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A Kelowna student beat out 300 others to win a provincial award valued at $12,000 this week.
At the Open the Doors gala in Vancouver on Thursday night, Nat Beleuse-Christman, a second year Okanagan College student, won the grand prize of rent paid for a year, valued at $12,000.
“I want other people to believe in themselves and know that their lives matter – this award means I can follow my dream of going to university, and I hope others can do the same,” she said.
Beleuse-Christman won the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators’ Open the Doors grand prize for her written submission about her own experience as a college student.
Her story of finishing Grade 12 as an adult and become a college student in Kelowna inspired all the judges.
“Out of the hundreds of deeply moving entries we read, Nat’s stood out. Nat’s story really speaks to the hope post-secondary education gives British Columbians,” said contest judge and college professor Shirley Ackland. “Access to post-secondary is harder than ever in B.C., with higher rents, lower wages, and higher tuition costs.
“All British Columbians would be better off with greater access to further education.”
At the Kelowna Open the Doors gala, Okanagan College Faculty Association awarded prizes to four local students. Arts student Takara Kempf wrote a compelling narrative about her choice to return to college for a new career and won tuition for a term, valued at up to $3,500.
Carrie-Ann McAlpine, Aaron Gregory, and Nat Beleuse-Christman each won $350 runner up awards at Okanagan College’s local Open the Doors contest.
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