Annie
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Growing up in Montreal and living in cities such as Toronto, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, Annie grew up surrounded by diverse cultures, values, and ways of life. This experience has instilled in her an international perspective and inspired her to think globally while acting locally. 
 
Growing up, Annie was influenced by a Chinese folktale called The Tortoise and the Hare. The moral of the story was that slow and steady wins, highlighting the importance of consistency and perseverance. Additionally, the story also teaches the significance of remaining humble. 
 
The moral of the folktale accompanied her through her most turbulent years, when she moved from her childhood home in Montreal to China. Adjusting to new surroundings was no small feat, yet through perseverance and adaptability, Annie found herself a new home. These qualities have stuck with her since, and continue to guide her in her academic pursuits. 
 
Annie was inspired to learn about local environmental issues, more specifically, river pollution. A river can be found in nearly every major city in the world, as civilization survives effectively near bodies of water. Yet most rivers in the world, especially major ones, are heavily polluted from agricultural runoff, plastic, industrial waste, and untreated sewage. One way to help with the efforts of revitalisation, Annie found, was to help clean up the habitat. It takes one person one hour, and an entire bucket would be full of trash from the riverbank. She found that through small, consistent efforts, pollution in rivers can be reversed. Similar to the moral of the folktale, consistency in efforts is most important in achieving a goal – such as removing trash from riverbanks. 
 
It is through these small efforts, from one community to the next, and into a global community of inspired people, that environmental damage can be alleviated. It was in this spirit that Annie founded Water Action for Vital Environments (WAVE). Through community-based river clean-ups, collaborations with local non-profit organisations, and learning, WAVE will spread awareness about river pollution, and inspire many to contribute to the cause. 
 
Now based in Toronto, Annie enjoys exploring the city through food crawls, art galleries, and pottery classes. At school, she is a clarinet player in the band and CFO of a student-run business.