Photo: Ryder Dobson

Ryder Dobson of South Kamloops Secondary School is a finalist for a prestigious national award, and he is one round of interviews away from finding out if he’s won.

Dobson is one of 90 graduating high school students selected out of a pool of 6,000 candidates from across the country as finalists for the Loran Award this year.

The Loran Scholars Foundation picks students who “demonstrate strength of character, a deep commitment to service, and exceptional leadership potential.”

Speaking with Castanet Kamloops, Dobson said he applied for numerous scholarships when he heard some chatter about the Loran award at school, prompting him to apply.

“I don’t think I ever would have imagined getting this far, it’s not like something you can really dream of,” Dobson said, noting the numerous rounds of applications and interviews.

“I think Loran is more about purpose and people who have really a commitment to leadership and service, and I think that it’s just about making positive change and seeing the passion in that.”

Up to 36 students will be named Loran Scholars and will receive a tuition waiver for one of 25 university partners, a living stipend, one-on-one mentorship and access to scholar gatherings. They will also become part of a community of peers, alumni and supporters.

“It’s more of a journey than a scholarship,” Dobson said. “Just getting together will all the scholars, and they open a lot of doors and opportunities for summer work, for example, and community work in general.”

Those who aren’t chosen for the award are eligible to receive a $6,000 finalist award.

Dobson said he’s most passionate about social activism, which has been a major priority for him at school. He co-leads his schools social activism club, which has about 40 members.

“We’ve done a lot of fundraising and just community awareness campaigns and just a lot of events at our school, raising awareness about different topics,” he said.

“From anti-racism, to LGBTQ+ rights and all the way to environmental challenges as well, and to advocate for those.”

He said the application and interviewing process has helped clarify what it is that makes him happy and what he finds important.

“I think that’s really helped me find out what I’m passionate about and I don’t know what might be possible for me in the future,” Dobson said.

Winners of the award will be chosen over a weekend of interviews at the Loran National Selections in Toronto from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23.

Dobson said he’s looking forward to meeting other finalists in Toronto and hearing their stories.