David Bergeron
École secondaire de la Seigneurie

It’s a well-known fact that the more you get involved, the more you feel like getting involved, and this is precisely the case with David Bergeron, a Secondary 5 student at De la Seigneurie high school. Captain of the improvisation team, member of the theatre troupe, resource person for homework support, member of the student government, the TAX-I group and the Bleu and Pelure de Banane committees, drummer in the Stage Band and also a competitive swimmer, David simply wants to try his hand at everything and do well in everything. His overall grade average of nearly 95% bears witness to just how much he takes his success to heart… and of course the success of others as well.

If there’s a special event going on at De la Seigneurie high school, you can be almost 100% sure that David Bergeron is involved in one way or another. With his unshakable convictions, the vice-president of the student government undertakes every new project with leadership and motivation. And denying him anything whatsoever is simply out of the question. He holds his ground and strives even harder so that everything works out and is a success. “More often than not, people like to talk of big ideas but don’t have the nerve to take the bull by the horns. That’s just not my style,” says the 16-year-old.

For instance, when David deemed that his school could do more to protect the environment, he decided to take charge of the Bleu committee and pushed to get the school to purchase multi-purpose recycling bins for the cafeteria. To do so, David personally approached Recyc-Québec, the school administration and a recycling company. The bins are now in place.

“I think my involvement has a very tangible impact. For example, I find it very motivating when I give of my time to a student at risk of failing and they finally manage to pull through and pass their year. It’s the same when I work with TAX-I, helping young people who are victims of bullying, and when I take part in fund-raisers or support social causes. It makes me feel useful and life seems even more beautiful,” he points out, adding that he is currently working on a project that will enable his school to play host to the Amnesty International Annual Youth Conference.

The performing arts and music are also an important part of David’s life. He has been a member of the school theatre troupe for three years now and takes pleasure in playing the roles he is assigned with professionalism. But it is undoubtedly with the improvisation group, a discipline in which he excels, that David has the most fun. “I used to be extremely shy and that’s why I decided to do improv. On average, 150 people attend our lunchtime matches and it can be quite unnerving when you get up onto the stage without knowing what you’re going to say. That’s why today there’s nothing that can daunt me,” he says with a laugh.

And then there’s music, another of his great passions. He is the drummer in a band that will be representing his school at the upcoming regional finals of the Secondaire en spectacle contest. And because David never passes up an opportunity to play his instrument, when the school’s Stage Band asked him to join them, he accepted the invitation even though he’s not in the music concentration program.

“David is always in good spirits, forever smiling and involved in his community. He is creative and takes responsibility for all the projects he undertakes. There’s no doubt in my mind that David has the potential to work in a number of fields because of his ability to adapt to any situation,” says sports and recreation technician Claude Martineau.

When asked if he thought he was overdoing it, David gave a broad smile and replied in the negative. With over 6 hours of swimming training per week, plus his studies and all the other activities, you’d think he’d drop with exhaustion. But no, he just asks for more. “All you have to do is take things one day at a time and manage your time wisely. I love challenges and doing what it takes to overcome them. Getting involved is an opportunity to discover your passions and do the things you enjoy,” asserts David, adding that he would like to one day become a neurosurgeon, something that would require even more commitment on his part. He may as well get used to it now!

David Bergeron
École secondaire de la Seigneurie