Ruize (Rachel) Xu

Artist, Brainstormer, Event planner, Performer, Photographer, Student

I was born in Shanghai, China, in 2008 and moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 2022 to pursue my high school education. I am currently a Grade 11 IB Diploma student at Stratford Hall. I have many hobbies that I have consistently practiced for years. First, I began learning Classical Chinese Dance at the age of four and passed the Grade 11 examination for Chinese Dance by the Beijing Dance Academy. Over the years, I have performed dozens of times, including biannual charity performances and monthly volunteer performances, allowing me to contribute to my local community through my passions. Dance has taught me persistence and perseverance, enabling me to face difficulties and challenges in both life and academics with confidence. Additionally, it has given me valuable stage experience and strengthened my self-assurance. Second, I started learning piano when I was four years old and have since achieved an ABRSM Grade 8 certification, the highest level for amateur performers. Over the past twelve years, I have won numerous awards and performed in various concerts. Learning piano has instilled in me a strong sense of discipline and perseverance, as I dedicated an hour each day to practice from a young age. Third, I began learning the flute in Grade 6 and have reached ABRSM Grade 5 as a flute performer. Lastly, I love art and exploring different forms of artistic expression. I started learning drawing and painting when I was five years old and tried many other ways of art expression, including watercolor, drawing, ink painting, and oil painting. I am the leader of the Roar Zine Club and the club founder & leader of the Art and Figure Drawing Club at my school. Learning art for so many years has allowed me to become a very patient person who pays attention to details. In recent years, I have created many artworks centered around environmental protection. For my Personal Project, I designed and sewed an eco-friendly dress. In Grade 9 Visual Art, I used waste materials to create a butterfly on cardboard. Additionally, I constructed a large tree from recycled newspapers and exhibited it at our school. Learning visual art has given me a powerful way to express my ideas and values. An indispensable part of my identity is being a caring community leader. Inspired by my parents' dedication to supporting leukemia patients, I founded a charity fundraising club in my secondary school to raise awareness and provide financial assistance to those in need. All donations were sent to the Medical Social Work Department of Xinhua Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine. In 2021, my club won third place in the Student Public Welfare Project Design Competition for our fundraising initiative, earning a public welfare project grant of 5,000 yuan. With six core club members, we raised nearly 30,000 yuan, supported by more than 60 donors. In the summer of 2024, when I returned to China, I worked with my team to complete a donation for a 19-year-old leukemia patient. We brought him books and fun games and had conversations to encourage him to overcome the disease when we went to the hospital to visit them. After moving to Canada in 2022, I continued my leadership and community involvement. At City Vancouver Academy, I served as Vice President of the Student Council. I also volunteered at various events in the Vancouver area. Soon after, along with three other high school students, I co-founded the Sparks Youth Art and Service Association, a non-governmental organization in West Vancouver. We organized biweekly performance and painting activities at the Amica Senior Residence, hosted fundraising events such as donut, flower, and toy sales, and successfully raised $8,160, which we donated to the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation on May 24, 2024. As a leader, I actively participated in all events, especially the painting sessions, where I saw the joy on the elders' faces as they painted and chatted with us. Through our efforts, we brought happiness to the seniors and, as youth, we illuminated our community with hope and warmth. Additionally, after dedicating significant time to tutoring children with disabilities through the Social Diversity for Children Foundation’s programs, I assumed the role of Youth Program Lead to further develop SDC’s initiatives and impact in the community. ​​I am confident in my ability to balance academic excellence with strong leadership. I have received the Honor Roll distinction in Grades 9 and 10 and ranked in the top 25% of all contestants in both the 2024 Cayley Mathematics Contest and the 2025 CSMC. I was honored as the Star of Entrepreneurship in the Outstanding Youth Award 2024, issued by the Canada Community Service Association, along with a $300 bonus. I also received the HerPower Excellent Youth Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the community and remarkable achievements in empowering young women, and was invited as a guest speaker at the HerPower Gala.

Organiser, Youth Leadership