Vervegirls on the Verge
Talk about your do-gooders! Alisha Norris and Tzu-Yie Koo are two vervegirls (who are definitely) On The Verge. These two best friends
attend Guildford Park SS in Surrey, BC and together have banked countless hours volunteering at school and in their communities. Read on to find out why we’re giving them $1,000!
Alisha: Tzu’s friendship means everything to me. We have been inseparable for the past seven years…pretty much from the moment we met! Tzu is someone I can count on for advice, a shoulder to lean on, or just someone to make me laugh. Tzu and I are important to each other because we both have the same goals and ambitions in life. We want to be the best we can be while also having fun. We support each other in everything we do and despite minor disagree-ments we always manage to pull through. Tzu is an amazing person and will always be my best friend.
What is your favourite high school memory?
Grad! It was beautiful, magical and amazing. Seeing everyone dressed up for the first time was a shocker!
Define School Spirit
School Spirit is all about bonding with your friends and supporting others in your school. At my school we often have quirky events in the cafeteria—such as searching cream pies for strawberries using only your mouth. It’s about not being afraid to make a fool of yourself and having the school laugh along with you.
What do you do as friends to make your high school a better place?
As friends, we make our high school a better place by being who we are, and setting a good example. We support each other in everything we want to do. Rarely does only one of us join a club or organization without the other standing right there. We maintain the same values and morals, and set out together to do what we believe in. Our biggest commitment has been to volunteer in the after-school tutoring program. This program helps many students achieve their academic goals—we tutor students from any grade level in a variety of subjects. Many of these students have demonstrated substantial improvements in their marks! Being able to watch a student’s confidence grow along with their grade point average was extremely rewarding.
What do you do each of you do to make your communities a better place?
We are both members of the Coast Capital Savings Community Youth Team, and together we go out into the community during parades and festivals to face-paint, hand out giveaways, and promote a Child ID program that aids in the search for missing children. Basically we bring families together and make them want to come outside to enjoy the sunshine and festivities.
When you add it all up, how many volunteer hours have you racked up?
We’ve volunteered for so many causes. If you were to add them up it must be over 300 hours!
Out of all of your volunteer experiences, which stands out as the most memorable?
TZU: The one volunteer experience that stands out as the most touching is when Alisha and I both volunteered at a place called the Whale House in White Rock. It is a place where mentally disabled adults can live at and we
went there to help make the residence a more beautiful place. We planted flowers, did some weeding, and power-washed the house and sidewalk. The best was when one resident came out before we left and asked whether we could leave an address with him. He wanted to paint us a portrait as a way of expressing his gratitude. It was an incredible and very thoughtful gift.
Any words of wisdom to vervegirls?
ALISHA: Plan for the future, but live for today. Don’t get so caught up in planning things years down the road that your forget about the present. Take the time to enjoy life.
TZU: My words of wisdom are that there’ll only be some people in your life whom you will actually call a friend. There’ll be many acquain-tances, so remember never to forget who those people are, because when you really need them they’ll be right there to help you. When life gets you down, always remember that you’re not alone.
To which charity will you donate half of your winnings and Why?
ALISHA: We’ll donate half of the money to the Children’s Hospital Charity because they have done so much for my family. When I was 14-months-old I was diagnosed with a flesh eating disease and Children’s Hospital saved
my life. When my oldest brother was 15 he developed a Staphylococcus Bacterial infection and again the Hospital was there throughout his three month recovery period. Children’s Hospital helps thousands of sick children
every year!
photography: Paige Birnie
