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Collegian Winter 2020

We hope you enjoy Holly's story in this edition of NCC's alumni magazine, the Collegian!

We hope you enjoy Holly's story in this edition of NCC's alumni magazine, the Collegian!

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ALUMNI

UPDATE

HOLLY HAN

by Sue Grierson In Other Words - The Girl is Unstoppable!

Elementary school in South Korea was not

an optimal learning environment for Holly

Han. Her insatiable curiosity, keen intellect,

and unbridled comments frequently landed

her into hot water with her teachers.

“I experienced a rough time in elementary

and middle school because the education

system was very different. They discouraged

students from asking questions. I

would challenge teachers if they didn’t

really make sense.”

Cross-examining her teachers was regarded

as a direct challenge to their authority.

This did not bode well for Holly. She was

perceived as a troublemaker, and was often

punished as a result.

Newton’s Third Law of Motion - For

every action there is equal and opposite

reaction.

“It was very frustrating so my parents advised

me not to not go to high school, study

by myself, take a national exam and move

on. That was our original plan.”

That plan might have worked, but Holly

suffered from a universal teenage malady

- inertia.

“It turned out that I did not have much

self-discipline,” Holly laughed, recalling her

futile self-taught efforts. I was not able to

commit myself to a strict routine of studying,

so I ended up playing with my friends and

not studying at all.”

After three months of “just hanging out,”

Holly’s mother approached her with the

idea of going to school abroad.

Law of Inertia - A body continues in its

state of rest, or of uniform motion in

a straight line, except in so far as it is

compelled by external impressed forces

to change that state.

“My parents didn’t have lots of money to

send me to the States or somewhere else

very expensive, so we looked into cheaper

countries - but they were not known for a

good education”.

After thoroughly researching their options,

Canada proved to be the clear-cut choice

for Holly and her family.

“It was safe. It was cheaper than the States,

but it was also an English-speaking country,

a very developed country, and a very

peaceful country - with nature. Education

was also good. So it was a perfect place.

It was a good balance.”

Holly’s parents heard about Niagara Christian

Collegiate through an education agency

in South Korea.

“And it sounded perfect. It was exciting

to think about attending a school somewhere

else - but at the same time, it was

nerve-breaking…a mixed feeling of excitement

and concern.”

Holly faced many challenges while transitioning

to her new home in Canada. Due

to a setback in obtaining a study permit,

Holly arrived in Canada weeks after school

began. As a result, she felt left behind.

“Things move fast here (at the school). From

Day 1 you start studying. It was kind of late

to get caught up with everything. Everyone

had already developed friendships, so it

was hard to fit in because I saw friends in

groups already. And we were in page 50

or 60 of textbooks, so I didn’t know where

to start. There were many things to adjust

to for the first time. It was beautiful, first

of all, but also I didn’t know where to start

so I felt quite lost.

“It was difficult to adjust in the middle of

the first semester. Mid-term hit. It was my

second day at school. I was in grade 10

math and they were having a quiz. I didn’t

know what to write.”

Holly’s mid-term grades were poor due to

the late start. She was then sent for tutoring

which proved to be incredibly discouraging

for this bright young student.

“I remember seeing the Honour Roll for

the first time. I didn’t know what it was so

I asked other students what this was about.

They said these are people who got their

grades above 80%, and this Honour Roll

gets sent to your family. Then your parents

know that you are doing well. There was

another Korean girl who was in grade 11

and had arrived two days before me. She

was late starting school, but she studied

hard enough within that short amount of

time and managed to put herself on the

Honour Roll.”

Newton’s Second Law of Motion - The

rate of change of momentum is proportional

to the impressed force and takes

place in the direction of the straight line

in which the force acts.

“Seeing that girl’s name on the Honour

Roll really shocked me. I was ashamed of

myself. What have I been doing while this

girl has been doing her best? I had been

really discouraged and I didn’t really try

hard to adjust myself in the new environment.

At that point, I felt like I got hit on

the back of my head!”

Holly’s irrepressible determination bounced

back in full force. She vowed that by the next

exam, her name would be on the Honour

Roll and she’d make her parents proud. By

the final exam that same year - and every

year that followed - Holly Han’s name was

on the Honour Roll.

Earning this distinction meant more to Holly

than just academic achievement.

“…not just to represent myself as a kid with

high grades, but it was more meaningful to

me that I was working with what I had been

given, and feeling grateful, even though I

was away from family and homesick - but at

the same time I needed to do my job. It was

then that I developed the self-commitment

and determination to work really hard. I

chose to do my best. Everything started

to work out really, really well.”

6 The Collegian Winter 2020

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