Swensson nominees: Jennifer Chu (RE Mountain)

Swensson nominees: Jennifer Chu (RE Mountain)

Meet Jennifer Chu, one of the eight finalists for the Township of Langley's Pete Swensson Outstanding Community Youth Award

In the classroom, in the community or on the stage, Jennifer Chu shines brightly wherever she is.

The RE Mountain Grade 12 student was a nominee for the Pete Swensson Outstanding Community Youth Award, which is presented to a Grade 11 or 12 Langley student to recognize athletic achievements, scholastic effort, community involvement and personal qualities.

The award is presented in memory of Pete Swensson, an internationally recognized athlete and the originator of the Langley Walk, and this year’s recipient was Langley Fundamental’s Laura Stead.

Chu is a three-time provincial dance champion and has won numerous awards in ballet, contemporary, jazz and hip-hop.

She has also designed and choreographed productions, is a dance teacher and coach, and an actor who has appeared in commercials, TV shows and movies.

And when it comes to her community, the 17-year-old strives to be an asset to her community in whatever she does.

“(Volunteering) allows me to exercise the power that we — as young individuals — have to affect change, to connect with others and move forward collectively, and to help people, issues and events that I care deeply about,” she said.

An International Baccalaureate student, Chu has maintained a 97 per cent average and been named her school’s top student in English Literature, law and biology.

Just like her wide range of talents, Chu’s future also features options as she has been accepted into The Juilliard School of Dance or she can choose to study humanities or social sciences at Harvard University.


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