Humberview Secondary School

Going into grade 11, I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life after completing high school. The Conservation and Sustainability SHSM had just been announced that year and I joined in the hopes that it would provide me with some direction moving forward in my academics and in my career path. Throughout my two years in the program, I met many lifelong friends and had many amazing experiences and opportunities that I continue to look back on fondly. The SHSM has had a lasting impact on my life; if I did not enroll in the SHSM, I don’t believe that I would currently be studying Honours Environment, Resources, and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo or going to the University of Queensland in Australia to study the Great Barrier Reef. Achieving the SHSM seal made me standout from my peers and has provided me with a multitude of opportunities. The certifications and experience that I earned in the program have made me stand out to employers and helped me earn a job as a Park Ranger for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and my current co-op placement working as an Outdoor Environmental Education Instructor for the Toronto District School Board. Moving forward in my career and in my studies, I hope to focus on the impacts of microplastics, a concept introduced to me by the SHSM, and costal restoration.