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p o r t r a i t | by Maureen Curtis Young Vocalist Wins Career-Launching Awards ennifer Berry, at 18, has emerged from her high school years at Seycove Secondary with a bouquet of awards and talents. Poised to take her next step in life, she is already an accomplished performer, adept at juggling her many extracurricular activities while maintaining honours standing in her academic life. Recently, Berry was named a winner in a national music contest sponsored by The Edge career magazine (www.theedgemag.org). She submitted a CD she produced last year after working with songwriter John Cruz. Entitled Hide & Seek, it features the songs "I Hide," "Superman" and "When It All Comes Down." The songs demonstrate her emotive and technical abilities honed during 10 years of voice lessons. "My songs are pretty upbeat; one is a ballad, the other is pop/alternative," says Berry who radiates positive energy. According to Seycove Secondary Principal Dick Burns, Berry not only did well in school but demonstrated confidence and the courage to "stand independent from the crowd." And yet she was very involved in school life, especially as an athlete in several sports, an actor in drama productions and a volunteer with the peer counseling program. Twice she was chosen to go as a student delegate to study the operation of the Federal Government in Ottawa. Berry is registered to begin her degree in Communications at Simon Eraser University this fall. With a multitude of options open to her, however, she has her main eye on a career as a performer, especially singing. She was only four years old when her parents noticed that their daughter loved to sing along to their Little Mermaid video, which they were forced to replay hundreds of times. She started voice training at the Patricia Hoebig School of Music in 1994 and subsequently earned a series of music festival awards. Along with the singing, Berry added acting classes and a couple of Soon "I Hide" will be part of a collection of songs from the 20 national contest winners that will be made into a CD and distributed by The Edge to radio stations, agents and producers across Canada. Website clips will also be available. The exposure will be a tremendous leg up for a young performer. Before learning about The Edge prize, Berry had already won other awards, including the Youth of Distinction Award from the District of North Vancouver and the Provincial Youth of Distinction Award, sponsored by Spirit of Vancouver. Last May, Berry was one of eight young British Columbians recognized during Youth Week sessions with the John Casablancas School of Modelling. Her effort paid off with assignments and roles in the movie and television industry and at Deep Cove Stage, which she juggled with work at the Cactus Club, office jobs and her all-time favorite, so far - applying temporary tattoos at the PNE last year. "What a great way to meet people," she recalls, wondering if it would be fun to work at Disneyland. Berry admits that going without sleep is often the only way she can keep up with her frenetic lifestyle and still dazzle people with a glowing smile and bouncy energy. She credits her parents with having supported her in her endeavors so that she can pursue her dreams, "I want to travel and sing - see what the rest of the world has to offer." S e p t e m b e r | O c t o b e r