Each year, Trending Ten recognizes ten graduating Richardson students who have made a lasting impact on our school through leadership, creativity, and service. This year, I sat down with Mackenzie King (Mac) and Sami Panda (Sami) to talk about their experiences with RAC (Richardson Athletic Council), their plans for the future, and what they’ve learned along the way.
What inspired you to get involved with RAC, and how did you first join?
Mac: I was approached by Ms. Bell at the end of Grade 9 to host the table during Grade 9 Day for field hockey. At the end of that day, Ms. Bell pulled me aside and said, “You’re very involved, I love your team spirit,” and invited me to apply for RAC. I did the application like everyone else and joined mainly because I loved working with Ms. Bell. I also had friends from field hockey who were already in RAC, and it just looked like so much fun. The council got along so well.
Sami: I saw that she (Mac) was in RAC and the cool stuff she was doing. I had taken gym all through high school, and I had Ms. Bell in Grade 11. One day I was talking to Mac and asked, “Do you think I could join RAC?” She said, “I don’t know, ask Ms. Bell.” So I did, and she said yes.
Mac: Sometimes at the end of the school year, Ms. Bell will ask current RAC members for recommendations, like a recruitment thing. So there are times where people on RAC help bring others in. Sami was one of the people I recommended to Ms. Bell. I said, “Hey, I know she’s interested, and I think she’ll do really well on RAC,” and Ms. Bell agreed.
What has been your favorite event or initiative that RAC organized this year?
Mac: Honestly, that’s a hard question. I really like the Year-End Athletic Celebration. That’s one of our bigger events besides Rivalry Week. Rivalry Week is a lot of fun, but I love organizing and planning the Athletic Celebration because it brings all the athletes together and shows how many kids chose to represent Richardson. It celebrates everyone’s accomplishments, even the smaller ones that sometimes get overlooked.
Sami: Mine’s Rivalry Week. I love a little competition, you know? Even in just those three days, hearing both sides go back and forth, it’s so loud and full of energy. I live for that.
Interviewer: I am thinking of going next year. It did seem like fun when everyone was going.
Mac: You should! It’s amazing.
Sami: Definitely go at least once before you graduate.
What is your specific role or responsibilities within RAC?
Mac: I’m the president of RAC, so I work closely with Ms. Bell to organize meeting agendas. I send info through Google Classroom and our group chat. If someone is going to miss their intramural shift, I help find coverage and make sure the gym isn’t unsupervised. I’m pretty much a mini-Ms. Bell, I help things run smoothly. I also represent RAC at the president’s council meetings and communicate with other clubs and their leaders.
Sami: I do most of the marketing, so when we have events, I make the posters and ADs. I mostly work closely with Mac.
Mac: Yeah, anything artistic or advertising-related, that’s Sami’s area. She’s basically the president of marketing. We call her the “Marketing Master.”
Interviewer: Do you make Instagram posts?
Sami: I make them and Mac posts them.
Interviewer: Wow, the posts look awesome!
How has being part of RAC shaped your leadership or teamwork skills?
Mac: It’s shaped my leadership in a team sense. RAC gave me the opportunity to work with a range of people from Grade 9s to 12s. I’ve learned that being a leader doesn’t mean doing everything or being above others. It means bringing people together and working as a team. Starting as a tiny Grade 9 and becoming president helped me realize that great leaders are on the same level as everyone else. That’s what makes a great team.
Sami: Yeah, for me, RAC helped me be a little louder. I’ve always been a little loud, but not when it really matters. I don’t think I would’ve raised my voice like I did during those badminton tournaments. Ms. Bell runs them and sometimes asks us to help. It’s chaos—everyone’s shouting scores and asking what’s next. So yeah, I’ve learned to speak up and tell everyone, “Guys, this is what we’re doing.”
What is a quote you live by, and why does it resonate with you?
Mac: “Nothing’s impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible.’” I’m not sure who said it, but it’s on a bunch of books I own. It helps me when I’m hyping myself up to do something hard or when I doubt myself. I always tell myself, it’s not impossible. There’s nothing that you physically can’t do. Somebody else can do it. You can do it. There’s nothing that you can’t do.
Sami: I live by a reward system, and just taking everything one step at a time.
Interviewer: A strong personal philosophy rather than a quote. I like that!
Outside of school, what are some of your biggest passions or hobbies?
Mac: I love working out, painting, and reading. If I’m not at home, I’m either at school or the gym. I especially love watercolor painting and sketching. Reading became a big thing for me during COVID, I got hooked and now I’m obsessed. I love reading
Sami: I play rep softball, so that takes up a lot of time. Lately, I’ve also gotten into coaching. I’m the assistant coach for a house league team and work with them throughout the summer. I’m a pitcher, so I also run pitching clinics. Basically, a lot of softball.
Follow up question Mac: Do you have a favorite genre book you like to read?
Mac: I’d say murder mystery and thriller books. I find it really hard to read something without a plot, especially if it’s fiction. For example, romance books, I get bored because they all end the same. I like mysteries with twists, turns, and cliffhangers. I actually have to think. One of my favourite series is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. I’ve read all of her books. One of Us Is Lying is another favourite. They’re both murder mysteries, but with strong plots.
Interviewer: I haven’t read those, but I do like mysteries so I will definitely check them out.
Mac: Yeah, they’re really good. I’ve read them both over four times.
Sami: One of Us Is Lying is really good, in a book where you suspect everyone, it genuinely does shock you.
What are your hopes or plans after graduation?
Mac: I love this question. After graduation, I’m going to university out east to Dalhousie in Halifax. I’m studying commerce, which is a business degree, and I’m hoping to minor in theatre production. My goal is to end up on the business side of the theatre industry. And if that doesn’t pan out, I still want my business degree and theatre minor, and then I want to go to law school.
Sami: I’m also going to university, Waterloo, and I’m going into Honours Science. I got into a program called CAP.
Mac: It’s a fast-track pharmacy program. Normally pharmacy school is eight years, but with CAP it’s six. So it’s a fast-track version. Only 40 students get in each year, and Sami got one of the spots. It’s a big deal.
How did you really decide and know what you want to do? What advice would you give to an incoming grade 9.
Mac: If you don’t know what you want to do, don’t stress yourself out trying to pick something. I always knew I wanted to go to law school, but there’s no specific undergrad for that—you can study arts, political science, science, even fashion. Seriously, Legally Blonde is realistic. I know it sounds cringey and repeated, but just follow what you like and it’ll take you somewhere.
I didn’t know I wanted to go into theatre until I got involved at Richardson. I took the set design class, then I was in the musical this past April. I’d always loved theatre, but I never saw it as a career path. Then I thought—why not? I’ve loved this since I was three. Honestly, just trust what you like. Don’t worry about what people say will make you money. If you love what you’re doing, you’ll probably be more successful than someone who’s miserable in a “high-paying” job.
Sami: Yeah. Money’s great, but if you’re miserable, it’s not worth it.
Mac: And if you hate what you do, you’re not going to do it well. So you’ll probably earn less anyway.
Sami: My biggest advice? Try a co-op. See what field you might like. I always leaned toward biochem, and in the summer between Grade 10 and 11, I did a co-op at a pharmacy, and I loved it. That’s what set me on the pharmacy path. Like Mac said, try different things and see what sticks. Something will.
Mac: And don’t be afraid to try something and hate it. I took classes in Grades 9, 10, even 11 that I thought I’d love. I thought I’d go into psychology or criminology or sociology. For a while, I was really into gender studies. But when I took the psych class, I realized it was too science-based for me. I loved the gender studies class, it just wasn’t my career path. But I learned a lot. So yeah, try everything. You never know what you’ll love, or hate.
Sami: If you have a general idea of the field you’re headed into, take the courses you need for that and then explore with your other classes.
Final Thoughts
Sami: Yeah. Honestly, it’s been a good time at RAC.
Mac: I think RAC is going to be the thing I’ll miss most. That’ll be my hardest goodbye at the athletics celebration. That’s our last big event. It’s going to be tough.
Sami: I’ll miss Miss Bell.
Mac: Yeah, Miss Bell is the heart of RAC. Without her, there would be no RAC.
Sami: She does a lot behind the scenes.
Mac: And more than she gets credit for. She’s amazing. We wouldn’t be the people we are today without her. RAC wouldn’t be RAC without Miss Bell.
