Hwang Yoonkyung

The Abbotsford International Program is very proud of Yoonkyung's achievements!  She was accepted into the following universities:  University of Toronto (Computer Science), University of Alberta (Applied Mathematics), Western (Data Science), Waterloo (Honours Mathematics, Math/Business), Dalhousie (Applied Computer Science) and University of Ottawa (Mathematics). I also applied to the University of Washington (Computer Science), and Rutgers University (Faculty of Science) in the States.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” It took me not too long to figure out the existence of small talk, and that Canadian people in general love to talk with people they do not know. As a person who has always trembled while public speaking, I needed to pretend that I was not nervous and create a confident identity for myself. In freshman year, I often feigned great interest in my locker’s contents when I did not have friends to talk to. I did not want to look like a loner. I could not bear to eat lunches by myself, so I passed them alone in the library. Studying in Abby Senior often accompanied struggles, but, in the end, this process made me develop high self-esteem and become a genuine leader.

At first, it was stressful to adapt to a whole new education system in Canada. On a test, I was told to write an essay, instead of completing a simple multiple-choice test. Teachers also did not emphasize which contents will likely be on the test. It was not a matter of being sensible that decides who are good students. I had to escape from a nest where people would spoon-feed me information and answers. I needed to go on an adventure to take care of myself.

I started off with being involved in as many activities as I could. At that time, my English class was paramount; I wanted to be more comfortable speaking English in public, so I joined a drama class. At first, I thought the class would simply be about memorizing lines and presenting some plays. However, everything in Abby Senior was beyond the limit of what I could conceive of in that language. I had to do a mime show and deliver my emotions to my classmates and teacher, and all of this was quite different from my imagined drama class. I gradually stopped regretting joining the class, especially when I found myself presenting a whole monologue without stuttering, I wanted to give myself praise for taking on a challenge. While trying something that I would not have done back in Korea, I was slowly learning what I would like to do in the future.

Besides taking diverse classes, I have entrusted with the position of club treasurer for any curricular activities or events. My passion was piqued further throughout this chain of events. After the experience, I have demonstrated these qualities by being more involved in school activities. Starting from the Key Club to Abbotsford’s first MUN conference, I have striven to create a better community where we can enrich ourselves through diversity.

Abbotsford’s International Program allowed me to gain confidence in everything; I have pushed myself to take a risk and to become a bold person. Furthermore, it encouraged me to come out from my comfort zone, which made me take a huge step towards my future. I would always be grateful to teachers and friends in Abbotsford: people who made everything possible for me.

Post-Secondary Plans:

Being a student at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School had given me the opportunity to take the International Baccalaureate Program that allowed me to become a genuine learner.  Specifically, IB Math class was always filled with surprise. Mathematics was not simply a subject that needs to memorize and memorize but an enormous chain linked to one another. Therefore, I had it in my mind that I want to pursue my future working in a math-related field. The Internet rapidly has become an essential component of our lives, so I decided to study Big Data, which combines mathematics and computer skills. With these in mind, I applied to the following schools in Canada: University of Toronto (Computer Science), University of Alberta (Applied Mathematics), Western (Data Science), Waterloo (Honours Mathematics, Math/Business), Dalhousie (Applied Computer Science) and University of Ottawa (Mathematics). I also applied to the University of Washington (Computer Science), and Rutgers University (Faculty of Science) in the States. It was a great honour to be accepted by all of the universities. In the future, with this tailored degree, I would like to work in a company as a data scientist.

Activities:

Gallery Assistant at The Reach Museum (September 2017 - June 2018)
Volunteered at Korean Language School in Abbotsford (September 2017 - June 2018)
Member of Key Club at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (September 2017 - June 2019)
Volunteered at GPI North America as a conversation buddy (July 2018 - January 2020)
Volunteered at Reading Buddies Program as a Big Buddy (September 2018 - June 2019)
Member of World Leaders' Club (MUN Club) at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (September 2018 - June 2019)
Link Leader of Link Crew Leadership at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (September 2018 - June 2020)
Founder of Math Tutoring Club at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (October 2018)
Cashier at Abby Grind coffee bar at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (January 2019 - June 2019)
Treasurer of Key Club at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (September 2019 - June 2020)
USG of Finance in BEVMUN at Abbotsford Senior Secondary School (October 2019)
Obtained Bronze Medal in Skills Canada Regionals for Video Production (February 2020)