Lorenzo Ford (’18) had a fast‑paced CA experience, with nearly every meal prepped in advance to accommodate his busy swim schedule. Balancing early morning swim practices with building his confidence in the classroom, Lorenzo’s time at Calgary Academy shaped his work ethic and his sense of possibility.
Bursary support made it possible for Lorenzo to attend CA, where the experiences and opportunities he gained laid the foundation for the future he’s building today
Providing a Solid Foundation
Lorenzo remembers his time at Calgary Academy well—days spent between early morning swimming, a packed school schedule, and figuring out what he wanted to do after graduation. He attended the school for a total of five years, graduating in 2018.
Lorenzo enjoyed the smaller class sizes, and the extra support he received from teachers helped him build his confidence. Having missed a lot of school due to his swim schedule before coming to CA, Lorenzo saw himself as “having some gaps in his learning.”
“Before coming to CA, I was not a strong student… Calgary Academy helped with building that confidence and a foundation that I could take into school, because that’s really all you need.” – Lorenzo
Lorenzo feels fortunate to have attended Calgary Academy—he says he “wasn’t even thinking of post-secondary education” before attending the school.
He attended CA thanks to bursaries provided by the Calgary Academy Parents Association (CAPA), which has raised more than $5,000,000 in bursary support for families with financial need.
As bursary recipients, families attend various volunteer fundraising events throughout the school year, the total number determined by the amount of money provided in each bursary. Lorenzo remembers there were days when he didn’t even see his mom because of his busy swimming schedule and her support of his education.
“When my mom started volunteering, there would be some days when I just wouldn’t even see her because I’d be gone swimming at 4:30 a.m., and then she wouldn’t get home till 10:00 p.m. I had swimming early the next day, so I would be in bed by 9:00 p.m.”
Bursaries Change Lives
Lorenzo is grateful for the opportunities made possible through CAPA bursaries. They’re part of the reason he is where he is today—a recent graduate with his master’s from Western University.
“CAPA gave me the opportunity to go to Calgary Academy. There wouldn’t have been a world in which I could have gone here if I didn’t get the bursary.”
He took every opportunity he could to study during school while balancing competitive swimming and his studies. With a full course load, he remembers studying as much as possible during his free periods before returning to swim practice in the evenings.
His hard work paid off, as Lorenzo ended up attending Western University in London, Ontario. He pursued an undergraduate degree in Biology before attending the affiliated Ivey Business School for a Master of Science in Business Analytics. He was also on Western’s swim team, acting as a team captain in his later years at the university.
Lorenzo credits CAPA for easing the financial pressures of post‑secondary education with the scholarships he received from the non-profit.
“Throughout university, CAPA helped me a lot. There’s a scholarship for post-secondary, tuition, things like that… That provides a great deal of comfort because I was paying for my education fully, and I took out student loans, and I worked when I could. But again, for my time at university, I was taking four to five classes a semester and was swimming 20–30 hours a week.” – Lorenzo
Throughout university, Lorenzo frequently came home to see his family, and whenever possible, he and his mom would pick up CAPA volunteer shifts. Doing this allowed a current CA parent to have more time at home with their children, which Lorenzo describes as “paying it forward.”
He’s one of many from the CA community who volunteer at CAPA events to support unique learners.
“I want all volunteers to know that what they’re doing speaks massive volume for the families who need the volunteer hours and those with the children who need to attend Calgary Academy.”
Now, recently graduated, Lorenzo looks forward to settling into his career, using the skills and experience he has gained through his schooling and hard work.
You can help open these same doors for future students by making a donation today. Learn more about how you can help unique learners reach their potential.