Coco Chen, a Grade 9 student at Coquitlam's Pinetree secondary, was one of 10 students from School District 43 who clinched an award at the provincial Mandarin speech contest an event hosted by SD43 this month.
The accolade was presented by Coquitlam trustee Chuck Denison, with Liu Fei, consul-general for China in Vancouver, looking on. In total, 19 awards were handed out at the competition.
HARD CASH
Hard Rock Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam rung in $5,000 for hospitality management students at Douglas College, which has a Coquitlam campus.
The cash is the first installment of a two-year pledge of $10,000 for scholarships.
TRES BIEN
Kwayhquitlum middle student Alyssa Emery scored a top prize at a provincial French public speaking contest this month.
More than 10,000 students participated in Concours d'art oratoire on May 2 at SFU Surrey, with Grade 7 student Emery taking second place.
Other provincial finalists from the Tri-Cities were: Stephen Songo (Kwayhquitlum); Lucy Caldwell (Pitt River); Katya Kubyshkin (Pitt River); Ashiana Sunderji (Kwayhquitlum); Heva Chaveshi (Banting); Yasmin Harden (Banting); Anna Yang (Dr. Charles Best); Elena Bruneau (Dr. Charles Best); and Marina Bishara (Dr. Charles Best).
FOR THE KIDS
Members of the Soroptimist International of the Langleys recently celebrated their $6,000 donation to Coquitlam's Children of the Street Society.
The money will be used for the non-profit's school-based educational workshops in Langley. In the last academic year, the society hosted 54 workshops to 2,345 kids in Langley, offering information and practical tools to help them learn how to be safe from sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Meanwhile, the Chilliwack Elks Lodge No. 48 also handed over $1,500 to the society this month.
TUITION $
Pinetree secondary student Tony Kim is the winner of the 2015 Eagle Ridge Hospital Auxiliary bursary.
Kim, who plans to study healthcare after graduating next month from the Coquitlam high school, recently accepted the $1,000 award from the bursary committee: Dawn Noske, Sylvia Powell, Daisy Roemer, Diana Wise (bursary chairperson) and Anna Assalone.
LAX SCORE
A credit union has teamed up with Coquitlam Senior Adanac Lacrosse to help sponsor its upcoming season.
Westminster Savings announced this week it would be the official corporate jersey sponsor for the 2001 Mann Cup winners, meaning its company logo will be on the front upper left corner of the players' jersey.
APPRENTICE $
Several SD43 high school students won $1,000 grants this week for completing 900 apprentice hours within six months of graduating and obtaining C+ average in their Grade 12 courses.
They are: Brandon Arris (Terry Fox, plumber); Marlon Barlow (Riverside, professional cook 1); Byron Bettles (Gleneagle, professional cook 1); Matthew Celio (Dr. Charles Best, construction electrician); Kevin Diaz ( Gleneagle, concrete finisher); Erfan Dibaie (Centennial, professional cook 1); Taylor Dickinson (Dr. Charles Best, carpenter); Savannah Disanjh (Centennial, professional cook 1); Adrian Fitzpatrick (Centennial, automotive service technician); Daniel Fox (Centennial professional cook 1); David Hui (Gleneagle, hairstylist); Rebecca Humphrey (Gleneagle, professional cook 1); Michael Law (Riverside, professional cook 1); Rebecca Milani (Gleneagle, hairstylist); Cyril Moersch (Pinetree, floor covering installer); Stefan Nenadic (Dr. Charles Best, construction electrician); Brandon Nishi (Pinetree, baker); Joshua Pap (Terry Fox, construction electrician); Austin Pasqualini (Heritage Woods, sheet metal worker); Andre Poitras (Centennial, professional cook 1); Rajan Prasad (Centennial, automotive service technician); Darin Spring (Heritage Woods, truck and transport mechanic); William Thomas (Riverside, professional cook 1); Ivy Tsui Centennial, professional cook 1); Aaron Van Even (Centennial, carpenter); and Cooper Worobetz (Centennial, professional cook 1).
They received their grants at Tuesday's SD43 meeting.
