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It wasn't until my teenage years that I truly understood how mental health shapes us, how deeply it influences the decisions we make, the risks we avoid, the emotions we can't always control. I saw it in my friends, my family, and even in myself as struggles with pressure, self-doubt, the weight of expectation, are quite common. They are a lot of what being a teenager actually is. And with that recognition came a harder one: teenagers often navigate these challenges sometimes

On U16 Volleyball Provincials — Toronto, April 2026 The first two days were brutal in a specific way. We weren't being blown out — we were losing by one point. By two. Game after game, set after set, ending in margins so close they almost didn't feel like losses, except that they were. It's a particular kind of pain to play well enough to almost win and still walk off the court having lost. By the time I got to the car after day one, I sat in the passenger seat with my forehe

In March 2026, I traveled to Morocco alongside eight other students selected to represent TFS at the AMMUN conference in Rabat. Over the eight days I spent living with a host family, I immersed myself in Moroccan culture by trying traditional foods, visiting local markets, adapting to a different lifestyle, and exploring historical sites. During the first few days, I got to know my host family and experienced authentic Moroccan dishes such as tagine and harira, along with tra

In February 2026, I created Youth Uplift, a website intended to promote charity initiatives to make students aware of the many opportunities available to them to make a difference and to give back to communities in need. The charities I selected to promote on my website are Horizons for Youth , CAMH Sunrise Challenge and Sick Kids Hospital . CAMH Sunrise Challenge was introduced to me last year by my mom and she inspired me to continue to expand my involvement with other or

On June 10th 2025, I embarked on a four-day canoe trip in Algonquin park. This first-time camping adventure pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me reach new goals I never thought I was capable of. In the week leading up to the trip, I spent hours researching useful tips, what to bring and wear, how to stay warm at night while sleeping outside and even the difference between a bow and stern. My mom and I also went from store to store making sure I had all the necessar

Standing at the shelter with fifteen boxes of clothing and everyday necessities, I was struck by something I had not fully anticipated - a deep and humbling awareness of my own privilege. I have never had to wonder whether I would have a warm place to sleep or the basics i need to get through a day. Many young people my age have never known that certainty. That moment did not make me feel guilty. It made me feel responsible - responsible to keep showing up, to keep noticing,

When I committed to rising with the sunrise for a week, I was not thinking about a fundraising target. I was thinking about the kids around me - teenagers my own age - who wake up every single morning already carrying the weight of anxiety before the day has even begun. Youth anxiety is not a distant statistics. It is in our classrooms, in our friendships, in the silences between people who do not know how to ask for help. I wanted to do something small but real - to show up