In March 2008 Francesca McDowell was a grade 11 student at Rockridge Secondary in West Vancouver.She was also a dynamic, can do member of the student leadership team hosting the very fist Cyclebetes Spin-a-thon. In September she will be entering her second year at UBC double majoring in Political Science and Economics.
“It feels like grade 11 was a lifetime ago. As part of the original team that began the Cyclebetes Spin-a-thons in our high school gymnasium, it is hardly believable at the extent to which this event has grown, and the vast amount of young leaders that have risen and shone because of it”.
Cheryl: What was the biggest Can do for the Rockridge Cyclebetes team?
“During the event, the biggest ‘Can do’ was recruiting teams. We had a brand new event, the logistics of which we could barely determine ourselves, but we also had a lot of faith. It is corny and you’ve all heard it before, but without the determination that came from our competitive little group, and without a little bit of persuasion, we would have been unable to convince people to drop their Friday night plans and attend an event where they had to exercise for 24 hours!
What can really get you down in those times is rejection, life isn’t always going to hand you rewards on a silver platter, so yes, occasionally people shut us down. This can easily stop anyone, especially those who usually get what they want, but that is where our team really did the ‘can do.’ We realized that we were looking in the wrong places, so we changed our perspective on things”.
Francesca’s Can do – Don’t be afraid to change things to make them work, take a few risks, live a little!
Author: Cheryl Wilson-Stewart Director of school initiatives. “Our responsibility is to mentor and support these young people they are outstanding!” She is also the founder of Mindblasting and author of several creativity curriculum in use throughout the world, Cheryl is a consultant to both business and education sectors.
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