Being the only first year student on the 49-person JDC West team this year was a unique experience in many ways, one of which being that it provided me with an abundance of inspirational peers to look up to. Of my many amazing teammates, Frankie Cena was not only my debate partner, but also my mentor, role model and leader, from whom I learned one of the most valuable lessons of life: perseverance. Frankie has debated since high school, won numerous awards and competitions, and now coaches high school students who have seen similar successes under his guidance. He has been a performer and singer for most of his life as well. Blessed with a voice full of passion and power, he has always aspired to fame, and after years of working towards that goal, he is now closer than ever to achieving it. Since I met him in October, Frankie has always seemed to be doing a million things at once. When our JDC West team started to prepare for our competition in January, he was also preparing for the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition as well as Nestea: The Recruit. Observing him throughout the months to come, I noticed that even though he was met with many challenges, and even some failures, Frankie always aspired to the next challenge, never losing sight of his goals. I once asked him how many major competitions he had won throughout his life, and he named about a dozen significant titles. I then asked him how many he had not won, to which he replied, “Hundreds.” While most people would have been discouraged by this, what makes Frankie exceptional is that his determination to succeed and to achieve his goal is so strong that his failures built not only his skill, but his character. Many people would agree that Frankie is kind, compassionate, sharp, hilarious, and ambitious, to name a few of his qualities, but above all, he is hardworking. In the months following October, he would win ICBC and debate before the Speaker of the House, compete in numerous singing and public speaking competitions, and just last week, win Nestea: The Recruit in Toronto, where he met many of Canada’s top performance industry professionals. After years of working towards fame, he has made it to national television, and from what I have seen and know of Frankie’s capabilities and determination, he will soon be on the world’s performing stage. Although I have no personal dreams of singing before the country or the world, what I have learned from Frankie is applicable to almost any goal. People have always said that one of the key factors to success is perseverance, but it is easier said than done. In Frankie, I have seen perseverance pay off, and look forward to seeing him in the spotlight one day.
