Hello! My name is Vanessa Vukovic and I am 17 years old. I am currently a grade twelve student attending Charles Best Secondary school and live in Coquitlam, British Columbia. This is my third year taking IDS Social Responsibility, and I’m thrilled to be back! My favourite subject in school is English as I find the course fascinating, given the endless possibilities to display art through text. I also find it very captivating to see how other people express themselves through the form of writing!
I initially found out about IDS Social Responsibility through the course selection sheet two years ago, in addition to my older sister who has taken this class previously. While reading what this course is about, one thing that caught my eye was that this class is an independent study, meaning that I have the freedom to choose a topic of interest and dive deep to immerse myself with more knowledge about the subject matter. Therefore, I was excited to have the opportunity of learning more beyond the core classes on my timetable, and branch out to discover more things I have a passion for, or simply out of curiosity. I’m taking this class for the third year now because I thoroughly enjoyed the concepts learned last year. Moreover, I’m looking forward to researching about an Inquiry question this semester as I have learned a ton from my previous four that I have completed.
I currently work at the Vancouver Golf Club as an Outside Services Attendant. The club is a private golf course set within 176 acres of woodland park. I prepare golf carts, take care of the practice range, and aid members and guests by handling their baggage. At the moment, I’m currently juggling school, work, and soccer, so I don’t have much spare time at hand.
A passion of mine is playing Soccer. I currently play for the Coquitlam Metro Ford Soccer club for the past seven years. Growing up in a Croatian household, watching soccer games with my family has become a staple; always staying patriotic and competitive. After the 2018 World Cup where Croatia came runners up to France, my love for the sport only grew, seeing how much a sport can impact a nation. I play soccer for many different reasons, but just to name a few, I play because it brings communities together, requires teamwork, and creates lifelong memories.
Another passion of mine is travelling to new places and discovering more about what the world has to offer. I love to travel as it helps me explore different ways of life and gives me more insight on various cultures. A substantial reason on why I love to travel so much is because it is beautiful to get out of the “everyday routine” and go on thrill-seeking adventures whilst stepping out of my comfort zone. Learning about concepts in a textbook is one thing, but will never compare to what one may learn when travelling to fascinating destinations, and absorbing so much information about different parts of the world with a rich history.
When I’m not busy with either school, work, or soccer, I enjoy a few pass-time activities. I like cooking, biking, running, and watching my favourite TV shows! I’m currently training to run a half marathon by the end of this year, part of my Capstone project. I used to be part of the Coquitlam Cheetahs, but now I just run for the satisfaction and to test my limits. At the end of a tough day, I like to kick back and relax while watching a good show. Some of my favourite series I have watched so far are This is Us, Lost, and The Bear! I enjoy cooking new recipes and learning family favourite recipes from my family as it is extremely rewarding and heart-warming.
I hope you learned a little bit more about me! Thank you very much for reading!
–Vanessa Vukovic
