Five Richmond residents are among the B.C. students recognized for their resilience by the Beedie Luminaries scholarship.
Receiving a scholarship of up to $44,000 are McRoberts secondary's Taixi Wang and Dorothy Yuen, Palmer secondary's Menam Mahmood, Richmond Christian secondary's Mackenna Liggat and Richmond secondary's Kelly Huang.
Wang, who is set to attend UBC, said receiving the scholarship is "immense."
“It opens the door for my pursuit of higher education and serves as recognition of my determination and passion," he explained.
"I am reminded yet again that help is always around us and there is this wonderful community which continues to support students."
Mahmood, Liggat and Huang are joining Wang at UBC, while Yuen will be heading to Langara College.
The Beedie Luminaries, founded by B.C. philanthropist Ryan Beedie, started the annual Soaring Higher In Education (SHINE) scholarship in 2019 to help Grade 12 students overcome financial barriers and attend post-secondary education.
This year's recipients come from 63 high schools in 25 communities across the province, with 50 per cent coming from single-parent or legal guardian families, according to Beedie Luminaries' media release.
Of the scholarship recipients, 31 per cent are set to be the first in their immediate families to pursue post-secondary education.
Scholarships are also being awarded to students who are refugees, single parents or pursuing their graduate studies, adding up to a total of $7.4 million.
"If you’re going into Grade 12 next year, apply! It isn’t just about the money, it’s about the support you receive and recognition for your accomplishments," said Mahmood.
For more information about Beedie Luminaries, click here. Applications for the 2025 cohort will open in fall 2024.
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