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Life isn’t a given, it s a gift : Read this Syrian-Canadian teen s valedictorian address
Sham Al Mukdad: The uncertainty, the fear of illness, of death, has made us appreciate how it can all be taken away, so swiftly, and without reason. I already know this, as a refugee. (Courtesy of Sham Al Mukdad/Mary Tran @maiicraft)
Sham Al Mukdad grew up in Daraa, Syria and fled the war-torn country to Turkey in 2014. Sham, her parents, and two sisters lived there for two years before arriving in Canada as refugees. Sham was 14 years old. She started high school at Central Toronto Academy barely speaking English. In 2020, Sham graduated as valedictorian with a near-100 per cent average with an A+ in her Grade 12 English class. She is a Loran Scholars semi-finalist and has received over 10 awards and scholarships during her four years in Canada. She kindly shared her valedictorian address with us to publish because we can all use some good news right now.