I remember clearly the first time I ever encountered Allison. It was a couple of years ago, and I had been asked to supervise an Interact meeting for Ms Groombridge. It was in Ms Sidhu's classroom and I was sitting somewhere near the window, kind of zoning out a little. The meeting was a bit disorganized but things were slowly getting done. Then this one grade 10 girl I had never met before spoke up. She was so clear and well-spoken and self-assured! She was speaking in a way that elicited ACTION ("I will do this". "We can start by doing...", etc). I was struck by her leadership abilities and her communication skills. I leaned over to someone (Ms Kam, perhaps) and asked who it was. "Oh, that's Allison V!". What a first impression she made on me!
I was so happy, therefore, when I got to teach Allison the following year, in PreCalculus 11. And she didn't disappoint. She was an enthusiastic, determined, and responsible student. Plus, she was ALWAYS super-kind to me and fun to joke around with (Allison has a great sense of humour). One highlight from last year was when we worked a trade out: some of my home-"made" (or at least "canned") tomatoes for some of Allison's moms salsa!! So yummy! Thanks Mama V! And thanks Allison for organizing!
This year Allison is one of my CS students. It's always good to have one "artistic" CS. And (I think Betty, Lara, and Kelsey would agree) this year that person is Allison. Know the posters that are all over my walls? Well Allison has made LOTS of those... and in record time. She is one speedy artiste! She impressed me so much one day: she was making a poster and I noticed that she had made a mistake (spelling? I can't remember). I told her very apologetically about her mistake, expecting her to groan / grumble / etc. Instead, without a moments pause, she picked up a different colour pencil crayon (actually one of my World Famous Mathematical Colouring Sticks) and proceeded to colour over her mistake and simultaneously turn it into a picture that was totally relevant to the poster itself!!! True mastery!! The girls got a gift!
Allison, we have shared many great chats over the past couple of years. Thank you for the times you have shared with me, the good laughs, and even a few tears along the way (from both of us!). They say that you can tell a lot about a person in the first moments that you meet them and - in your case - it was true! I knew in the first moments I saw you that you were a unique, powerful, and special person. May you never change! All the best in the years ahead! Love you, A.V.!!