Heart Lake Secondary School student Vivek Bansal and Turner Fenton Secondary School’s Amy Deeb tied for the highest academic average among Peel District School Board Grade 12 students graduating this spring from Brampton schools. Their 98.5 per cent averages made them the board’s top Ontario Scholars in Brampton.

To be an Ontario Scholar, students must earn 80 per cent or higher in six Grade 12 courses. Peel board had 2,939 Ontario scholars this year.

Both Bansal and Deeb said academic achievement for them was about doing their best. The personal satisfaction that comes from making a real effort to reach one’s full potential is more rewarding than the grade.

“I just try to do my best,” said Bansal, whose efforts have earned him scholarships that will help pursue business studies at the University of Waterloo next fall.

Always striving for personal excellence is routine for Deeb and a core value instilled by parents as part of her upbringing.

“It’s important that I try my best at everything I do,” the 18-year-old said.

It’s a lot easier for students to make the effort in classrooms when course material and teachers can ignite their passion and interest. Deeb, who plans to study aerospace engineering at Carleton University, said her chemistry teacher this year made that class her favourite.

“I really love my chemistry course,” she remarked. “My teacher was amazing.”
Mrs. Clayton had a gift for demonstrating a connection between theoretical classroom lessons and real world usefulness, Deeb explained.

“It’s a lot more fun when you can see how it really applies to the real world,” the teenager added.

She was enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Turner Fenton. Students in the IB program study all areas of the curriculum, including mathematics, sciences, language and humanities. They must also write a 4,000 word essay on a topic of personal interest and complete a community service component that encourages students to pursue non-academic interests.

Deeb, who also works part-time, graduated with marks of 98-100 per cent in math and chemistry, 90-97 per cent in English, French and history and 89-92 per cent in physics.

The hands-on nature of engineering has always interested the young woman and the vast possibilities presented by a career in aerospace engineering are exciting. Deeb has no idea where her academic pursuits will ultimately lead, but that is half the fun. She seems as excited about the prospect of working with flight simulators, unmanned aircraft and space exploration vessels as she is about learning to rollerblade this summer.

“I’m terrible on skates,” she laughed. “I like doing new things and trying things out.”

Fellow scholar Bansal made plenty of time for friends and sports as well as some volunteer work in addition to hitting the books. Finding time to relax is a real help when the time comes to concentrate on studies, Bansal insisted.

He is hoping the accounting and financial management program he will enter in the fall eventually leads to a certified accounting designation. He enjoys the problem solving aspect of business and math courses. “I just find it more engaging,” the 18-year-old said.

Bansal decided not to work during the last couple years of high so he could concentrate more on studies.

“I didn’t want to spend time working. I wanted to make the most of my time studying,” he explained.

“I just wanted to make sure I got into a good university and the program of my choice.”

His family immigrated to Canada from New Zealand 2 1/2 years ago— partly to give Bansal the kind of academic opportunities he has now earned.