She and her parents had visited well over a dozen schools as part of their research process. Julia described herself as “very unfocused” and “struggling academically, especially in math” at that time. “The teachers were changing a lot. We had very large classrooms, and I think it just didn’t fit my learning style,” she says, recounting her experience at a public school in Richmond Hill.
Something had to change.
She needed more individualized instruction and smaller classes within a supportive, community-first environment—all hallmarks of Hudson. Her parents decided the school would be the best fit for their family. For Julia, the transition would mean going from a nearby public school with more than 1,000 students and no uniform to a private school with only several hundred students, a uniform and a daily commute of over an hour each way.
It was “a very different atmosphere,” says Julia, reflecting on those first few days and weeks at Hudson in 2013. “Being able to join in different types of experiences without having to compete with as many people really helped broaden my own experiences. I can definitely see that looking back.”
Julia settled into Hudson quickly. Her father would drop her off at school by 7 a.m. on his way to work in Mississauga every day. She would get picked up from school at 7 p.m. “I lived there,” she says. Her younger sister Nicole joined Hudson the following year and is also a graduate.
A naturally quiet person, Julia soon became more motivated, engaged to participate and eager to be involved. “There are a few teachers that really helped support me throughout my high school experience, which I think really benefited me in the long run,” she says. “I also feel like it really changed my worldview.” The diverse international student population encouraged Julia “to connect with a lot of people from all over the world. Some of whom are my really good friends today, still.”
She was a keen participant in a host of clubs and activities, including Hudson Heroes (now the student-run Justice League club), Prom committee, and student government, while increasingly focused on pursuing leadership opportunities. “I was helping to run the after-school program, so it was quite a lot.”
And it didn’t stop there.
“My Dad actually encouraged me to do the Duke of Edinburgh,” she says. “I was already doing a lot of the things that would kind of meet the requirements for it, but I felt like it gave me an end goal, which was really helpful.” The Duke of Edinburgh International Award is an “experiential learning framework” for youth and young adults aged 14 to 24. Participating students commit to regular volunteer service, develop new skills, pursue physical activities, and complete an “adventurous journey.” Julia ultimately earned the Bronze and Silver awards, a 78-week commitment.
At the same time, she continued to excel academically, building the confidence to dream big and aim high. She did both, graduating from Queen’s University with an honours degree in Political Science and Government in 2022. Currently a student at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, Julia plans to pursue corporate law once she graduates in 2026. “I definitely wouldn’t be in law school if I hadn’t gone to Hudson,” she says. “I think it really prepared me well!”
Julia’s interest in law first deepened in Grade 9. “I would look at university brochures in the common room and do university tours.” She was also inspired by the law courses she took in later grades. “That was the first time that I really got a glimpse of what law was like. And even up until first year, I honestly really did not know what law was about truly. I thought I did,” she says. “[My teacher] would always push me to focus and challenge me to do better. I really appreciated that.”
As she looks toward the start of her career, Julia values the ways her years at Hudson have shaped her life so far. “[The] experiences I got to try, and how much I was able to take leadership in things really made a difference.”
