With the arrival of high school graduation season, a Chilliwack high school student has been awarded a Beedie Luminaries scholarship.
Grade 12 student Abby Isaak of Sardis Secondary was awarded the scholarship of up to $44,000 which recognizes students who have faced life challenges and adversity with determination and resilience.
“I cried a little bit, I was very shocked,” said Isaak on receiving the news. “It was very surprising, and exciting, and relieving as well to know that a lot of my post-secondary will be covered by the scholarship.”
Issak, although incredibly grateful, admitted she was slightly surprised when she received a call from the organization telling her the good news.
“There was an interview process beforehand ... and I felt that I really messed it up,” she recalled laughingly. “During one of the questions, I just had a complete brain-fart in the middle of it and I think I was just talking nonsense, because I was cut off in the middle of it.
“I just completely froze.”
Isaak said it was an aunt of hers that first told her about the scholarships. Then she was reminded by her school’s social media before applying back in January.
The Chilliwack-born student will be studying science at Vancouver Island University in hopes of pursuing careers in either pharmaceutical science or physiotherapy.
The Beedie Luminaries foundation was created in 2019 by Burnaby-born businessman and developer Ryan Beedie. Since then his organization has awarded a total of $35 million in scholarships to 792 students from communities across the province. This year, $7.4 million will be dispersed among 113 Grade 12 students and 13 graduate students.
