Nicole Van Belleghem- Don't worry she can't pronounce her last name either

Nicole Van Belleghem is graduating from Oak Bay High School this year and has been a student here since grade eight. Nicole has really left her mark on the school from planning successful projects to participating on many sports teams to being loved by staff and students alike. Rarely is Nicole found without a smile on her face or an embarassing story to be told. Nicole is always getting herself into embarrassing situations whether it is tripping up the stairs, asking if Nova Scotia is a province or getting locked out of her car in the Yates street parking lot then taking the wrong bus home. Her life is anything but boring.

Although people have their doubts, Nicole is, in fact, a very bright girl. School seems to come easy for her and her report card has always been filled with A's. Nicole also has planned many big events during her years at Oak Bay High School- each one receiving high praise from staff and students. Junior Prom, Cops for Cancer events and YAC Softball tournament are only a few of such events. Furthermore Nicole has been a member of multiple school athletic teams including soccer, basketball, softball and volleyball. Nicole also plays women's soccer outside of school. She is an active member of the community as well and has a love for volunteering and coaching. On Sunday mornings, Nicole teaches Sunday school to a group of kids (and I won't mention that she gets paid $30/hour). If that isn't enough, this girl is also musically talented. Not only does she play the piano outside of school, but in Grade 7 she was named Monterey Idol after a close race with fellow competitor Darragh Hirsh. Oh right, and just because she can and loves to have a thousand things on the go at once, Nicole was a member of a small little musical at the school this year entitled 'Fame', one of Nicole's highlights of her high school career.

The great thing about Nicole is that she knows how to balance work with play and boy does this girl know how to have a good time. Either in or out of the walls of the school she is the "life of the party". She also takes a special liking to meadow dancing, fist pumping and singing (usually the wrong words)- put music on and you put Nicole in an even better mood. Even interviewing this superwoman was a fun task!

Nicole jams out.

At the ripe old age of 17, Nicole has been to Germany, Barbados (twice), the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Florida, California, France, Italy, Monaco and Canada (...I was as surprised as you are to find out that she has been to Canada). As much as she loves to travel and see the world, Nicole is a self-proclaimed food-and-tv-junky. Any show you talk about Nicole has seen, her favorites including 'Say Yes to the Dress', 'Criminal Minds', and any show on the family channel. When asked "What is one thing you can't live without?", her immediate answer was dessert. After some time to think Nicole came up with money, a full wardrobe and the ocean (all said while smiling).

Nicole's relationship with her sister is one that provides endless entertainment for their friends and endless bruises for the sisters. Maddy Van Belleghem is in Grade Nine at Oak Bay High School and is one of the most confident and loud grade nines in the hallways. Nicole and Maddy are constantly arguing, frequently over the tv, and their love/hate relationship is one of many exciting things in Nicole's life.

Maddy will have the tough task in filling in Nicole's place after she graduates for Nicole has bigger and brighter plans for the future. In September 2010, Nicole will be starting at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She hopes to graduate from dental school and eveuntually own her own dental practice. Nicole has vowed to make her practice completely environmentally friendly because she is "all about the environment."

Nicole has a fairly specific view of herself in the future. When she was asked "Where do you see yourself in ten years?" she replied with:

"I hope to own my own dental practice, live in a modesly huge house and be married to an Olympic medalist. We will live in Finland and have either 2 or 3 kids with a cleaning lady and a driver. Our car will be a lexus hybrid and we will not have any cats. We will have dogs, oh wait, only puppies. We will have a puppy farm where we raise puppies and when they turn into a dog we will sell them." Other hopes she has for the future include world peace.

Nicole will miss the teachers at OBH and her "peeps". She will also extremely miss playing sports competitively. Nicole will not miss the library at the school or 7:30 am mornings or the gross bathrooms.

One thing is for sure though, Oak Bay High School will definitely miss Nicole.