Being accepted into UBC’s Acting program is like a dream come true for Jonathan. He has a long history of acting for school productions; before he joined Greenwood, his elementary school used to put on mandatory full-school plays. While Jonathan did not audition for a role in a Greenwood production in Grade 7, 8 or 9, he felt like he had to “bite the bullet” and try auditioning for High School Musical in Grade 10. From there, his confidence and passion for acting grew. He has had numerous roles in many of Greenwood’s theatrical productions and even had an opportunity to work at a theatre for his co-op placement in Grade 11. He credits his experiences in Greenwood’s plays and musicals as part of why he was accepted into UBC’s program. “If I hadn’t auditioned or been part of Greenwood’s productions, it would have been very hard for me to audition for UBC,” says Jonathan. Greenwood staff helped Jonathan with filming his initial audition tape where he performed Biff’s monologue from Death of a Salesman. Out of 156 audition tape submissions, Jonathan was one of the 40 callbacks for a second audition. Jonathan is looking forward to learning more about acting and in particular about film acting in his university program.

Studying: Game Design at Sheridan College

When Gil was in Grade 7, he went to a gaming expo where he first learned about Sheridan’s Game Design program and dreamed about applying. Sheridan’s Game Design program is highly competitive – out of 400 applicants, only 70 are accepted each year.  The application process is also intensive, requiring a portfolio, statement of interest and test. While stressful, Gil was determined to make it into his dream program. “Game design is such a great medium for narrative compared to TV and movies because you can give the player choice,” Gil says. Beyond Sheridan’s stellar reputation for game design, Gil is also pleased that the Game Design program is a good balance of art and programming. Gil credits Greenwood’s Media Arts and Computer Science courses in helping him develop the skills needed to create his portfolio. “Greenwood’s AP English course helped me refine my narrative and writing skills, which I used for my statement of interest,” says Gil. “Those skills will definitely help when it comes to my career as well.”

Cindy’s interest in fashion began early on in her life. She would go on to design and produce her very own fashion show in 2022. “I enjoy investigating themes and exploring the different branches of opportunities,” Cindy says of her creative process. She chose the program at Cornell University because of the program’s focus on research, textiles and business management. Since she is interested in starting her own fashion line or business in the future, the joint focus on business and fashion will be beneficial for her. Cindy appreciated Greenwood’s focus on academic subjects like math, biology and business which will be useful in her postsecondary studies. “I also felt very comfortable applying to a US university thanks to my guidance counsellor,” says Cindy. Outside of the classroom, Cindy says that Greenwood’s outdoor education and athletics programs gave her the opportunity to develop into a more well-rounded candidate when applying for postsecondary programs.