These photos provide a snapshot of my work and experiences over the last few years. The skills I have gained and shared through these experiences will be brought into our schools and classrooms as I work with administration, learn and share with colleagues, build relationships with parents and families, and inspire students to do their best and find their unique passion for learning. I know what it feels like to be nervous when learning something new or taking on a new role or task and I also know what it feels like to be supported by encouraging people so that I can do my best and offer my best to those in my care. I give my best self to my students, their families, and the larger school setting. I will never stop learning and challenging myself to find new ways to connect with those in my midst and the right way to reach each individual who enters into my classroom.
In my role as the Associate Director of Sorrento Centre, Retreat and Conference Centre I served in a public role: welcoming guests, providing procedure, safety and activity information, fundraising, highlighting the work of the Centre, introducing workshops and speakers, and thanking those who provided leadership. (photo: Jesse Geschke)
In my varied roles within the Anglican Church of Canada I have presented the work of various committees and groups at local, provincial and national gatherings. This has included both summarizing the work and leading groups through visioning and information gathering workshops. (photo: Philomena Hughes)
In 2008 I chaperoned my first group of youth in attending the British Columbia and Yukon Anglican Youth Movement’s (BCYAYM) Fall Conference. I have continued to be involved in BCYAYM since that time as both a youth leader and an elected member of the BCYAYM Council. Most recently I have been appointed as one of two Adult Lay Representatives to the Council and support a group of youth and youth adults as they plan and implement conferences and retreat for youth across BC. (photo: Kimberly Blaire)
I have been leading groups of young people since I was a youth myself. For the last ten years I have worked at St. Paul’s Anglican Cathedral coordinating their Youth Ministry Programs. I gather with youth bi-weekly and with a team of leaders I’ve mentored we provide programming including: paint nights, science nights, off-site trips (rock climbing, hiking, etc), kindness activities, conversations and activities about reconciliation, soup making for those in need, card making for those in Seniors Homes, physical activities, and a lot of baking and cooking!
In November 2020 I was presented with the Anglican Award of Merit. The award is given to individuals who “have made an outstanding contribution over several years to the life and work of the Church nationally and/or internationally, or ii) have performed work nationally and/or internationally on a short-term basis that has made a significant impact on the life of the Church.” This photo is important to me as it represents my journey in working with young people. Many of these young adults in this photo were children in primary school when I first started working with them. I hold memories of watching them grow up: journeying with them while they went through high school (including hosting “Planning 10 Parties” to encourage the graduation requirements of the program!), to their graduation and now as they travel the world, complete post-secondary education, begin and explore careers, and enter into relationships, having children of their own, and sometimes moving. It has been a deep honour to watch the first group of children I started working with enter into adulthood and take on leadership roles.
This photo represents my commitment to hands on learning. This this photo youth group members are making their own “ice cream in a bag” samples, which they have set up themselves. The conversations in the midst of this experiment centred around wondering why the making of ice cream was more effective when there was salt in the bag with the ice. I believe in giving students the information and direction so they can be successful balanced with the space needed to wonder, explore, and trial and error.