have definitely taken advice from my peers and been open minded. This is one of my most proud moments from this year. One example of me practicing  this is my Disney World Documentary. This project was a big part of this trip, because it represented all of our learning we did on this 8 day trip. The creation of this video was actually a pretty long process, we made quite a few drafts, and then had to collect all the footage in Florida, and then we put it all together when we got back home. During the whole process not only was I asking my friends and teachers to watch and give me feedback, I was using that information to create new ideas and pieces of my video.

Link to that projects post: https://www.blog44.ca/jonahl/2025/06/04/disney-world-2025-its-literally-a-country/

 My last prompt, trying not to feel frustrated when I’ve had to revise something multiple times, is something I’ve always struggled with. In past years I have found it tough to take criticism especially from my teachers. Whether it was becasue I feel it’s unfair, or to harsh, I’ve come to see that they were always trying to help us, even if that means being very blunt with the critique. This year my goal was simple, see the teachers point of view. I have found this to really help me, and am almost at the standard I would like myself to be. For next year I need to continue to practice this which will help my work get just that bit better.

Ok now our final section, balance. 

If you’ve ever been to one of my Presentations of Learning before, you’ll know that I’ve talked about balance, a lot. It’s something I’ve struggled with since I started school, not just in high school. I think a big reason for this is how much I have going on outside of school. This year has been no different. I’m either barely working and falling behind on assignments, or I’m working so hard that I shut myself off from everything else. That’s not balance it’s the opposite. I’ve tried different strategies to manage this, but none of them have really worked for me yet. Now, let’s talk about my prompts:

My first prompt is about balancing activities that are both challenging and enjoyable. I marked this one as yellow because I found it hard to strike that balance. Most of the time, something is either fun but too easy, or challenging but not enjoyable. This seems to be a recurring theme for me. Honestly, I’m still kind of lost on how to fix this. I’m good at doing “easy” assignments and “hard” assignments, but rarely find one that feels like both at once.

My second prompt is about taking breaks to help me focus. This one is easier to explain: when I take breaks, I often get distracted and struggle to get back on task. But when I don’t take breaks, I burn out and my work suffers. I need to find a way to reset without totally derailing my focus.

My third prompt is about eliminating distractions to do my best work. I marked this one as yellow because I’ve made progress — I’ve definitely been better at it — but I still have work to do. I’m confident that with more practice, I can turn this into a green by the end of next year. One example of me doing this is one of our case studies on Smart Brevity. during this assignment I remember going home, saying to my family I have dont get this done, I am giving myself 40 minutes to work at this and then I will come and take a break. In that 40 minutes time period or however long it was I got the whole thing done, because I was focussed with my phone not near me, and in a area were people wouldn’t come and distract me. 

Here are those notes. https://rice-clean-3e5.craft.me/X5Nb0m5Ytcn8pZ

So, now that we have gone through all of my prompts we can see that I have had a lot of success in my school year, and lots to look forward to for next year. However, before I wrap it up and say thank you for coming, we do need to address the reds and yellows in my VMV. It’s clear to see that I struggled the most in balance, so how do I fix that? Honestly I don’t know. I’ve been thinking about this for the last little bit of school, and I have come up with a plan for next year. My plan is to Use more resources that are provided to me. (ie. family reminders, things, focus mode, tutorial time). After talking to my mum about possible solutions to this, she mentioned that she didn’t even know deadlines and upcoming things outside of school. She reminded me that I don’t have to go struggle High School work alone, and that they actually want to help me. So for next year I will start normalizing using these recourses that not everybody has. 

Overall, I feel I am ready to move onto Grade 11. I am prepared enough and have shown that throughout this school year. I have a few things that I need to smooth out with my work habits, but as of right now, I am still getting my work done in a proficient way. I have had a lot of great times this year and will definitely miss grade 10. with that being said I am super excited for everything grade 11 has to offer, inside school and out!

Hi everybody, and welcome back to another blog post. This is our annual Field Study post, which means we just got back from a trip. Our class spent nine unforgettable days at Disney World where we explored how Walt Disney was a true Changemaker. It was more than just a vacation. It was a deep dive into the power of creativity, innovation, and storytelling.

Visiting Disney World felt like stepping into a storybook. Every detail, from the spotless streets to the immersive rides, was intentionally crafted. What surprised me most was how clean, organized, and purposeful everything felt. It wasn’t just fun. It was a look behind the curtain at how creative professionals build entire worlds that connect with people on a personal level.

One moment that really stuck with me happened at EPCOT. I overheard someone in my class say, “Wow, it looks like home,” while walking through the international pavilions. That simple comment hit me hard. It showed just how impactful design and storytelling can be when they reflect something familiar or meaningful.

Throughout the trip we learned about Imagineers, the brilliant minds who don’t just dream up ideas but figure out how to bring them to life. They don’t work alone either. It’s a huge collaboration and seeing how they lead creative teams was incredibly inspiring.

However this trip wasn’t just about working. It was also about experiencing the magic of Disney Land with your friends and creating memories. This was the part that, surprise surprise, was the most fun for me. I have made memories that I will literally never forget. Whether it was taking our shirts off on the Disney Log ride, to meeting all the iconic characters form our childhood as 15 and 16 year olds, to going on boiling hot runs at the resort. These memories are truly the things that made this trip one that I’ll never forget.

Before leaving I had set personal goals around connecting with others and finding my audience. I’m proud to say I really followed through. I asked thoughtful questions, sought out the right people, and let that shape the story I wanted to tell. The experience turned into a story of its own with each place we visited feeling like a new chapter in a bigger narrative.

In my film I focused on the message that anything is possible and that inspiration is everywhere, even in our own hometowns. I used comparison as a storytelling technique to help people connect emotionally even if the visuals weren’t perfect. I also got a lot better at filming B-roll and making sure I had everything I needed. I still need to add voiceovers and tidy up some footage but I’m really proud of how far it’s come.

Link to my Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/13kM01L8Yco?feature=shared

Coming back home I started noticing the same kind of design thinking and creative inspiration here in Vancouver. It changed the way I see everyday spaces and reminded me how far an idea can go when you keep pushing it forward.

While there wasn’t a single aha moment where I knew this was my future career I left feeling incredibly inspired to keep creating. One line I heard during a workshop at Animal Kingdom has stayed with me. We are the future, and our ideas will create the future. That really says it all.

Our film explores how your surroundings can shift your entire perspective. It’s kind of like hearing an old song that instantly brings back a forgotten feeling. One big takeaway from editing was realizing how much people can say with just a few words. That’s something I’ll carry with me into future projects.

At the end of the day the message I hope people take from our film is simple. Everything is possible and if you look closely you’ll find proof of that everywhere even right at home.

Hi everyone me welcome back to another blog post. In our most recent project we explored lots of themes into the 1950’s, and how we live different lives from the people back then. Our final product for this project was a Radio Play. Now you might be n king is, “what is a radio play??” Well a radio play is basically a bunch of people in a booth telling a story with lots of details, and sound FX. Let me give you some back story. 

We started off this project by first going over some of our understanding of Canada in the 1950’s and how things were starting to change. We looked at how different minority groups were starting to stand up to the government and fight for the rights they deserve. One really interesting person we learned about was Viola Desmond, a Black Privilege activist and change maker. When she was in Halifax in 1946 she was arrested for sitting in the wrong part of the movie theatre and charged with Tax evasion. This was because back the they segregated white people from everyone else. She didn’t agree with this and so she decided to take a seat in the better seats, the White people seats. After they threw her out of the theatre they charged her in court and she had to pay 26$, which nowadays would add up to around 368$. That’s a lot of money for sitting in the wrong seat. This really stood out to me even for back then. If a little thing like sitting in the wrong seat can accuse a whole Nation to start a Black Lives Matter movement, what would something bigger than that would have caused?

photo of us recording the play:  

To study for the radio play we watched the film Happy Town, where two teenagers from the 21st century are sucked into a 1950s radio play, and end up fixing the city. In this film they touched on topics of cultural diversity, women’s rights, and change. Our class decided to base our radio play off of this. We were each assigned different parts of the script to right. We learned how to satirize sentences as well as use sound FX to create a convincing story. For the presentation day, I wasn’t actually there. Unfortunately I wasn’t in the play but that was ok because I feel I helped a lot in the process of making the script among other things. The actual play went suer well and I think my whole class is proud of it.

Link to our play: https://youtu.be/_sUklZmrvyY

Overall I thought this project was fun and challenging in any ways. I found it hard to lean into my strengths in this project, but made up for it by learning new skills. To answer the driving question for this project, ‘How do we use a satirical radio play to communicate the shifts in Canadian society following WWII?’ I think the best way to answer this is a break down. The satiric radio play touched on many topics of controversy while still keeping it light and funny. As well, we showed how people changed and grew post WWII and gained a greater insight into the lives of people back then. I really enjoyed the parts of the project I was here for and would totally do it again!

Welcome back to another blog post! In our most recent project, we were tasked with creating a unique podcast about a life-changing experience. I really enjoyed this project  because it allowed me to showcase my strengths and share my passions with both my classmates and teachers in a creative way. 

For my podcast, I chose to focus on my experience at Field Hockey Nationals 2024. It was an easy topic for me to write and talk about because of how impactful the experience was. Competing at Nationals was truly life changing not just because of the tournament itself but because of everything that led me to that moment. I’ve also been watching my brother compete in national and international field hockey tournaments since I was a kid, so finally getting the chance to experience it for myself made it even more Awsome.

The actual process of creating the podcast took longer than I expected. One of the biggest challenges, was adjusting my original idea to align with the structure and requirements  set by my teachers. However, these revisions ultimately made my podcast more exciting and engaging. One of the highlights of the project was including  an interview with my former Team BC coach, Jérémie Leclair. It was an incredible opportunity to discuss Nationals with him, given how involved he is in the program and how much experience he has in high-level field hockey. His insights added a great perspective to my podcast.

To listen to the podcast type ‘The Big Stage Ep.1’

Overall, I really enjoyed working on this project because it allowed me to explore my passion for field hockey while improving my communication and storytelling skills. I also gained a deeper understanding of what goes on behind the scenes at Nationals and within the field hockey program as a whole.

Thanks for reading my blog post! I’ll be back with another one soon.

Thank you for coming to my presentation of learning. I am the expert on my own learning. I am also responsible and accountable for my own learning. You can expect me to give an honest evaluation of my progress. We will discuss my strengths and opportunities for growth. Thank you in advance for listening and for offering feedback that I can use to improve as a learner.

Welcome back to My Presentation of Learning or MPOL. This reflection is being written in early March for later context. This year for our MPOLs instead of having a outline that we have to follow, we get to chose The template that we write in so it fits our specific type of learning better. The way I will write my reflection in is not in project by project form, but rather by talking about the biggest strategies and problems I’ve encountered so far. So, without further ado, my 2025, Gr.10 MPOL’s.

The first thing I would like to talk about is how developing strategies and leaning into my strengths more has benefited me in more than just my academic endeavours. I realized early on this year that Gr.10 is tougher than last year, and that even though I might not like it, I have to put more effort into my academics. Looking. Back onto my first blog post for the year I can see that I already talked about this, but it is definitely worth it to talk about this again. When I talk about learning strategies, I don’t just mean using Things, or taking breaks, like I have talked about at every reflection of learning for the past two years, no I mean specific strategies that help me. These strategies often appear to be small things, but do help a lot. One of the biggest ones that I Would like to talk about is using music to help me. Almost everyday this year I have brought my overhear headphones to listen to music when I work. I have been doing this because I started to realize that we get a lot more work blocks this year, since often the lessons and assignments take longer than last year. There is something about listening to music that helps me zone out everything else out so that I can focus on my work, while also getting the benefit of listening to music which again, is something I like.

The other thing that has worked for me this year is leaning into my strengths and passions, especially in team or group work. What I mean by this is, when I work in a group or even by myself, I try to create an environment where I can show my strengths and passions, while also following the guidelines. This has helped me this year, because I find the given topic or assignment  easier to understand while also learning whatever it is I need to learn, in a way that supports my style of learning.

Now that we have talked about some positives of the year so far, its time to start talking about some areas where I could grow and learn. In my opinion this is the most important at of this whole presentation, because this is where I can honestly reflect on what I have not been doing to good on lately. The first thing I would like to talk about is something that my teachers are all to familiar with me talking about. It is my often lack of enthusiasm. This is something I have been working on since I started high school I think. This year I have been trying more to pay attention and go out of my way to participate in school and leave my comfort zone, which in some ways has been working, but its still definitely a challenge for me. I don’t want to talk so much about this because for the most part it hasn’t changed from last year and the year before, but I will end with saying that I am making a constant effort to put my hand up or participate in table group talks. 

The other thing that has been setting me back this year is how fast it has gone by. It feels like yesterday that I walked into the doors for the first day of Gr.10 and now we are more than half way through the year. I remember when I was in Elementary School I used to wish for the week to go by so I could get to the weekend. I used to say to myself “it’s Monday, so Tuesday’s tomorrow the Wednesday and then we are already half way through the week. After Wednesday it’s Thursday and you can look forward to Friday.” Almost to those exact words. Now I want school to slow down because I am starting to realize that life is getting serious and these are the last two years with my friends and teachers, and that has been destroying my mental state. It throws me off and I feel like the bell always rings to early and it stresses me out.

I don’t know if this is relatable, but it has been something that takes up a lot of my conscience.

The last thing that I can improve on for the second half of this year is not taking as many risks as I could. This isn’t that big of a concern for me because it necessarily setting me back, I’m just not doing as much as I possibly could. For the next half of the year I can improve on this by reminding myself that taking risks is the best way to create new opportunities to grow as a learner and a person in general.

Overall, this half of the year has been pretty casual for me. I don’t feel like I am falling behind at all, but I also don’t feel like i’m doing the best I could. Obviously their have been lots of personal wins and goals achieved, but their have also been lots of personal set backs. As you  can see earlier in this presentation, I have identified what is holding me back and how to try to fix these problems. However this isn’t just a thing for me to accomplish, I also will need help from my peers and family to get these problems resolved. I don’t quite know how you can support me with these setbacks, because there is no point saying “keeping me focused” or “reminding me what my goals are”, because I know that wont help, we’ve tried that before. 

As I start to finish this school year I am looking forward to Gr.11 while also trying to savour every moment of Gr.10. There were points this year where I have not wanted to do anything, even the stuff that I like, but when I come to school I get a break from all the stress and pressure from sports, finding work, and more. I find it hard to express my relationship with school, but I do know that it’s is constantly changing in a positive way. Thanks for reading my Mpol 2025, see you all at Tpols, 2025

Welcome back to another blog post, today I will be talking about the past Destination Imagination Regionals (DI), that happened earlier this month. We have been preparing for DI in class for about a month and a half before the tournament, and well let’s just say this tournament was a great learning experience. A really really good learning experience.

Let’s back it up a bit. Last year was my first time doing DI. Last year my group came first in every aspect of the tournament for both the Regional and Provincial competitions with minimal effort. This year we knew that we would be doing DI again, and I personally was not super excited, because it pushes you to do work outside of school and go outside your comfort zone to present. You might be like, why doesn’t he like that? Well personally I don’t really know. I don’t think its that I don’t like going outside of my comfort zone necessarily, but more that the stigma around DI  seeps in to my mindset, souring these aspects of the tournament.

Now that we know a little more about my mindset going into the tournament, let’s get a little more into how the process of getting into our groups and learning how to effectively collaborate together went. In my group none of us got the group members we had asked for, but this wasn’t that big of a problem, as we were mature and decided to rise above that fact instead of dwelling on it. My group is all boys, 4 in grade 10, and two in grade 9. Us grade 10’s knew that we had to rise up as the leaders and so that’s what we did, quickly developing a plan to keep us on track and aware of what was going on. Spoiler alert, this didn’t work at all. We assigned ourselves different parts of the challenge, I had to deal with a part of the machine.

Fast forward to the tournament date, we were unprepared and stressed. it was only about a week before the tournament that we had realized that there was a lot of work to be done and a lot of tasks that we thought were completed that weren’t. This left us scrambling at the last minute to get stuff done that we thought was already done. At one point we are so close to disqualification because we had not handed in forms and other things, that my teachers had to directly reach out to specific members of the group through text messages. The day of the performance we actually got a lot of work done and came up with a machine that we believe worked. At the actual performance, no one knew their lines and only one of the two machines worked. This was a big disappointment for us in the group especially the grade 10’s, as we believe that this was done and prepared. We had a very honest conversation after the tournament about what happened and why it happened and how we can improve. Our teachers are helping us along the way to this time.

Overall, it was a great learning experience because I never really been part of a DI group that fell apart that fast not much. I learned how to rise as a leader in short time situations and how stressful it could be. Learning how to lose is never easy, but I do believe that losing is the best way to learn. Regardless of our outcome I’m so proud of this group and can’t wait for the provincials!

Learning, Investing, and Smart Spending: My Journey as a Student

Being a student is an exciting yet challenging phase of life, especially when it comes to managing money. Between balancing school, work, and social life, it can be difficult to think about long-term financial goals. However, in school we’ve  recently taken an interest in investing, budgeting, and making smart financial decisions lessons that are already helping me navigate real-world financial challenges.

One of the best ways Ive learned about investing is through the Investopedia Stock Simulator. This game allows users to practice investing in the stock market with virtual money, mimicking real-world market conditions. I started playing because I wanted to learn how investing works without risking actual money.

At first, I had no idea what I was doing. I picked random stocks, hoping they would increase in value, but quickly realized that investing isn just about luck it requires strategy, research, and patience. Over time, I started studying market trends, reading financial news, and understanding different investment strategies. I learned about diversification, risk management, and long-term investing, which helped me improve my decision-making.

One of my biggest takeaways from the game was the importance of investing early. Even small amounts, if invested wisely, can grow significantly over time thanks to compound interest. This realization motivated me to start planning for my financial future, even as a student with limited income.

Another financial challenge we recently talked about is figuring out how to buy a car with minimal money. As a student, I don’t have a full-time income, so I knew I had to be strategic.

Heres what I learned through the process:

1. Setting a Budget Instead of focusing on the dream car I wanted, I focused on what I could actually afford. I factored in not just the purchase price but also insurance, maintenance, and fuel costs.

2. Considering Used Cars I quickly realized that buying a brand-new car wasn’t an option. Instead, I researched reliable used cars that had good mileage and a history of low maintenance costs.

3. Exploring Financing Options Since I didn’t have enough money to buy a car outright, I looked into low-interest student-friendly loans and used-car financing options. Some dealerships also offer flexible payment plans for students.

4. Negotiation is Key  I learned that car prices are often negotiable. By researching the market value of the car I wanted, I was able to negotiate a better deal.

5. Earning Extra Money To save up for the car, I took on side gigs like tutoring, freelance writing, and reselling items online. Even small amounts added up over time.

Ultimately, I found a reliable used car within my budget, and the process taught me valuable lessons in financial planning, negotiation, and patience.

As I learned more about investing and managing money, I realized that many of my peers were just as clueless as I was when I first started. In class we did presentations that talked about many finically minded topics.

A slide of my presentation:

Some of the lessons and questions I asked myself while doing this was;

Why start investing early?  The power of compound interest.

 Types of investments Stocks, index funds, ETFs, and bonds.

 How to research stocks Reading financial reports, following trends, and diversifying investments.

Avoiding investment mistakes Learning from common pitfalls like panic selling and chasing trends.

The best part of presenting is seeing people get excited about their financial future. Its rewarding to know that Im helping others make informed decisions about money, just as Ive been learning along the way.

Final Thoughts

My journey through the Investopedia Stock Game, buying a car on a budget, and presenting on investing has taught me valuable financial lessons that Ill carry with me for life. Investing, budgeting, and financial planning aren’t just for adults with stable incomes they’re skills that young people can start developing early.

If theres one thing Ive learned, its that small financial decisions today can have a huge impact on the future. Whether its investing a little bit each month, saving up for a big purchase, or helping others learn about finance, every step counts.

Im excited to continue this journey and see where it takes me. Have you ever thought about investing or making smarter financial decisions? Its never too early to start!

In our most recent project we started learning more about memorials and traumatic events that took place in Canada. My group chose to work on the Chinese Head Tax. We learned about what the Chinese Head Tax was and how it effected people then, and how it effects people now a days. We learned about how wrong this event was and how it should never be repeated again.

Our final products for this project where memorials that we would Walk through and express the wrongs that were committed on the Chinese people from 1885-1947. These memorials were small but very effective. We showed where in BC we would be so that it appealed to the right communities.

a photo of our memorial

I chose to make a memorial on the Head Tax because I was interested in it, as well as it potentially could have effected my family. My grandparents came over from China to Canada a mere 10 years after this event ended. If they had decided to go any earlier they would not have been allowed in the county even though they were just trying to find a new start for their young kids, including my dad.

Overall I think that this project did educate me about this topic even though I already knew quite a bit about it. I learned more about the communities and families that were unnecessarily destroyed during this period by the Canadian government. Our memorial was a good way to represent our feelings and thoughts around this topic, and understand the effects of this.

Welcome back to my third winter exhibition post! This year, I approached the exhibition with a clear understanding of what to expect and how to prepare for the challenges associated with it. I was determined to make the experience smoother for both myself and my team. The theme for this year’s exhibition was Marketing Me, which revolved around showcasing our personal strengths and ambitions to potential employers. Our final project consisted of booths that highlighted our interests and future aspirations. However, before diving into the exhibition itself, I want to reflect on the learning process we underwent leading up to the event.

Throughout this project, we had the pleasure of working with a new instructor, Mr. May, who guided us through half of the project. From the very first day, I was drawn to his unique teaching style, which I found refreshing compared to the other teachers in our Program for Learning and Performance (PLP). Mr. May’s approach made learning engaging. Together with Ms. McWilliam, whose teaching methods I was more accustomed to, they taught us valuable skills, such as how to craft an effective resume that truly reflects our strengths in an engaging and distinctive way.

For the exhibition booths, we were organized into groups based on our intended professions. This was not just an academic exercise; the underlying purpose of the exhibition was to network. I was happy to be placed in the health and sports group, as I had already planned to focus my booth on my past achievements and future goals in sports.

The exhibition night itself was a thrilling experience. I proudly displayed all my sports gear and wore my favorite jersey, which added a personal touch to my presentation. It was exciting to share my journey and passion for sports with attendees, many of whom were eager to learn more about my experiences and future aspirations. Overall, the project proved to be incredibly beneficial for me, as I was able to establish two valuable contacts during the night. Both indicated a strong interest in my plans related to sports and expressed a desire to connect further.

In retrospect, this exhibition was not just an opportunity to showcase our work; it was a chance for self-reflection. Engaging with others about my passion for sports allowed me to take a step back and evaluate my future after high school. The conversations I had during the exhibition prompted me to consider what path I want to pursue and how I can build on my accomplishments so far.

The key takeaway from this experience is the importance of effective self-marketing and networking