Being an extremely proactive volunteer and insanely inquisitive and curious personnel, it was, I believe an early in March midnight stroll. I was ardently browsing through CYFC’s website, much like as if I was rummaging through cardboard boxes filled with the odd item here and there, examining each inspiring article with interest, and it’s no wonder then that I had eventually stumbled upon the opportunity that would lead me to meet some of Calgary’s most passionate and dedicated youths.

Eagerly sipping my early morning tea and glancing over at the small corner clock on my computer that reminded me of the hour, I also remember eagerly devouring the information available that illustrated the nature of the ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards.

“The ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards recognize deserving youth, 13-18 years of age, for the remarkable ways in which they have chosen to live. The awards are not academic rather they focus on leadership, friendship, overcoming personal challenge, and community service…”

I had read to introduce these awards, at first surprised, but delighted, to find that Calgary had provided a wonderful opportunity to recognize six individuals that were exemplary characters of: advocacy, environmentalism, leadership, peer support, perseverance, and volunteerism.

Provided below was the extremely informative, and charmingly animated video that was creatively constructed by the Youth of Distinction Awards steering committee, a group of dedicated youth that organized the event, and determined the winner of each award. But before any name tags could be created, congratulatory letters to be sent to the top three finalists of each award, and the highly anticipated awards ceremony to be held at the pleasant location of the conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, there had to be nominations written first.

As the video had suggested, I certainly had someone very special to me that I had wished Calgary to recognize, and that was for her amazing and compassionate peer support she had provided. My mentor in choir was quite unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen : insanely loud, but compassionate, highly opinionated, but empathetic and caring, Erica Ho for me was like a brightly lit, pink fluorescent shirt,- you just didn’t, and couldn’t, ignore the shirt or her.

Thoroughly impressed by the amazing and astounding nominees and the devoted and enthusiastic members of the Youth of Distinction steering committee, I am writing this article from the perspective of an admiring nominator that had screamed in joy and nearly dropped the congratulatory letter as I read Erica Ho had been chosen to be one of the top three finalist for the Peer Support award.

The nomination letter of Erica Ho had come easily to me, as I had fervently invested countless hours carefully reviewing the format of which the nomination had to be written in, reading “Tips for Writing a Great Nomination” that was thankfully provided, scrutinizing the 2009 wining recipients and their bios, and continually reviewing the criteria of the exemplary character the recipient of the Peer support nominee would have to demonstrate, as it would “be given to a youth who is a true mentor. This youth will have positively affected the life, or lives of others. The nominee will have shown empathy and compassion while lending their support.”

Another midnight endeavour, I remember energetically slipping back and forth from the crevasses of my unrestrained memories, to paper, the unfolding recount of these inspirational and rousing recollections of Erica’s encouragement and devotion. Nervously aware of the cardinal length of one page, the process of selecting specific references and examples that best illustrated Erica’s compassion and empathetic inspiration proved to be somewhat difficult, but nonetheless motivational to deliver nothing but the best nomination for her.

“Each of the three choirs possesses a handful of potential singers, with Concert choir having up to 85 inexperienced singers. With so many new additions to this choir every new semester, she does not shy away from the daunting task of assisting promising new singers reach their fullest potential. By attending afterschool tutorials and providing music lessons, from music theory to pitching one’s voice… she possesses the rare quality of believing there is potential in everyone, including myself… Being a struggling member of concert choir myself, I am fully grateful and inspired by her encouragement and devotion to helping me develop, from an unsure, shaky, and unconfident voice in music, to being able to offer and add a valuable, positive voice and presence, to the concert…” were some of the sentences I had crafted in attempts to convey, as accurate a reflection, Erica’s character.

Always the midnight hour, I confess that I was quite hesitant, at first, to submit my nomination to the Youth of Distinction Awards. Was my esteemed mentor in choir really a true mentor? Did she have a place among other empathic and admirable youths that responded to sensitive calls at the Distress Centre, or tutored and assisted mentally handicapped individuals? Only one way to find out, and sure enough, she did, as two weeks later, an invitation to the 2010 ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards Ceremony on Saturday, May 8^th, with the location of the Enmax Conservatory at the Calgary Zoo, and the prospect of lunch to be provided, midnights during the process of the Youth of Distinction Awards became very happy hours for me.

The awards ceremony deemed to be a worthwhile and wonderfully organized event, as I stepped into the procession to this semi-formal event, many of the esteemed guests inviting their nominators as Erica had graciously did, and their beaming parents, and for Erica, her own inspiration, her mother.

Briefly approaching and zealously expressing my sincere admiration of the event to Kaitlin Gordon, the Program Coordinator that oversaw the execution of this event, I was delighted to be welcomed by soft jazz music, played by Western Canada High School’s Jazz Combo, that created a most pleasant atmosphere, and greeted by cute springs and yo-yos that adorned every lunch table. The neatly placed and accented springs and yo-yos were cute decorations that reminded everyone to indulge in a little childhood sense of wonder, and were nicely accompanied with celebratory and appealing programs, that presented each of the top three finalists in each category with a quote taken directly from their nominations, allowing other individuals present at the ceremony to, read the beautiful and meaningful words of their nominators, that exemplified their consideration of the nominees.

It also goes unsaid that I felt extremely privileged to be at the awards ceremony, surrounded by so many awesome youths, and as Brett Dribble, another Program Coordinator that oversees Youth Volunteer Corps in schools, was enthusiastically taking pictures of every deserving nominee and their guests.

Politely mingling and speaking with the guests situated at my table, aided with smartly added decorations of small strips of paper in quaint containers resembling Chinese take-out boxes, serving as conversation starters, the event turned out to be anything but “awkward”. Following the delightful shaking and revealing purpose of said boxes, and also the endearing welcome and also the amusing question of who has “bieber fever?” made by the Program Director of CYFC, and Emcee of the awards ceremony, Andrew Phung, and the greetings made from Penny Hume, Executive Director of Child and Youth and Friendly Calgary, and Tim Bryant, VP of External Affairs for ConocoPhillips Canada, the nervously anticipated award presentation went underway.

Chewing delicately on my superb meal of chicken and vegetables, each category began much like the glamorous and highly publicized Oscars, a condensed movie-like trailer would introduce each of the considered nominees, a representative of the Youth of Distinction Awards steering committee would step up to podium, and every individual would hold their breath until their cheeks would turn slightly blue, as the recipient of each award would be announced and loud cheering would follow as quaint trophies of a transparent green and standing model would be received.

So just what did the little program say under Peer Support?

“RBC is a proud supporter of education programs that help young people prepare for life. Congratulations to all nominees for the Peer Support Award. You are an inspiration!”

“A true mentor passes on the wish and effort to continually learn and extend their knowledge to and from others by volunteering, in this case, to educate others of the beautiful and artist expression of music, and this is exactly what [Erica] has done.” – Lisa Bui, Classmate and Nominator

“[Ellen] is an usually mature student who senses when someone is in need and consistently rises to the occasion. Throughout her time at Westmount, Ellent has time and again jumped at the opportunity to help fellow students of all ages.” – Colleen Groot, Teacher at Westmount Charter School and Nominator

“Jennie has positively impacted others by being a role model, acting as a shoulder to cry on and being a support for those at the end of their rope. She makes efforts to make people smile and bring cheer into lives lacking positivity.” – Leanna Darling, Teacher at Juno Beach Academy of Canadian Studies and Nominator

So, just before the presentation of the Peer Support award presentation occurred, Erica had lightly touched my hand and, smiling her comforting and endearing smile, said, “It doesn’t matter if I win. I don’t even think I’m going to. But the fact that you had nominated me means a lot to me.” Even when we were at an awards ceremony to recognize her compassionate character, she never fails to amaze me with her modest nature, but also being able to provide such confident empathetic and positive support in any situation. She is constantly assisting me in my character development with her kind and selfless actions and words, and is the admirable and inspirational role model of what an extraordinary person is, and I may become one day.

Alas, Erica was not the recipient of the Peer Support award and I wholeheartedly applaud the recipient of the Peer Support award, Jennie Estabrooks.  However, no one truly “lost” in their respective categories, as each individual should be commended for their dedication and incredible contributions and involvement in their communities, as Barbara Simic, ConocoPhillips’s Manager of Community Investment and Volunteerism says, “…they are our leaders of tomorrow and recognizing them today is an excellent way to encourage them to continue on their leadership journey.”