Academics
SOUL Seeking Finalist Feature: Yangchen T.
Shawnigan students have been working hard all year on their SOUL Seeking inquiry projects. Following two days of science fair-style presentations, 16 finalists were announced, with the top three projects chosen after final presentations were made to a panel of judges. Over the next few weeks, we will feature each of these outstanding finalists. Congratulations to all students on another wonderful year of SOUL Seeking!
Grade 10 student Yangchen T. knew early on in her SOUL Seeking journey that the topic she would choose would in some way benefit her home country and those who are less fortunate. Coming from Nepal at the height of the pandemic and experiencing firsthand the disparity in access to masks for the local people, she knew she had to do something. With the price of masks rising to unobtainable levels for many, she saw people either not wearing them or using the same mask for weeks. This led her to the idea of making masks and giving them to the poorest people in Kathmandu.
Having no previous sewing experience, Yangchen had a lot to learn throughout the year. She learned to enjoy the process, not focus on the final product, and when to reach out for help (sooner rather than later!). She is grateful for projects such as SOUL Seeking, as they have given her a platform to explore a new skill while doing something for her community. When she travels back to Nepal this summer, she will be distributing the masks to those who genuinely need them.
A big congratulations to Yangchen on her SOUL Seeking project, one of this year’s three winning projects awarded an honorarium of $500.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
