Humans of SBOC featuring Nagina Parmar
The journey of one mother from seeing her own children compete on stage to her rise as the President of Spelling Bee of Canada
“Most of the parents involved in SBOC are immigrants. A lot of them have South Asian heritage and I see myself in them so I can relate. I want to see their children succeed.”
- Nagina Parmar, President, Spelling Bee of Canada
Why did you join the Spelling Bee of Canada (SBOC)?
Before joining SBOC as a volunteer, I was involved as a parent when I enrolled my two children in the Spelling Bee competitions. Both my kids, my son and my daughter, competed for years in the Spelling Bee competitions. Julie Spence, CEO and Founder of SBOC, is the inspiration behind everything. Julie invited me to be the Regional lead for Richmond Hill and Thornhill as Chapter President. It was a difficult decision at the time, with no experience and skills to lead this endeavour. Through tremendous support offered by Julie and her team, I was not only able to lead the Chapter, but I have been part of SBOC for nine years and serve as the current President of the Board of Directors.
Before coming on as the SBOC President, I always had a deep passion for education, children, and literacy, especially spelling skills. I didn’t believe that I could lead this vast organization. With some motivation and encouragement from Julie and her trust in my ability to be a great leader at SBOC, I have been able to thrive and at the same time motivate others to be part of SBOC.
Due to my devotion to education and learning, I also ran for the Trustee position for the York District School Board in 2019. I firmly believe that EDUCATION, LEARNING and PERSEVERANCE will enable STUDENT SUCCESS.
What is most rewarding about being part of SBOC?
I like to learn and study a lot. I’m even enrolled in the Master of Education at Ontario Tech University. I also love that I meet a variety of people and get to help them. The biggest challenge when COVID-19 happened was the Championships being cancelled. What kept me going were the volunteers and organizations that supported SBOC during that difficult time. I like to do things independently, but I also like when everyone works as a team. Our focus is to promote and improve our children’s achievement, engagement, success, and learning through education and spelling.
What is special about spelling skills in particular?
Spelling is the most significant part of communication because if you can communicate clearly and write words correctly, you can communicate better. It’s not just about memorizing spelling; it is about phonological awareness. In other words, how the sounds go together to make the words. Especially, at present times, when most of the kids are learning online. I believe learning spelling will help them in enhancing their vocabulary. Coaching sessions before the competitions are very informative, and it helps the children be more confident and prepared for the competition day.
What differences does SBOC make in the lives of students and their parents?
When my son first started competing in Spelling Bees, he was the shyest person in school and never spoke to anyone. But through the competitions, he had the chance to be more social by mingling with the other children, to work hard and grow more confident in his skills, and to develop a better stage presence. I’ve seen children cry from nerves when they first began with us, but some of those same frightened children are now in leadership roles at SBOC.
What was the most challenging adjustment moving to Canada?
Getting used to the culture and the weather. The language wasn’t a problem because my education was in English. But I grew up timid and had to learn to open up more to people. To accomplish this, I joined many organizations where I met people. I did my postdoc at the University of Guelph, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Toronto before joining the team of clinical researchers at SickKids. I overcame many challenges here thanks to the support of my family, including my children.
These days, I try to share my knowledge and good fortune with others who are in the same position I once was. Most of the parents involved in SBOC are immigrants. Many of them have South Asian heritage, and I see myself in them; I can relate to them. I want to see their children succeed. I am also part of the Passages to Canada initiative by Historica Canada and have the opportunity to go to schools and share my story with children during Asian Heritage Month.
How important is diversity and why is it important for a better future?
Many people in Canada, especially Toronto, come from all around the world. My children were born here, but lots of families come from abroad. Many people come here from their home countries to have a better future. The community we serve is diverse, and even the Board of Directors is a diverse team. Diversity is vital for the betterment of children and their future.
You have counselled new immigrants to Canada to help them find jobs and pursue education. What inspired you to start counselling?
I worked at the SickKids Hospital and saw a lot of immigrant parents who had sick children. I was a translator for them and learned about their personal stories during our interactions, especially from women whose families and communities treated them differently due to gender. Different cultures treat women differently. For instance, some women are not allowed to go outside or have jobs. I empathize with them. I’ve been in contact with abused women at home, and I help them through challenging situations. I’ve also worked with international students who have issues and don’t know where to get help. I help review their resumes for job applications and direct them to various resources available.
What is most rewarding about counselling? What do you get out of it?
It makes me happy and satisfied, especially because I remember when I came to Canada and didn’t have this help. I wish I had people to guide me when I was new in Canada, or even just someone to talk to. So when I talk with newcomers, I can relate and see myself in them. I hope to inspire those people to help others too. I motivate these newcomers and follow up on their journeys.
What is most challenging about counselling newcomers?
It’s frustrating when I can’t help people as much as I want to. During the pandemic, many places are not hiring. I want to connect people to jobs, but sometimes I cannot because many businesses don’t need new employees.
Do you have any special message for parents and/or children?
As an educator, instructor, mentor, and researcher, my primary objective is to bring the best out of every student and make sure they are engaged. SBOC worked hard to make the competitions happen this year. I encouraged the Chapter Presidents, parents, and competitors to participate if they could and to reach out if we could do anything to help. This organization is run entirely by volunteers; they do it because of their passion for children’s literacy. Safety is always number one, so the competitions had to be done online. I want the children to keep working hard, memorizing words, and having fun. We’re grateful for everyone who has stuck with us through this challenging time, and we’re excited for all the new learning that has helped us grow to face these challenges together.
This interview was conducted by Erika Carreon. Her passion for storytelling shines through the Humans of SBOC series. As a language lover, Erika learns Spanish during her spare time.
