‘A rising star on and off the ice’: Markham student recognized for community and academic excellence
Markham District High School student Ethan Lo has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the community with a post-secondary bursary from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) and Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO).
Lo was selected as one of eight high school graduates from across Ontario to receive the bursary, which awards $5,000 to each recipient to support their post-secondary education, acknowledging their roles as players, coaches, referees, and their community involvement.
Cheryl Smith, CEO of DFO, praised the recipients: “We are proud partners of the OMHA to help recognize eight outstanding student-athletes who excel on and off the ice. These winners inspire their teammates, classmates, and community, embodying the values of perseverance, originality, and heart.”
“Whether on the ice, in the classroom, or through their volunteerism, the OMHA-Dairy Farmers of Ontario Bursary program showcases what it means to be a student-athlete and a leader,” added Ian Taylor, executive director of the OMHA.
In 2019, Lo’s Markham Waxers team was recognized by the mayor for its charitable achievements through the Hockey for Heart program. He’s also volunteered as an on-ice helper and participated in various fundraisers with the Waxers.
Combining his leadership and passion for chess, Lo founded a chess club at his high school.
Working closely with school administrators, he secured materials and supervision and became the club's president. In 2023, he was named senior outreach coordinator for the school’s STEAM Club and was the school’s only student trustee candidate.
“In chess, you don’t think about luck or any other things that you can’t control. There are only things that you can control, that being your next move and your calculations, that applies to life and my philosophy where I shouldn’t concern myself with things that are beyond my control,” Lo said.
Next year, Lo will be enrolled in the Nanotechnology Engineering program at the University of Waterloo.
“It sits at the intersection between my interest in chemistry, physics and math. Those are the things that I would like to continue pursuing in the future to solve problems and make contributions back toward the community,” he said.
Scarlett Liu, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Markham Economist & Sun
