Queenie's Journey
Queenie enrolled in the Math Program at my centre while in grade two, where she started working on concepts in addition. After seeing her child’s confidence grow, Mom decided to also enroll Queenie in the Reading Program a little over a year later. Queenie’s passion for reading shone through as she became a Program Completer in just four short years! She is also about to complete the Math Program as well, where she has been studying advanced calculus before entering grade 9.
Queenie’s achievements and awards have been many in both Kumon and her personal life. She has received numerous academic awards, is a published author, and also has the distinguished achievement of being selected from an elite group of students in North America to attend Kumon’s prestigious Student Conference. Queenie is also committed to helping those in her community and has received a citizenship award for her dedication.
When asked, Queenie had this to say about her Kumon journey and what her aspirations are for the future:
“Kumon is a life changing program and it has had a huge impact on who I am today. My successes would not have been achieved without the help of Kumon.
I have been part of the Kumon of Winnipeg – Garden City family for almost eight years. As someone who has experienced the learning and opportunities Kumon has provided, I can genuinely say it has been a great help and more than what I expected. Kumon has taught me so many skills, such as the ability to self learn and to be focused and organized, which I am applying in my daily routine. Many of these skills now come to me naturally and I even find myself using them unconsciously because I was taught these things at a young age.
Being part of Kumon has led me to achieve awards and accomplishments. If it was not for Kumon’s help, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My goal for the future is to get into a career that will make my life successful. I know that there are many possibilities and opportunities to come and I am ready to embrace them because Kumon has taught me the skills that I need to face what lies ahead of me.”
We wish Queenie all the best in her future endeavors!
Congratulations Ridhwanlai!
Ridhwanlai came to our centre already having completed the Reading Program by grade 7. After seeing how well he was flourishing in the Reading Program, his parents decided to extend his educational horizon by enrolling him in Math. At our centre, his passion for math quickly showed and he began studying topics such as trigonometry, logarithms, and advanced calculus well before starting high school. Soon, Ridhwanlai was able to become a Math Program Completer in grade 9.
We reached out to Ridhwanlai for a few words about what he feels was the biggest benefit he received from Kumon and he said, “I think the biggest benefit that I received from Kumon was having the opportunity to work at my own pace. This enabled me to go above and beyond and continuously challenge myself. Through these experiences, I realized that as long as I tried hard enough and used all the tools in my toolbox, there’d be no problem that I couldn’t eventually workout.”
Ridhwanlai has not only pushed himself in the Kumon classroom though, as he’s also well-accomplished in his personal life. The prestigious Loran Award, TD Award of Merit for Community Leadership, and being named a 2023 Optimist International Essay Champion are just a few of the numerous accolades and honours he has received this past year. He has also been published in numerous news articles and outlets such as CTV, CBC, and the Winnipeg Free Press. Beyond his individual triumphs, Ridhwanlai remains dedicated to serving his community, even being recognized in the Manitoba Legislative Building for his work.
When asked to reflect on his Kumon journey and share his aspirations for the future, Ridhwanlai stated,
“Kumon was my first encounter with real frustration, where I found a problem that I couldn’t solve. The sweet satisfaction that came along with figuring it out was the best feeling in the world though, and through that experience and many more, I learned critical skills such as perseverance, resilience, and grit. These skills have translated well into all areas of my life and have helped to build my character.
From being a student to then becoming a Kumon teaching assistant and helping other students in class, my journey with Kumon has come full circle and I’m proud to say that I’ve been able to enjoy both sides of the marking table. I’ll always be grateful to Kumon and Miss Lynn for these opportunities.”
Looking ahead, my ambition is to pursue a career that ensures my personal and professional success. I’ve always had a passion for coding and I was able to get into two amazing Canadian universities for computer science. The University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia. I’ve decided that I’ll be heading over to UBC where I hope to further my education while positively impacting marginalized communities and improving mental wellness using technology.
Finally we asked if he had any words of advice for current and potential Kumon students and he shared, “Becoming a Kumon Completer in any subject, let alone two, is an extremely challenging endeavour, but I promise you it’s possible. If I could do it, so can you. Trust in yourself and learn to be kind to yourself on the days when it gets tough. Most importantly though, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Learning is a long process and those mistakes are going to be your building blocks to success within Kumon.”
We extend our heartfelt support to Ridhwanlai as he forges ahead into a promising future!