2009 Recipients
Jane Grant, Edmonton, Alberta – Synchronized Skating
Susanna Kubik, Calgary, Alberta – Freestyle Snowboarding
Emily Skinkle, Belleville, Ontario – Agility
Erin van Wiltenburg, Victoria, British Columbia – Cross-country/Marathon running
Ariele Wagner, Montreal, Quebec – Martial Arts
Jane Grant, Edmonton, Alberta – Synchronized Skating
“In life we all want time to experience and try new things. I feel grateful to the many sports and activities I have partaken in throughout the years because they have helped me discover who I am. Sports have always been a contributing factor to my choices over the years.”
Team sports have long been a part of 19-year-old Jane Grant’s life. She played community-level soccer and competed at the Alberta Summer Games in field hockey. But the team sport that has really captivated her is synchronized skating. A figure skater since the age of 5, she found her true passion as part of the Edmonton Synchronized Skating Club. In her six years there, she has been Rookie of the Year, named Most Valuable Player, captained the team and now coaches younger skaters.
In addition to her athletic activities, Jane has always found time to be involved in a wide range of activities in high school, including student leadership and fundraising. She was recognized with the T.J. Reid Citizenship Award for displaying a positive attitude towards staff, facilities, curricular and extracurricular activities. Now at university, she has continued this involvement, by creating and administering The Adult Mentorship Program, committed to providing accessible support to help young adults build confidence, a positive sense of self, leadership and life skills through shared experiences at community and social events.
Enrolled at the University of Alberta in the Faculty of Education, Jane’s goal is to become an elementary teacher. She plans to use the scholarship for both school and competitive synchronized skating expenses.
Susanna Kubik, Calgary, Alberta – Freestyle Snowboarding
“….my sport and accident have taught me so much. I don’t think I would be the go-getter I am today if it wasn’t for snowboarding …in snowboarding I put my mind to it, set a goal and work hard – could it be the same for school? First hand I can tell you it absolutely is! I am a firm believer now that you can do anything you want, you just need to set a goal and work hard.”
Not even a serious injury could keep 21 year-old Susanna Kubik off the ski slopes and the snowboard she loves. Initially involved in dance, swimming, soccer, skiing and sailing, she fell in love with snowboarding at 16 when she saw her first boarder-cross course. Determined to pursue her goal of becoming a top female snowboard cross racer, she moved from Ontario to Calgary and began training vigorously. A serious accident threatened to not only end her dream, but leave her paralyzed for life. After grueling surgery, and a year of recovery, she was back on her snowboard, this time determined to compete in the half-pipe.
The same determination that took her to the Canadian Nationals in half-pipe, led her to upgrade her academic standing to attain the marks needed for post-secondary education. And the drive she exhibited in her own training inspired the young girls she works with to push themselves just as hard in their dryland training.
Now in her second year studying Kinesiology at the University of Calgary, Susanna plans to use the scholarship towards school expenses. As her educational goal, she plans to look at female-specific needs in physical training, nutrition, injury-prevention and psychology.
Emily Skinkle, Belleville, Ontario – Agility
“There are moments where I feel like the graceful ballerina when I add in a perfect front cross. There are times when my tenacity pays off, it may not be winning a scrum, but sprinting to finish a beautiful run beats any other athletic moment I have been a part of.”
As a nine-year old girl, working with her Miniature Schnauzer dog, Emily Skinkle started down the path that would take her into the world of dog sports. As a novice trainer, she wasn’t ready for the Agility events, so she went back to flyball to learn the basics that were critical to success in this field. That resulted in her joining the club flyball team and travelling with her club team to competitions throughout Ontario and the USA for the next five years. Her demanding competitive career was put on hold while she focused on her high school, a decision that reacquainted her with her first choice, Agility.
With her new dog, Heist, she realized she needed to be much more physically fit to keep up with the Bearded Collie/Border Collie mix. She embarked on a rigorous training regimen to be a better partner to Heist because advancement and success in the sport was dependant on her fitness level. She needed to match the agility of the dog to race through the course using both aerobic and anaerobic abilities. In addition to planning her dog’s training, and doing her own physical training, she has been recognized for her valuable contributions to a wide variety of community and school activities.
Now 18, Emily is enrolled in a collaborative nursing program to become a Registered Nurse. She plans to use the scholarship to defray the costs of her schooling.
Erin vanWiltenburg, Victoria, BC – Cross-country/Marathon running
“Sport has become my avenue in which I earn the right to people’s ears and thoughts as it has opened doors to speak about global poverty. Sport has become a refuge for the impoverished kids I encounter, who deserve an opportunity to play and forget.”
This 22 year-old native of BC grew up running trails, and claims to have never stopped running since. That childhood fascination with cross-country running has led her to compete in various half marathons and full marathons across Canada and fostered within her an unusual appreciation for funning long distances.
In addition to running, she developed a passion to help others. Running has also taken her to rural Kenya, where she initiated sport programs for abandoned children. In 2008, she ran 4200 km, the equivalent of nearly 100 marathons, over a three-month period to raise money for African education initiatives. She shares her experiences with students across BC and challenges others to do the same through her public speaking opportunities.
Erin is in her final year of her undergraduate degree in Physical Education at the University of Victoria. She will use this scholarship towards her schooling costs. She plans to use sport and education as a way of reducing poverty and attaining global equality once she graduates.
Ariele Wagner, Montreal, Quebec – Martial Arts
“I consider it a gift in order to have the chance to participate in a sport that I love so much and to be able to attend school as well.”
A graduating student at John Abbott College in Montreal, Quebec, Ariele Wagner has been studying martial arts since she was six years old. She attained the rank of 1st Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwan Do, and was ranked 10th in Canada. When she switched her training to the Zen Do Kai Karate School, her background in Tae Kwan Do allowed her to quickly move through the ranks to achieve a high level of success in this martial art.
Participating in Martial Arts has helped Ariele understand many life skills, including respect, humility, discipline, and control. She has also developed self-confidence and understands true sportsmanship. Although Martial Arts can be a very individualized competition, the team spirit that evolves through working and training together has been an enjoyable one for Ariele. As an experienced competitor and leader, an advanced belt, she now helps younger students prepare and compete, helping them on weekends to learn different techniques, or improve their basic skills.
Ariele plans to use this scholarship to help defray the costs of travelling to the Canadian National championships, and to help purchase equipment for her school and fellow students.
