Scholarship Essay Entry – Teri-Lynn A.

Never Too Late
I am eighteen years old and currently in my second year at the University of Alberta.  I am studying Native Studies with one course in each term geared towards Nursing. When I am done my studies my goal is to have Nursing as a major and Native Studies as a Minor.

I am an Aboriginal, First Nation, Indigenous, and Native youth. My whole life I had difficulties trying to fit into the education system, but I have survived. I never really found out who I wanted to be or what I wanted to be, until I attended high school at Stony Plain Memorial Composite High School in Alberta. The opportunity arose when West View Primary Care Network created a Youth Group called Y.A.P.P. (Youth Ambassadors for Prevention and Promotion) to influence Aboriginal communities positively by promoting healthy lifestyle living to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes. West view Primary Care Network provided youths with the opportunity for mentorship, education and have access to resources in order to experience how lifestyle choices and physical activity can impact health. Some opportunities that  WestView primary Care Network provided were summer intern jobs at hospitals, Diabetes Expo's/ Conferences, as well as various experience to question aboriginal history of diabetes and culture.

Y.A.P.P became familiar with the Aboriginal culture and reintroduced aboriginal cultural dance as a physical activity. Y.A.P.P used The Aboriginal Canadian Food Guide to promote healthy foods that fit Aboriginal Cultures such as fish, deer meat, moose meat and dry bread. Y.A.P.P illustrated that Aboriginal Dance Performances was a way to practice Aboriginal culture and prevent chronic diseases like diabetes from affecting Aboriginal Communities.

With the experience and opportunities that was I was give in High School, I fell in love with the knowledge of medicine, aboriginal history, the idea of nursing and the ability as a youth to impact my community and culture. Youth Ambassadors for Prevention and Promotion definitely helped me determine by choice of career at the University of Alberta and I am very thankful for the opportunity I had/have.

My family has a history of diabetes and I want all of us to live a longer, healthier life. My father tells me every day that education is the key and to keep moving forward and never look back, but do not forget where you came from. I am proud of being educated and honoured to be part of a unique cultural background.

My ambitions, dreams and visions are: That I believe and hope my community can change through time and become educated. That health is what makes your life shorter and longer. What More to be healthier mentally, physically, spiritually and culturally? I want to show my community that our culture was never gone and that we can prevent chronic diseases from impacting our community. We can both practice our culture and maintain a healthy life style. What I learn in Post Secondary Education will absolutely help me gain the knowledge necessary to influence my community with the knowledge and experience that I was taught.