There are really no words to express how much the Holy Cross community has impacted my character and who I am, and how important Holy Cross is to me. I believe it is safe to say that Holy Cross has been a part of me that has shaped me into the hardworking, dedicated, involved, and responsible individual that I am today. I am someone who aspires to be involved in everything that I can while excelling in academics, athletics and advocacy, and Holy Cross has provided those stepping stones for me to push myself and develop the tools necessary for post secondary and the years moving forward. Community is one thing that has really impacted who I am as a young woman. I am someone who prioritizes community. Whether volunteering at different community events through Holy Cross or with other organizations in my neighbourhood and at my high school, or sharing my passion and love of athletics by giving back to the community through coaching and volunteering for young children, I have always valued what it means to be a part of a community. Since the very beginning, Holy Cross has taught me how much of a privilege it is to be a part of a community that is so united through faith.
Since I was born, I was introduced to the Holy Cross family. Being Baptized and Confirmed at the church in which I have lived right behind for my whole life, and one that my parents and grandparents have been attending for years now has opened me up to a new layer of my faith that I didn’t know existed. Not only can I hear the choir singing in church every weekend practicing for the upcoming mass from my front door, but seeing Father Chris on his afternoons walks and sharing a brief conversation has really taught me the epitome of community. I have learned how important it is to stay connected with my faith at all times, and how fortunate I am to be in a community where faith is set as a priority all around. With the parish, I have been given so many opportunities in which I have learned how to work with others, how to be discipline, how to be a leader, and how to balance my faith with other extracurricular activities, academics, and family life. These key tools have really helped me manage my time through high school. From my education and experience at Holy Cross, I have learned how to use the opportunities presented to me for the benefit of myself and others. I have learned how to work hard for the things I want, how to manage my time, and how to work around adversity in the classroom with peers, or on and off the field or court with my teammates. I would not have excelled in high school with athletics and academics without the self-discipline, leadership, and hard work ethic that became routine through my years at Holy Cross.
These values that have been instilled in me from Holy Cross made my transition into high school a seamless one, and now also moving into my post secondary journey. The skills of time management and balance with my faith, academics and athletics that I learned at Holy Cross has been my routine and everyday for the past five years, and I owe so much to the teachers and to the community overall for making me the woman that my little elementary school self dreamed to be.

How has Holy Cross Elementary and Holy Cross Parish influenced me during my secondary school years and my pursuit post secondary? The teachers and staff both at HC school and parish had a significant impact on my high school years and I know that this will continue as I pursue post-secondary studies. I will be attending Sheridan College in Ontario this fall and playing Varsity volleyball. Teachers and staff at HC gave me the foundation to work hard and play hard especially when I am confronted with academic or sport challenges. I am thankful to the HC community for giving me the opportunity to play different sports which gave me the opportunity to develop my love and passion for volleyball.
More importantly, the HC community taught me the Christian values of love, respect and compassion that have helped me to be a leader in my High School community. l have always tried to bring a little HC “Titans” spirit to Burnaby North. Mr. Alberti showed me what it means to be a good leader and teachers like Mr. DeFazio always went out of their way to give the extra help that I need with my academics. They remain the models for me in my everyday life.

The faith values instilled in me at HC have allowed to be respectful of others even when we disagree and despite our differences. I have been surrounded by students of different faiths and cultural backgrounds at Burnaby North but the values I learned at HC have allowed me to embrace and benefit from these differences. I believe that the foundation provided to me by the HC community will continue to serve beyond my academic and sports career and I hope that I can pass on these values one day when I have my own family.
Thomas Tucci

I am grateful and proud that I grew up in the Holy Cross Parish and School for 8 years of my life. This I believe, led me to who I am today growing into a mature and well-around person. From attending Church on Sundays and participating in various school activities & programs to volunteering in various areas in our community helped me to prepare for a bigger world of high school and now I am looking forward to my next journey into Simon Fraser University this fall.

Holy Cross Elementary school has taught me a lot of valuable lessons growing up. First, during 8 years of my school years, I had participated in almost all of the school activities and sports programs. It taught me how to face challenges and how to be proactive in life. It also taught me the values of being a team player. Secondly, I also learned important life values and morals as a Catholic and I appreciate this very much. When I entered high school, it was a very different experience meeting with different people from all different backgrounds. I realized how grateful I was for my upbringing, my family and community around me.

I am also who I am today because of my faith. Going to church on Sundays is the most important thing for my family. During Holy Cross Elementary school, I alter-served for 5 years and this year I participated in a Youth Group program which was a great experience. During our 8 weeks of meetings, I learned how to listen to others with an open mind and enjoyed talking to other teenagers like myself and sharing my opinions and thoughts about challenging issues we face. Since last September, I also have been involved in PREP teaching and assisting level 2 students.This helped me to learn about myself as a mentor and leader in guiding young students.I also learned to be responsible and how to be a good example.

For the last two years, I have been volunteering as an assistant coach for a summer soccer camp at Cliff Avenue United soccer club. Coaching young children was fun and a rewarding experience. I enjoyed teaching and helping them as I have been playing soccer myself for over 13 years. At Notre Dame high school, I was also proactive in both academics and extracurricular activities. I have received first and second honors and played volleyball for whole years and basketball for 2 years. I also have been playing soccer and volleyball outside of school.

Now I have been accepted into a social science and arts program at Simon Fraser University. I am looking forward to moving onto my next chapter of my life. I have been beyond grateful for the opportunities Holy Cross has provided me. I am always going to use what I have learned through my experiences in my future as I head into university. I will never forget where I came from and who I can appreciate my abilities for.

Thank you for this opportunity and I appreciate your consideration in advance.

Sincerely,
Tiara Turrin

As I am nearing the end of my time in high school, I am seeing myself reminiscing about my past and my experience growing up catholic and being fortunate enough that my parents would pay for me to go to a school like Holy Cross. I am forever grateful for their devotion to my religious journey. Growing up alongside my peers and teachers at Holy Cross was an experience I will never forget because it shaped me into the person I am today. Holy Cross Parish and Elementary both have had massive impacts on my outlook and behaviour going into high school. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was an avid altar server during my time at Holy Cross and continued serving on Sundays during my first high school years. My time at elementary school learning about the catholic faith continued into high school, mostly due to my involvement in the Roman Catholic Challenge program at Holy Cross, which I connected to the material that I learned in my Christian education classes in high school. I was always fascinated by the faith and I continued that fascination into high school. In more recent years, my teachers for Christian education in high school have encouraged me to put my writing skills and interest in the faith to use. After hearing this, I kept it in the back of my mind as a possible option in my post-secondary journey. My education was also enhanced by Holy Cross in the way that I was able to get onto both the English and French language honour roll. My skills in writing and reading were always evident to me, even at a young age when I was given larger speaking roles in school masses and longer and more challenging to read books during my youth. I was also very fortunate to have a French class in elementary school as it gave me a significant boost over other people in high school who had no prior experience with another language. These are some of the more notable experiences that shaped my time in high school. In terms of my plans, once I am done high school, I’m currently unsure of my exact educational path at this point, although I do have a few ideas floating around in my head. Because of that, I have decided to attend Simon Fraser University for a bachelor’s in Criminology. Taking a social science like criminology allows me to take a diverse catalogue of different programs with my goal being to find something that I really enjoy that I will eventually want to pursue as a potential career. To conclude, I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for my past experiences at Holy Cross Parish and Elementary, as well as people like Father Chris, Carmine Morelli, Carlo DeFazio and my old principal, Dino Alberti. Without important people like this from my past, and my education as a whole, I never would have been able to live my life to the fullest and get to the point that I am today.

“Positivity is like a ripple. It spreads.” A quote that I remember seeing on a poster I would frequently read at Holy Cross Elementary School. During my time at Holy Cross Parish and Holy Cross Elementary School, I learned how to spread positivity to those around me and how to be a bucket filler. The homilies at mass taught me about my Catholic faith and what it meant to be a practicing Catholic. At Holy Cross, I was actively involved in the school community and participated in many initiatives of service and charity work such as creating care packages for those in need, helping teach younger children about God’s word at Children’s Liturgy, regularly altar serving at mass, and assisting my mother with Bingo (a very popular activity) at the school picnic. Furthermore, I was a an active member of many school clubs. I was a faithful and enthusiastic participant in Roman Catholic Challenge, a Catholic trivia competition where I demonstrated leadership and good sportsmanship. I was in the school choir, where I would sing at mass and other events when not altar serving, and competed with a team that I have successfully won trivia competitions with for Readers Are Leaders. I also served at CWL’s Strawberry Teas and supported craft fairs. I pride myself on growing my faith by still regularly attending mass as well as praying, and I will continue to do so throughout my post-secondary years and beyond. Holy Cross also allowed me to thrive academically and gave me many opportunities to explore many interests. I was recognized for my achievements in academics by receiving the Academic Excellence Award at my Grade 7 graduation ceremony. As a scholarly Holy Cross student, I continuously demonstrated drive, perseverance, grit, passion, tenacity, courage, and inclusivity. I made sure to always treat everyone with respect and was honorouble, despite not always being included in the class group and often feeling left out. I was also a mentor to my younger buddy whom I met through Holy Cross and am still in touch with to this day. Holy Cross has influenced my secondary school years and plans for the future by planting a seed for me; one that has helped me discover myself and grow into who I am as a person today. I am like a flower. I am thriving, blooming, finding myself, and looking forward to the many adventures that await me! My time at Holy Cross has inspired me to take bold risks and embark on new leadership journeys. I have stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried a variety of things in high school because of the positive influence Holy Cross has had on me. Currently in Grade 12, I created a female empowerment and social club called Girl Talk. This club was designed for the sole purpose of having girl’s talk and socialize in a safe, fun, and non-judgmental space. I have joined leadership in high school and was recognized for my exemplary leadership skills with awards as well. My most recent recognition was for Minerva’s Youth Leadership Award 2023, and I was interviewed for a blog that I wrote based on my leadership achievements. I was also a recipient for the Bea Kelly Volunteer Award from Soroptimist International of the TriCities. I wrote a speech and presented it at the annual Soroptimist Give Her Wings Award Night. Outside of school, I am involved with Minerva BC as a past member of the Learning to Lead cohort. I am currently a member of the Youth Advisory Council and am a part of the British Columbia Youth Parliament (BCYP). I served at a BCYP summer camp, Camp Phoenix, as a science and outdoor activity leader for underprivileged children. At this camp, I formed a deep connection with a young girl who was just diagnosed with autism and helped Ukrainian refugees who just arrived to Canada. Moreover, my mother focused on my faith and educating me in faith. As a single parent who struggled to make it all work together for my sister and I, she made sure education was a priority. Despite this not being the norm for my class, my brave mother was not always supported but she pulled through. I have been accepted by many top universities that I have applied to, including those in the USA. At the time of writing, I am still undecided between a few choice options. In the future, I plan to study international relations so that I can work as a diplomat or ambassador in diplomacy. I would like to work in social justice and humanitarian aid for the UN or other non-governmental organizations. I am also interested in voice acting in animation and audiobooks, wanting to be a voice actress as well. I appreciate your consideration and if selected, I hope to always be recognized for my contributions to the Holy Cross parish and community and uphold the Knights’ core values of Integrity, Professionalism, Excellence, and Respect.

As I am nearing the end of my time in high school, I am seeing myself reminiscing about my past and my experience growing up catholic and being fortunate enough that my parents would pay for me to go to a school. I am forever grateful for what my parents have done for me, not just for my educational journey over the last thirteen years, but also for their devotion towards my religious journey, thanks to my enrollment at Holy Cross Elementary as well as Notre Dame Regional Secondary.

The Holy Cross Community has played an integral role in my life. I am and always will be a Holy Cross Titan. Being a member of the Holy Cross Community is something that I am very proud of. The lessons I learned, the connections I have made with my Pastors, teachers and peers have shaped me into the person I am today.

Holy Cross Parish has always been home. I enjoy coming back to Holy Cross and supporting the parish by volunteering at fundraisers such as the Salmon BBQ and the School Picnic. Recently, I came back to participate in a school Mass that my little sister was hosting with her class, and I felt like I had never left. The staff, the students, the uniforms, the parents, and the choir were all reminders to me of where I came from. The Parish, our Priests and my faith played an important role in shaping my character. I am clear of who I am and the morals I live my life by, because of the influence of Holy Cross Parish.

Holy Cross School is my second home. I feel like I spent more time at Holy Cross than the average student because my mom is a teacher there. Because she taught at Holy Cross before I was even born, I spent a lot of time there before even starting Kindergarten. The staff at Holy Cross played an integral role in shaping me and my character. I was so well taken care of and supported at school that I gained self confidence. This confidence has helped me in high school. I was encouraged to be a leader during my years at Holy Cross. Being a leader was respected at HC, which helped me to be a leader on and off the field as a football player at St Thomas More. Holy Cross taught me about my faith, which guided me to make moral and good decisions through high school and my life. Holy Cross is an inclusive community and that is also something that I took with me to STMC. Holy Cross taught me to work hard and that academics are important. The skills I learned and strong work habits I formed during my years at Holy Cross have served me well. I have achieved Distinction Honors every year from Grade 8 through Grade 11 and I am on pace to do so in my final year of high school as well.

In the fall I will be attending SFU Beedie School of Business. I am proud and excited to begin this new chapter in my life and I look forward to all the new experiences that are ahead of me. If I am a fortunate recipient of this scholarship, I will put it towards my university tuition.

Thank you for considering me for the Annual Knights of Columbus/Holy Cross School Scholarship.

Matthew Auld

My name is Katia Krumpak and I was born and raised in Burnaby. I am the eldest of three children and I am of Italian and Slovenian heritage. I attended Holy Cross Elementary School and am now in my final year at Notre Dame Regional Secondary. I am typically described as quiet and reserved. However, as I become more accustomed to people and situations, I more easily express my ideas and engage in genuine conversations. My friends would describe me as composed, trustworthy and loyal. These attributes were certainly fostered in my early school years as I was exposed to an environment where everyone truly cares. Holy Cross was able to offer so many extracurricular activities because of its dedicated staff. I participated in every sports team and academic enrichment class as well as Roman Catholic Challenge, Readers are Leaders, choir and altar serving. I learned the importance of dedication, teamwork and service and those lessons have truly benefited me and guided me through my high school years.
My main interests include drawing, science, volleyball, skiing and travelling. I have always enjoyed and been successful in my artistic endeavours and have been fascinated by beautiful designs and architecture in the world around us. When travelling through Europe, I was amazed by the many different styles and designs I was able to experience. Last summer, I attended a two-week intensive program at the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture where I successfully completed three major projects. It was intimidating to arrive at the UBC campus with students from all over the world, most already attending post-secondary school, but the lessons I learned at Holy Cross, to not be afraid to try something new and to challenge yourself, served me well. Ultimately, the program solidified my plans and I enrolled in the Architectural and Building Technology program at BCIT. Upon completion of this program, I intend to enroll in the degree program and ultimately pursue a Masters in Architecture because this career combines my love of science and design into one.
During elementary school, I was encouraged to participate in many different activities, giving me the tools I needed to have a successful and balanced secondary school experience. I have continued to be a dedicated student at Notre Dame, achieving the Principal’s List or First Class Honours every year. In addition, I was a committed member of my school and club volleyball team for four years. This past year, I joined the Outdoors Club and Ski Club and I have worked two days per week as a hostess at a fast-paced Italian restaurant in my community. Prior to COVID, I was able to volunteer at the Door is Open preparing and delivering sandwiches and at the Burnaby Christmas Bureau helping to sort toys for less fortunate children in our community. I regularly attend mass with my family and have tried to give back to the Holy Cross community. I was able to volunteer at the Titans volleyball camp in the past and this year I am co-teaching grade four students every Tuesday evening at the Holy Cross Prep Program.
Thank you for your time and consideration for this scholarship.

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