A new team of White Rock youth ambassadors is to be crowned Friday at a gala event at Semiahmoo Secondary.
Set for 7 p.m., the 61st annual White Rock Youth Ambassador Awards Gala is to be the culmination of months of work for the five candidates: Sarah Zhang, Simrit Kocher, Emma Rose Harvey, Snover Gill and Sabrina Zeng.
The five have been working since April to learn and practise skills that will aid them in becoming an ambassador, according to a news release.
These include a speech and talent competition, a history of White Rock lecture and community knowledge quiz, an essay on a local landmark or festival, personal interview, deportment, attendance and attitude.
The past four months have involved a lot of community support for the candidates and the program, including sponsorships, volunteer opportunities, a panel of judges from various walks of life, lectures and marking of essays and tests, the release adds.
“Many people volunteer their valuable time to make this happen and that is one of the challenges to keep the program running,” Debbie Ward, program facilitator, said in the release.
The biographies for the contestants, along with their sponsors, include:
Sarah Zhang
White Rock Elks Lodge #431
• Earl Marriott Secondary, graduating in 2020
• Future education goals to attend university out-of-province in sciences
• One brother, one sister
• Studying Italian and French
• Enjoys art, writing and figure skating
• School clubs – Model UN
Simrit Kocher
White Rock Museum and Archives
• Born in Los Alamos, Calif.
• No siblings
• Semiahmoo Secondary, graduating in 2020
• Speaks English and Punjabi and studying Spanish
• Future education goals – biology and medicine at UBC
• Volunteered for PE Leadership, library assistant
• Baking, painting, drawing ice skating, Semiahmoo ultimate team
•School clubs – Globalizer
Emma Rose Harvey
Peace Arch News
• Born in Quesnel
• Siblings Izzy and Harvey
• Earl Marriott Secondary, graduating in 2019
• Future education goals to attend university, BA for psychology
• Works at the Gap
• Studying Italian and French
• Volunteered – president of White Rock Young Women
• Enjoys painting, guitar, singing, biking, dance and baking, basketball
• Certificate for Gauss Math, has Bronze Cross in Lifesaving
• School clubs – musical theatre, student government, grass roots environmental club and tea club
Snover Gill
Peace Arch Hospice
• Born in Vernon
• Attends Semiahmoo Secondary, graduating in 2019
• One brother and one sister
• Future education goals – business and law
• Speaks Punjabi, Hindi, some French and English
• Hobbies – rugby, bhangra, poetry, photography making short films, creative makeup
• School clubs – White Rock Charity Club, Kindlers society and Globalizers
Sabrina Zeng
Centre Point Enterprises Ltd.
• Attends Semiahmoo Secondary, graduating in 2019
• One brother aged 24, lives in Australia
• Future education goals – sciences
• Piano, music, friends, horseback riding
Tickets for Friday’s gala are $25, include a beverage and dessert and can be arranged through Ward, at 604-538-2780.
The next opportunity to see the city’s newest ambassador team will be at this weekend’s White Rock Sea Festival, in Sunday evening’s Torchlight Parade, scheduled for 8:15 p.m. along the White Rock waterfront.
The following weekend they are off to Penticton and Peachland.