Local high school grad awarded RBC bursary
Graduating Central Collegiate student, Abdul Alabi, has received one of this year’s national RBC Awards bursaries for his dedication to volunteerism in the community. The $1,000 scholarship, which is awarded to Grade 12 students who are inspirational in their dedication to the community, fellow students and academics, will help Alabi pursue his goal of studying next year at the University of Saskatchewan. Alabi has lived in Canada for just one and a half years, but he has already had an impact on the community around him. Alabi has been a dedicated volunteer at the local hospital, care homes and Moose Jaw’s Newcomer Welcome Centre. He has also excelled at his academics. The school administrator who nominated Alabi wrote in the nomination letter that Alabi “who only arrived in Canada one and a half years ago has persevered and dedicated himself to his studies and volunteering in our community and school. His goal is to become a doctor and he certainly has the work ethic and drive to do so. He is taking the highest levels of classes we offer including Advanced Placement courses.”
Alabi says he was surprised to find out that he received this award. “I honestly had no idea that I was nominated. I was really, really happy when I found out it was true.” Alabi remembers how the transition to Moose Jaw from Nigeria was not an easy one. He travelled with his two siblings and mother to Canada, to join his father who had arrived here several years previ- ous. He says, “My first few months in Canada was just adjusting to the weather, and also getting used to the environment. I am thankful because my dad was already here and he helped me.”
For Alabi, volunteering was a natural decision. “Because I arrived in Canada so recently, being a helper to other newcomers was really important to me. I like helping others become more comfortable and confident in their new environment, like my dad helped me.” Because of Alabi’s goal to become a doctor, spending time volunteering at the hospital was also important to him. “In the future that is what I want to do, so that gave me a visual of what I am going to be doing in the next few years.”
Alabi says, “I am very grateful to RBC for making my university piggy bank as heavy as possible and I am also grateful to my nominator for expressing my potential in a befitting manner. I am most honoured.” When asked about how he thinks he is an inspiration to others, Alabi’s answer is, “Even though I only arrived in Canada one and half years ago, I have found lots of ways to be hospitable to people. I hope that any high school student who reads this will know that they can also help people when they are in need. If you help someone when they are struggling, when they are confident, they will also want to help others.”