Being told to go to the office is not something any student would be excited to hear.
However, a Richmond Secondary School student was called to the office not because he was in trouble, but because he will be competing in the finals for the Canadian Geographic Challenge next month.
Johan Ho, a Grade nine student, will be competing against 19 other students across Canada in the level two category of the competition on June 1.
“I was in algebra class when the teacher got a call and told me to go to the office,” said Ho.
“I thought I was in trouble or something, but it turned out to be a good call.”
And what he learned in algebra class day was temporarily forgotten, the 14-year-old added.
The Canadian Geographic Challenge tests youth on their geography knowledge and skills in understanding the world.
Ho told the Richmond News he has a growing interest in climate change and decided to take the opportunity to test his knowledge in the competition.
“My goal in the future is to provide hard evidence to influence the public and to ensure action is implemented to tackle climate change,” said Ho.
“Just look at Richmond for example, there were floods and a blistering heatwave that killed many people and I find that very concerning. It’s a huge sign for action.”
While competitions at the national level are not opportunities he often comes across, he hopes he can learn from other geography enthusiasts while encouraging other youth to learn more about geography and how it can also affect people.
“I’m also interested in how different cultures and humans interact,” he said.
“In a globalized society where everything is so interconnected and so advanced, understanding geography will help us learn more about it and be prepared for the future for our communities and the people living on Earth.”
