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#Written by David Tam #
#davidkftam@netscape.net Copyright 1999#
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Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation
Scholarship Application 1994-1995
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2)
My most significant achievement to date was my participation in the Shad
Valley Program at the University of British Columbia in July of 1994. As a
part of the program requirements, I was employed by Silicon Graphics Canada,
Inc. for the following month of August.
This achievement was of value to me because it allowed me to grow
intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. I gained an insight
into the future of science, technology, and entrepreneurship. I developed
better social skills because of the amount of teamwork that was involved in
completing the academic projects. With a very encouraging environment, I
matured emotionally and spiritually. The work term provided me with valuable
work experience in the corporate world. I was involved in a project called
Smart Toronto. It is a committee that was created by the Toronto business
community to insure that the Greater Toronto Area would be a leading centre for
commercial application development. My involvement in this project helped the
committee to raise approximately half a million dollars for these purposes.
After participating in this program, I have matured and gained a stronger
drive to achieve in life, and to gain new experiences. With this drive and
energy, I have channelled some of this magic into my attempt to initiate school
activities that would benefit other students as well as myself, such as the
Wilfred Laurier Highschool Stock Market Competition and the Canada First
Robotics Competition.
3)
In the school year of 1993-94, I decided to establish a computer graphics
club in my high school. My goal was to lead a group of creative individuals to
provide students and teachers with computer graphics for video productions. By
accomplishing this goal, I wanted to create a sense of technological strength
within the school.
In response to those objectives, I discussed my ideas with two staff
members who were potential sponsors of the new club. I recruited members and
trained them in the use of the computer systems to create the graphics. A club
proposal was drafted and submitted to the student activity council for
approval. Once successfully past that stage, the principal reviewed the
proposal and conducted an interview with me. The new club was given official
status and I took on the role of being the executive. Goals to achieve during
the school year were devised. Under my supervision, several projects were
undertaken. These included video graphics for a local senior school's 25th
year anniversary, a Halloween theme image, the composition of the gryphon
school mascot, titles for a culture festival video, and many others. Numerous
technical problems arose in these projects but they were successfully solved.
To promote the club, I wrote an article in the school newspaper revealing our
interesting projects for the year. This year, with the 25th year anniversary
of our high school, a video yearbook is being produced by the club for viewing
by all staff and students who had ever attended the school.
From the successes and failures I had as the club executive, I've gained
much experience. From the failures, I learned that projects should be planned
well in advance and work should begin immediately. It is difficult for the
members to generate new project ideas to maintain high productivity. Tasks
should be delegated to all members, and not executed by myself only. Opinions
and ideas must be heard by all members. Club meetings should be held on a
regular basis to discuss ideas, problems, and solutions. Fund raising and
publicity are very difficult to accomplish. From the successes, I learned that
it requires a lot of time and patience to complete projects to the desired
qualities. There are hidden talents in many of the members which can only be
realized by allowing them to work on the projects. My presence was necessary
to solve difficulties encountered by the members. Communication with the staff
sponsor must occur almost daily to discuss problems and to find solutions,
though bureaucracy should be avoided. As an initiator and leader, I've learned
that initial goals and desires often become altered as situations develop.
I've learned to never set limits on the capabilities of the club and to always
experiment with new alternatives to provide several solutions to a problem.
From these experiences, I've gained valuable insight into the role of a leader
and initiator.
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