Michelle Song is a 2020 Horton High School graduate in the International Baccalaureate program from Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She is currently in her first year of the Life Sciences Gateway Program at McMaster University with plans to pursue an Honours Biochemistry – Biomedical Research Specialization.
Michelle’s Youth Award is based on her 2019 selection by Youth Science Canada, as part of Team Canada, which competed at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona in May 2019. Her project was entitled “The Use of Yeast to Prevent Fungal Diseases in Horticultural Produce” which also won her a bronze medal at the 2018 Canada–Wide Science Fair.
While at Horton High, Michelle founded the school’s first environmental club and helped raise environmental awareness, promote sustainability, and organize several green initiatives. To educate fellow students and school staff, Michelle organized speakers to talk about the impacts of climate change and after the pandemic closed schools, Michelle organized a virtual Earth Week – providing daily activities for students to do safely at home.
Michelle does not stop at academic achievements. Music has been Michelle’s passion from an early age, playing piano, clarinet, and saxophone, recently achieving an Associate Diploma from The Royal Conservatory of Music. Michelle participated in the senior concert and jazz bands, as well as the Acadia University Symphonic Band. Competitive sports have also kept Michelle busy winning Provincial Badminton Championships and competing as a member of the Wolfville Tritons Swim Club. Even with this impressive line-up of activities, Michelle found time to volunteer at Valley Regional Hospital in the medical and surgical units.