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A group of friends at Saint John High School preparing to graduate won’t take the next step alone, as they will attend the same university on the same full-ride scholarship.
Daniel Li, Fola Akinola, Carson London and Nima Anvari are four out of seven recipients of the D&R Sobey Atlantic Admission Award, a scholarship for students in Atlantic Canada entering the commerce program at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
The award is valued at $120,000, divided over four years.
Anvari, who moved to Canada at age 7, said he has been working toward this goal since his freshman year.
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Information Morning – Saint John8:59Four friends from Saint John High School heading to Queen’s University on the same full-ride scholarship
“My parents brought me here and I wanted to reach the absolute top and do the absolute best, and Queen’s is that when it comes to the field I want to enter,” he said.
“I always thought that the barrier to make a name for yourself in such a small city is impossible to break.”
He said receiving the scholarship is extra special for him because he’s sharing the moment with his friends. He considers them “brothers.”
Daniel Li is one of the recipients of the scholarship. He said he’s proud of all four of them. (Nipun Tiwari/CBC)
“These are some of my best friends in the world,” he said.
London first knew he wanted to attend Queen’s while visiting Kingston a few years ago, he said while wearing a sweater with the school’s logo.
He considers it his “lucky sweater.”
“I’ve only worn it to school two other times,” he said.
The first time was when he found out he got into the program. The other was when he got the scholarship.
Principal Christina Barrington feels lucky, too.
“I’ve never experienced this in 20 years of administration; having four kids get such a prominent award of that value,” Barrington said.
Principal Christina Barrington says it’s uncommon for more than one student from the same school to receive the award. (Nipun Tiwari/CBC)
She said it’s uncommon for more than one student at the same school to win that award.
“It was a lovely, prideful moment,” she said. “I was just so glad they would be together.
“I always say with students though … that it actually has very little to do with those of us around them and it has more to do with that internal motivation.”
Barrington recalls the day the group learned the news and they couldn’t wait to tell their teachers.
“It does demonstrate how important the relationship with your educators is.”
Li has an interest in marketing.
“I think it’s really impressive that four out of the seven recipients, four of them came to Saint John High School,” he said.
Fola Akinola, another recipient of the scholarship, says part of his success can be owed to his teachers and the opportunities provided to him at school. (Nipun Tiwari/CBC)
Akinola said he owes a part of his success to the school.
He said having supportive teachers and being given the opportunity to enrol in various classes. He said extracurricular activities have helped lead him to the award.
“I think that says a lot about our school as a whole,” he said.