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Fiona Bulaqui

Watch Teen’s Graduation Advice For The Class of 2020 That Won 1st Prize in Global Competition: ‘We got this!’

“Life is a practice in improve,” says a Quebec college senior who won a scholarship for her candid musings on the theme ‘How the coronavirus affected my final semester.’

The contest, sponsored by greatergood.org, invited high school and college seniors to record a selfie video that answers the question: How did the coronavirus change your senior year? Participants included 379 students worldwide in 49 countries, but it was a 19-year-old film student who stole the hearts of judges in The “Class of 2020” Challenge.

Graduating from John Abbott College, April Judd used humor and creative edits to depict what life was like moving back in with her family and missing the chance to say goodbye to all her friends at the arts college.

Her inspiring message details how the class of 2020 can use this experience to their advantage and “mold the universe into the future they want to see”.

The pandemic of crisis actually caused April to see the beauty in what our world is going through.

“I don’t want to go back to the way things were… I want to have a heightened appreciation for all the things that make life full.”

The Shawville, Quebec graduate told GNN, “In the chaos that our world is experiencing right now, it’s really easy to get caught up in the negative.”

“Listening to other people’s submissions and hearing about the unique experiences other girls have gone through this year as graduates is inspiring.”

“We are all, truly, in this together and we are all capable of change and growth that can only make this world a better place,” she added.

Patricia Cogley, Director of GreaterGood.org’s Girls’ Voices media training program, which is active in 20 countries and hosted the contest, said: “For many college and high-school seniors in the graduating class of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically changed their final year. But, true to our mission, Girls’ Voices gave young women around the world the opportunity to showcase their creativity, resilience, and ideas for a better future, despite this challenging and unprecedented time.”

Not just graduates, anyone can draw inspiration from April’s uplifting message, which won her the $1,000 cash scholarship. Especially take note of her conclusion, delivered with a giggle: “We got this—or, at least we will— eventually!”

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