A Castlegar grad has received a future-changing scholarship.
Janaeya Baher has been awarded a $40,000 Beedie Luminaries scholarship to attend the University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus in pursuit of her goal to become a dentist.
Beedie Luminaries offers more than just a cheque. Recipients are also paired with mentors, offered paid work opportunities, student support, invitations to special events and access to the Beedie Luminaries online community.
As part of her application for the scholarship, Baher had to produce a one minute video with the theme future focus. In it, she pretended to be a dentist and talked about her goals.
Baher has faced some challenges in her high school years. After 12 years of competitive dancing and spending her grade 10 year living apart from her parents in Campbell River to pursue her dancing dreams, she came to the conclusion that she needed to give up dancing.
The family was facing financial challenges after Baher’s mother had a health crisis and Baher realized she would have a more secure future by focusing on her academics and a different career.
It was a hard transition since dance had been the focus of Baher’s life for so long. But it is not a choice she regrets as she looks forward to the next four years in the Okanagan pursuing her bachelor of science degree prior to dental school.
Baher has already been working an after-school job that gives her experience in the field. She is a sterile process technician at a local dentist office.
Baher says without the scholarship, she wouldn’t have been able to attend UBCO.
She is also looking forward to getting to know some of the other 112 Beedie Luminaries recipients and availing herself of the support the organization is offering.
READ MORE: ‘She makes big things happen’: Nelson student Avie Waterfall wins multiple scholarships
betsy.kline@castlegarnews.com
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