St. Catharines Standard Newspaper Article written by Nick Bussi
High school is a defining time of life for many teenagers. It helps them see who and what they really are in life.
In my three years at Port Colborne High School, I have learned a lot about myself and what I want to do with my life. Having the ability to participate in school sports, the school jazz band and student council have significantly impacted my life.
I have always enjoyed playing sports, and Port High has given me the opportunity to play on any team that’s offered.
Playing hockey both in and out of school has shown me many things about myself I did not see before. Hockey has instilled in me a strong work ethic, regardless of the level of play.
Like most school sports, they are done after school or during school in tournaments. Having school work to do as well as sports, I have learned to manage my time effectively. School comes first over sports, and school work needs to be completed no matter how long it takes.
I would like to play hockey for the university I go to in the future, and plan to participate in other hockey activities, perhaps even play some oldtimers hockey.
Our school jazz band, Bluetones, has taught me many wonderful things, mostly patience and collaborative skills.
Learning to play music as a group means you might have to wait for others to “catch up.” Playing in a band with more than 15 members means we all learn at different speeds and strive to play at a comfortable pace for everyone.
Once we polish the piece, finally performing as a band is the best feeling of accomplishment because it is a collaboration of all our musical abilities.
Having the ability to join so many things at Port High in Grade 9, especially band, has impacted my future plans.
Joining student council in Grade 9 has impacted my future plans as well.
Student council at Port High is in charge of most events that impact the student body. These events can be brought forward and planned by any student council member.
We have planned events, such as our ball hockey tournament, Try Day, or our many annual events such as the Terry Fox Walk and our semi-formal. A group of members is put in charge and collaboratively plans the event, which has taught me valuable leadership skills.
It has also given me the opportunity to be on the District School Board of Niagara student senate this year, where I can bring our ideas to the trustee level.
All these opportunities have impacted my future student council position applications and what also I would like to do as a future career. Student council opens up many avenues for the future I did not really consider.
Student leadership at the university level is certainly something I would like to pursue — it is important to have a voice in your community.
The many experiences and opportunities Port Colborne High School has given me have helped shape my future. I have learned valuable skills such as time management, teamwork and leadership skills. I hope to transfer these skills I gained in high school to my future education, my eventual employment and as an involved member of my community.
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Nicholas Bussi is a student at Port Colborne High School