TFS - Canada's International School

1 0 T F S F O U N D AT I O N ONE STUDENT'S JOURNEY How a TFS family's support allowed our first scholarship student to thrive If it is pically believed that taking a wrong turn, leading to a life-changing discovery, falls exclusively in the domain of books and movies, tell that to Tomi ( Oluwatomilayo) Shiu. For her, it is the stuff that real dreams are made of. After an unexpected turn brought her and her mom to TFS' Senior School, it became the moment when everything changed. They'd been on their way to a nearby school where Tomi was to be interviewed for entry into a group of scholarship applicants. Unlike the other independent schools she'd visited before, though, what struck Tomi about TFS was that all she saw around her was in French, a language she had never learned. "I can't do that," became "maybe I can" when her mom reminded Tomi of her love for challenges, and asked, "Why wouldn't you take this on?" Tomi was not only accepted into that scholarship pool, but also applied to become TFS' first scholarship recipient and was selected. Even wonderful dreams can be daunting. Starting off in Grade 7 at TFS' West Campus, Tomi found herself in a sea of French-speaking students, where she didn't understand a single word. "The first week I was crying and so frustrated," she says. Seeing her distress, her teacher told her: "Don't worry; you will speak French." It was a prediction based on experience, knowledge and the ability to provide a lot of support. And as the teacher promised, it came true. Becoming part of the TFS family at our close- knit West Campus allowed Tomi to transition seamlessly into Level I at the Senior School. She soon found her friends; those she bonded with over common interests. One of the most important of these was the Wind Ensemble. She remembers listening to the first piece of music she heard them play, Danzon No. 2 by Arturo Marquez: "It was so powerful, I said to myself that I wanted to do this. Every time I listen to it to this day, it still makes me happy." She was named the second chair for the trumpet; she cites the first chair for being a great leader and mentor. Bottom image: Tomi with her mother, Adedoyin Solalu, at the 2022 graduation dinner She recalls the Wind Ensemble's trips to Ottawa, where they performed at the French Chamber of Commerce with great enthusiasm. "They are great pictures in my mind, linked to great memories," she says. Tomi exemplifies TFS' goal of developing well- rounded citizens. According to the scholarship recipient, she was once "so bad at math," but learned to "do different things" through studying computer science. Today, Tomi says she loves mathematics. So it's no surprise that this student, who is equally passionate about coding and physics and chemistry, and who graduated from TFS in the spring of 2022, is studying engineering at the University of British Columbia's (UBC) Okanagan Campus this fall. When asked why the smaller UBC campus, it becomes clear she discovered how to adapt to an environment by taking the gradual route. She ticks off that it will be easier to make friends, the class sizes will be smaller and that she will be better able to connect with her profs, much like at TFS. Now having taken on new challenges in BC, Tomi reflects on her TFS journey and how she feels about her future. She knows she is "much, much better prepared for university because of the International Baccalaureate's Diploma Program, because I know how to get things done," and that she is "happy to be doing what I am doing, with so many interesting paths to follow." Tomi is also profoundly aware of the generosity of one family at TFS, who provided her with an invaluable education. She was able to meet Ifeoma Okwuosa who, along with her husband Emeka and son Chizube, Level II, became the first donors to the TFS Entrance Scholarship Program. "They might not have been there to witness it, but it changes a person's life. And I am so proud of what I have achieved. I was included in everything at TFS, I never felt left out, I always felt that I had that support. So for any students out there who are thinking about this scholarship, I say, 'Apply, apply!'"

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