Filbert is currently studying in the Faculty of Science at UBC. He plans to major in neuroscience and has his eye on the pre-med track. “School and academics for me wasn’t as difficult as my own personal wellbeing. The ESS program helped me navigate that,” he says.

“I got a lot of mental health support. I’d have one-on-one chats with the ESS teachers. We’d go for walks when I was stressed. I learned to accept myself and opened my heart to people who may have the same diagnosis.”  

When our new secondary campus opened in 2019, Filbert used his God-given gifts to build a sense of belonging. “He could pinpoint the student that needed the high five, or just someone to come alongside and say hi and acknowledge that they were here,” says Mrs. Joyce. “Filbert had a way of knowing how to make peers from all grades feel valued and part of the community.”

Filbert ran for Student Council and in Grade 12 became president–in no small part because he knew every student’s name. “God gave me a heart for servant leadership,” he explains. “I chose to show my love through involvement in student council. I love being able to talk to anybody about anything. Over the years, I noticed those conversations and collaborations played a key role in making something the best it could be.”