NYW 2019: Meet the Organizing Committee
Planning for the second annual National Youth Week celebrations at the Richcraft Recreation Complex are underway!
This year, we will be profiling each member of the Organizing Committee so that you can get to know the people that are hard-at-work creating National Youth Week.
Yunus is a member of the Organizing Committee and is responsible for collaborating with the other committee members in order to create, design, and deliver all of the events for National Youth Week 2019 at the Richcraft Recreation Complex.
1. First Name: Yunus
2. School: West Carleton Secondary School
3. How did you hear about National Youth Week (NYW)?
I heard about NYW from the Richcraft staff mentor, Jordan, following my application to volunteer at the Richcraft Recreation Complex. He kindly emailed me back after I dropped off my resume, telling me about the position, and what it entails. Needless to say, I was very interested in taking part and am now on the committee. This year should be better than ever, so make sure you don't miss out!
4. What are your top interests/hobbies?
My top interests/hobbies include soccer, hockey, and creative writing. My whole life I have been problematically energetic, to the point that I would always get into trouble when I was in elementary school. I was always the kid that could not sit still and was physically unable to put my hand up before answering a question in class. Through sports I was and am still able to put this energy to good use, in a positive, constructive manner. While this played an enormous part in my development into who I am today, I think most grateful are the teachers that no longer have to deal with a kid who could literally not stop talking. I have also recently began to do some creative writing. Essentially, whenever I feel an emotion that is too overpowering for me to handle, I turn it into writing. I have learned this to be one of Freud’s many defense mechanisms, and I personally think it is very important for everyone to have their own way of dealing with the hardships of life in a healthy, constructive manner.
5. Why did you join the NYW Organizing Committee?
I joined the National Youth Week Organizing Committee to give back to the Kanata community what it gave to me. To explain, I have always participated in just about any sport I could get my hands on, both inside and outside of school. This includes competitive West Ottawa soccer, KMHA hockey, badminton, volleyball, and much more. I now realize how much of an impact taking part in these programs had on my development as a person, and know that none of them would have been possible without the determined work of Kanata volunteers. My goal is to ensure that these same opportunities are available for the developing Kanata Youth, in an attempt to help them reach their full potential; and if after the many hours of planning and hard work my only recognition is putting a smile on the face of a Kanata youth, I know my time will have been remarkably well spent.
6. Fun/Random fact about yourself
A fun/random fact about myself is that while I was born thousands of miles away from Canada, it is now the only home I have ever known.
7. What are your career, or future, aspirations?
My future aspirations include being accepted into and graduating a revered University Commerce program (i.e. Queens, Western, Laurier), and making a career out of something that I love. While a career in business seems to be my current study of choice, I am still very open to other possibilities. A few of my short term academic goals include obtaining silver medal, finishing grade eleven with the highest overall average, and achieving the award of distinction for grade eleven university English.
8. Pet peeve(s)
A personal pet peeve of mine is people who are late, and even worse is when someone else is responsible for making me late. I try and live by the following quote that is used within my family, “To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable”.
9. What are your goals for NYW 2019?
My main goals for National Youth Week 2019 is to help youth in the Kanata community get active [and] play a part in reducing their anxiety.
