Pursuing New Skills: Shafagh Razaghzadeh Shabestari

My name is Shafagh, and I am currently an undergraduate student at Queen’s University in the Kinesiology Program. I love my program as I get to work with people with disabilities and make a difference in my community! This is the reason why I have decided to continue my Duke of Ed Journey since I was in high school. My high school IB English teacher was the first person to introduce me to the Award, which allowed me to accomplish my Bronze Award. Since then, I have wanted to continue growing and adding to my Award experience. I had an exceptional time with my Silver Award, which allowed me to start my own business and get involved in my community. Then entering university, I pursued my Gold Award. Through the ups and downs of COVID-19, the Gold Award allowed me to pursue a Gold project where I helped those in need in my community during the pandemic, whether that was food, school supplies, or any other items needed.

The Award has allowed me to grow as an individual and student and become a better version of myself. It has allowed me to push my limits and expose me to new communities and relationships I will always cherish, During the pandemic, I used my Gold Project as an opportunity to help those in need in my community. That included gathering donations for school supplies and sending them to local schools or sending food donations to those in need. I also volunteered in a community garden that helps target food insecurity in my community. I have many more stories of my impact on my community, but this was my favorite as I could be hands-on and make a direct difference.  

I have used my skills to create better networking and communication skills. As a student that works with people with disabilities, my passion is to help vulnerable individuals dealing with poor mental and physical health. These are essential aspects of our lives, and the Award has allowed me to gain the skills necessary to fulfill my role.  

The Award has allowed me to push beyond boundaries. For example, having a journey and adventure requirement in my Award has allowed me to learn cycling and camping skills. These are skills that I would have never pursued if it wasn’t for the Award. Thus, the Award has made me bold and a stronger person overall. I am proud of all my accomplishments during my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards. My most memorable achievement was tutoring low-income students in my community.  

In one particular case, the student was really struggling with school due to a language barrier. I could relate to this as, growing up, I had to learn English along with a different language at home. Being able to translate for the student and seeing the joy when they could grasp their homework fully was very sweet and fulfilling. English is the second language of many immigrant and low-income families, so they often can’t help their kids with schoolwork. Being able to remove this barrier for kids was very fulfilling and impactful.  

The Award is a great experience and allows many people to learn new skills they would never have pursued. 

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