The Walk for Youth is Coming

Optimists Award Scholarships

The Coquitlam Optimist Club has presented Robert Simms Memorial Scholarships to ten 2018 graduates of Tri-Cities secondary schools.  The scholarship recipients and their schools are Dora Monica Bassili of Dr. Charles Best, Noamie Kamba of Centennial, Negin Ketabachi of Heritage Woods, Sophia Mueller and Stephanie Nguyen of Terry Fox, Ethel Pasion of Centennial, and Kristie Tai of Gleneagle. 

The $500 Robert Simms Memorial Scholarship is named in honour of a long-time School District 43 educator and counsellor, who was a charter member of the Coquitlam Optimist Club.  The selection of scholarship recipients is based primarily on the students’ service to their schools and the wider community.   In addition, the students’ academic records must demonstrate their ability to succeed at post-secondary studies. 

The 2018 scholarship recipients have chosen a range of post-secondary institutions.  Students attending schools in the British Columbia include Stephanie Nguyen and Kristie Tai (University of British Columbia), Negan Ketabachi and Ethel Paison (Simon Fraser University), and Sophia Mueller (Pacific Life).  Monica Bassili is attending the University of Alberta, while Noamie Kamba is at Trent University. 

Students attending schools in the Lower Mainland received their scholarships at a dinner hosted by the Coquitlam Optimist Club on September 4, 2018.