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Vanessa Charette sits at the computer
while working at her summer job, much the same as so many other young
post-secondary school students of the area. She is earning some well
deserved money to help with the expenses of going to school in the fall,
but she is also learning a great deal about life in developing personal
skills that will undoubtedly open many doors for her in the future.
Vanessa’s grandmother
is Eva Lanctot, a person who is well-known in the community for her
contributions to the growth and success of
Valley East
. Eva has helped many people towards a brighter future and has indeed
enjoyed giving her granddaughter an opportunity to grow through the
experience of working in her real estate office this summer. “She’s a
wonderful girl - so bright and smart. She’s going to go places,” Eva
commented.
A gifted student in
high school, Vanessa graduated from
Confederation
Secondary School
’s French Immersion program with a 98% average and is currently entering
the second year of the Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience
program at Laurentian University.
“Each year around the
end of July I begin preparing for the fall by reading course texts and
going over the requirements of my programs,” she explained. “I find it
very exciting to be starting a new school year and I look forward to
learning new material and improving my knowledge in the area of
behavioural neuroscience. This year I am going to focus more on my studies
and try to decide what I want to do after I get my degree in a few years.
There are so many options.”
Indeed,
Vanessa is facing the kind of tough decisions that many fellow students
will be making this year. Most people will tell you that some of the best
years of their life were spent in college or university. However, there
comes a time when one must face the future and establish clear goals for a
career. For Vanessa, she will be dealing with a choice between pursuing a
career in medicine or teaching at the high school or post-secondary school
levels. Either way, it will likely mean further studies and additional
qualifications and diplomas.
If Vanessa’s previous
activities are any indication, it would appear as if “teaching” might
be in the cards. During the 2007-2008 school year Vanessa was an
invigilator for special needs students writing exams; was an occupational
assistant for a fourth year psychology student with cerebral palsy; was
the only second year student to be a teaching assistant for a physics
course and a chemistry course; and taught students in the Rainbow
District School Board how to use various programs to assist them in their
studies (Dragon Naturally Speaking, Kurzweil 3000, Zoom Text, and similar
programs).
We are not sure what
Vanessa will be getting involved in this school year, but the experience
she gained this summer working for her grandmother, Eva Lanctot, certainly
won’t hurt her in the pursuit of her dreams. |
