FRC student wins national scholarship

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This article was published 26/11/2021 (1637 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A recent Fort Richmond Collegiate graduate has been awarded a prestigious scholarship from Ducks Unlimited Canada for her commitment to conservation.

Joyce Ji won one of three $1,000 Wetland Centre of Excellence Scholarships, which is given to a high school graduate from a Ducks Unlimited-recognized Wetland Centre of Excellence school. All three winners are planning on pursuing post-secondary studies in conservation.

“I was really hoping to get it but I wasn’t super confident because I felt, with the age range, I wouldn’t have as much experience, knowledge or as much to contribute as the older kids, but it turned out OK,” Ji said.

“When I found out, I immediately started texting my parents being like, ‘I got it!’”

The Ducks Unlimited Wetland Centres of Excellence are schools and community partners that provide hands-on wetland learning and student-led conservation projects.

The local WCE program at Fort Richmond Collegiate brings students out to Kelburn Farms, Richardson International’s 700-acre research farm, where they sample water and soil, test phosphorous levels and learn how wetlands benefit agriculture.

“It was run by my topics in science teacher and a teacher who had retired a while ago,” Ji said. “We had Grade 4 kids going and Grade 10 groups. Generally, in Grade 4, you go and learn about biodiversity, go to the pond, do critter-dipping and learn about what a wetland is like.

“For the Grade 10 group, you do soil and water sampling, an in-depth walk and you can volunteer to mentor the younger students, which is what I did.”

Ji’s interest in wetlands started in Grade 9 after completing a project on the topic. Now, she’s studying environmental science at the University of Manitoba.

“I would like to do something involving limnology or toxicology with algae,” Ji said.

After completing her environmental studies degree, Ji is considering studying education.

“I’m not entirely sure if I’m built for field research,” she said. “I’ve always loved education, and teaching has been on my mind for a while, as well, so combing the two would be ideal.”

Throughout her time at Fort Richmond Collegiate, Ji was in jazz band and wind ensemble, grad committee and several other groups, including earth club.

Currently, Ji is the early years representative for the University of Manitoba’s society of earth science and environmental students.

“I help contribute to discussion, see how the council works and help with volunteering and setup,” Ji said. “I’m also a voting member.”

Ji used the cash prize to purchase textbooks for her university studies.

“It wasn’t something I could do with my school-given scholarships,” she said. “Winning this scholarship means a lot. Even getting my name out there to Ducks Unlimited is huge because they’re such a big organization that’s known nation-wide and even internationally.

“Winning the scholarship is a confirmation that I’m doing things right.”

Further information on the Ji and the scholarship can be found at www.ducks.ca/meet-joyce-ji