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- Mira Patel
Mira Patel
By Age: 18 (December 25, 2002)
School: Westwood Community High School Graduate for Class of 2020
Future Goal: To pursue a career in the STEM field through computer science
Written by Nirmit Parikh, MACOY
Mira Patel is a busy, zestful, and community-oriented individual making a positive impact in her community by finding new opportunities.
She is a former member of the MACOY (Mayor’s Advisory Council on Youth) program, the Minister’s Summer Student Panel and the Green Initiative Program.
Being a member of the BrainSTEM Alliance app development project to reach young girls through the Girls Inc. program was extremely meaningful to Mira.
She had participated in the workshop herself in grade 6 and had done it all on poster paper.
Five years later, she was part of a team that worked to digitalize the workshop into an app instead.
Currently, she is a panellist for STEM careers in healthcare with BrainSTEM Alliance’s National Health Day event in collaboration with Girls SySTEM Mentorship Program and Rise in STEM.
“I am most passionate about the drive to create an uplifting change.” — Mira Patel
She was a General Assembly MACOY member, and her role was to act as a role model for newcomers to the program. Mira has always sought different ways to improve her community while working towards her passions through various extracurriculars.
To pursue her passion for STEM, Mira became the Operations Manager for Robogals at the University of Alberta. It is a not-for-profit student group that aims to inspire, engage, and empower young female students in engineering and technology-related fields.
When asked about how she feels about MACOY, she said: “The importance of youth committing to taking initiatives in sparking positive change is to support the progression of a community. My active engagement in MACOY was an opportunity to address gaps through a different perspective while establishing rewarding and long-lasting impacts.”
Being a leader in the community is one piece of advice Mira would like to give to other young people.
“Try to take positivity and inspiration from your surrounding environment. However, as the drive comes from within, express yourself in every way possible. One day, you will know what feels right and where you belong,” she said.
Mira has also donated her time to the community by volunteering to help people in need. Last year during the flood, Mira volunteered through RMWB’s Emergency Social Services.
She has also volunteered with Alberta Health Services at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre and at a local senior’s home.
“I am most passionate about the drive to create an uplifting change. No matter how large or small the programs I take part in are, my heart feels full when I can make a difference.”
