Miss Universe® Canada 2010

AGE: 19 | HEIGHT: 5'8" | HOMETOWN: MARKHAM, ON

Motivated by her goals and endeavours for success, Ava believes that anything can be achieved with a positive attitude and determination. She is currently in her second year of Kinesiology at York University in hopes of entering medical school in the near future. Due to personal experiences and the world’s booming health crisis, Ava’s goals have been directed to become a well achieved doctor. She has committed her life to helping others in any way that she is capable and would love to one day work with the organization of “Doctors Without Borders”.

Ava currently works as a swimming instructor, coach and lifeguard. Swimming has been her passion from a very young age which led her to commence as a competitive swimmer. Ava has had three York Region records in conjunction with provincial times in certain events. Even though Ava swam outside of school, she was still a part of her high school’s basketball, soccer, track and field and swim team. Due to her elite athletic training and abilities, Ava was proclaimed Athlete of the Year, six years in a row. Her love for sports and physical activities has endorsed her to become driven by competition and to always strive to the top.

As her hobbies, Ava loves music, reading, modeling and travelling. Being the only child of her supportive and adventurous family she has already visited France, England, Turkey, Dubai, Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic and parts of Canada and USA. Ava was born in Tehran, Iran and moved to Toronto at the age of seven. Ava is very proud and thankful for her loving parents for giving her the opportunities to pursue anything she has ever desired, and for providing her with proper guidance throughout her life. She finds it fascinating and has always been open to explore other cultures and the different ways that people live around the world.

Over the past year, Ava has helped organize reputable fundraising events to raise money for leukemia research for Sick Kid’s Hospital in the name of her very close childhood friend. The two events, Dinner and Silent Auction and 17 Mile Walk has been very successful and accomplished. Ava has always been a natural leader in anything she has been a part of, and that is why she is currently in the midst of starting a Human Rights Watch club at York University. If given the opportunity to go on towards becoming Miss Universe Canada, Ava will continue to be the all around person she is, and start a foundation dedicated to cancer patients and their families.

Sponsored by: Stephan Caras, Homelife Estates Reality Inc., Progressive Mortgages Inc., Airport Kia, Blue Import Export Trade Inc, Remax 2000 Reality Inc. Brokerage (Mr. Peyman Mehrabi), High Street Dental Practice (UK), Global Montessori and Day Nursery (Ms. Fozieh Seri), Delta Group Canada, Anahita's Dance Class, Super Tehran, Golden Dollars, Super Khorak, Saraye Bamdad Book Store, North Restaurant, Pastry House, Modern Times Stage Company, Kheradmand Graphics, Iran Star Magazine, Shandiz Natural Foods, Xtremelash Canada, Studio B Dental, Family and Friends.

Questionnaire (click to open) ±

Are you currently a student? Yes
If yes, where? York University
Area of study: Kinesiology – Specialized Honours (BSc)

Are you currently employed? Yes
If yes, what is your occupation? I am a swimming instructor, lifeguard and a coach for the Richmond Hill Lifesaving Club.

Have you completed secondary school? Yes
If yes, where? All four years of high school, I attended Richmond Hill High School.

Have you completed university/college? I am currently in University
If yes, where?

Have you completed any technical/professional school?
If yes, where?
What subject? N/A

Languages spoken Fluently (please include your native language if English is not your native language)

My native language is Farsi and I speak it fluently.

List any special training you have had (music, art, drama, dance, etc).

I have my National Lifesaving certificate along with Lifesaving Instructors, Standard First Aid, CPR Level “C” and AED. I also have had training in modeling with a prestigious modeling agency, and have taken a course in acting on camera.

In what sports, if any, have you participated and how long have you participated in each sport?

I participated in competitive swimming with the Richmond Hill Aquatic Club for 5 years, and continued to swim for my schools for the last 5 years. I also have been a part of the basketball (7 years), volleyball (3 years), soccer (4 years) and track and field (7 years) teams at my schools.

Please list any schools and universities (public/private/graduate/trade or technical) you have or are attending, as well as the area of study, graduation date and any degree or certification you received.

I attended the Farsi-Toronto School at the age of 8 and received my Grade 2 certificate – which is qualified to be the equivalence of Grade 2 in Iran.

What charity/charities have you supported with your time and/or resources over past two years?

I have been a part of organizing 2 events in the last 2 years along with a 3rd one recently, to raise money for Sick Kids Hospital. I have also sold ribbons at different locations for the Canadian Breast Cancer Society, along with volunteering for the Annual Bay Street Ball for Sunnybrooke Hospital. Most recently, it has been an honour to raise money for SOS Villages in conjunction with the other 11 Miss Universe Canada delegates from GTA as well.

What would be your "dream job" in life?

My dream job would to earn my medical doctor degree and work for the organization, Doctors Without Borders.

Name one person, other than your parents, who has had the most influence on your life? Why?

One person, other than my parents, that had the most influence in my life has to be my grade 8 teacher, Mr. DeGirolamo. No one has believed in me and taught me to believe in myself more than he has. He was my teacher, coach, mentor and friend and I have the utmost respect for him. He is one of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met but there is no playing around either. I worked the hardest in his class and made sure to be the best I could be. I have spent the proudest moments of my life with him and some of my biggest failures, but all those experiences shine in their own way in my mind because I came out of all them with a better perspective in life.

What is the proudest personal accomplishment (other than being in this or any other beauty pageant competition)

My proudest personal accomplishment to date has to be the day that I was announced to be my grade’s Valedictorian in 2004. To be chosen to represent my graduating class as an all-around student, was one of the most rewarding and worthwhile experiences of my life.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?

My career ambition is to become a medical doctor. I am currently studying Kinesiology (BSc) at York University which will hopefully lead to my attendance in a medical school in the near future. I also have been a part of raising money for Sick Kids Hospital and will be volunteering at a hospital soon to become more familiar with the field and environment.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.

I was raised for the first 7 years of my life in Tehran, Iran. I had an amazing and memorable childhood due to the fact that I was always and still am surrounded by family, especially my grandma who took care of me during the times that my parents were at work. My whole family is very tight knit and I am so lucky to be able to see them frequently. I am an only child but I have never felt one bit of loneliness. Growing up, my parents were my best friends, sister, brother and parents all at the same time and that is why we’re so close. We have travelled to many parts of the world together on various occasions along with other family members as well.

List any interesting or unusual jobs you may have had.

When I was younger, I used to always go to work with my dad during all the breaks we had at school. I started to become somewhat of his personal secretary as time went by. All of his co-workers, customers, and clients knew me. I retired from that job when I reached an age that allowed me to stay at home alone; however, I never had to pay taxes for my services since I never got paid! Thanks Dad!

List any volunteering you have done.

– Jay Walk

Organizer – raising money for Sick Kids Hospital (Leukemia research)

– Shandiz Natural Foods

Marketing products at Trade shows

– Jalal’s Dinner and Silent Auction

Organizer - raising money for Sick Kids Hospital (Leukemia research)

– 9th Annual Bay Street Ball Tournament

Volunteer – Sunnybrooke Hospital

– Canadian Breast Cancer Society

Sold pink ribbons at various locations

– Youth Basketball Tournament at Roselawn Public School

Organizer

– Delta Group Canada

Paper work (invoice, sales marketing)

Where is the most interesting place you have been?

One of the most interesting places I have ever been is Holguin, Cuba. My parents and I visited Holguin for vacation in 2002 and we took a tour around the actual city. I was given the opportunity to see how the people of Holguin live on a day to day basis. The houses had no windows, everyone lived off coupons and stamps for food and still with all these struggles and what we consider “minimum” in Canada, they were so friendly and happy. It was a huge eye opener for me at that age because I was compelled to appreciate my lifestyle back home.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?

I was brought up in a competitive environment at a very young age. Motivation, commitment and dedication, I was taught by my swim coach, were the keys to success. I have had my fair share of records and record breakers but I have also had my losses and fails. It is important to take your losses and failures as a lesson to be better and work harder to reach the top. It is easy to beat yourself down but its how you pick yourself up that is the struggle. Because when you know you worked hard, put in hours, heart and soul in what you did and achieved your goal…there is no better feeling in the world.

What is your philosophy of/in life?

My philosophy in life is to “believe in yourself, and others will have no choice but to start believing with you” – unknown. Your attitude and mind set of believing in yourself attracts people to appreciate and believe with you.

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years?

I hope to have my own place in 10 years and not be dependent on my parents! I will hopefully be out of medical school for a couple of years by that time as well, and will be happily working as a medical doctor, along with having had the opportunity to work with Doctors Without Borders. I also would have a well established foundation that is dedicated to cancer patients and their families and will be working to build on it flanking my work schedule and maybe my own familyJ!

Is there anything you would like to tell us about yourself? Something unique that has happened to you? Some interesting thing about you?

Something unique that happened to me recently during my vacation to Los Angeles was that I, unfortunately, witnessed a woman get hit by car. I was in the car behind the vehicle that was involved in the collision. As soon as I saw this happen, without hesitation, I jumped out of the car and ran towards the woman. I started performing all the necessary steps that I had been taught for the past 7 years of my life training to become a swimming instructor and lifeguard, as quickly as I could. The woman, fortunately, was not very hurt but the experience stayed with me powerfully. I didn’t know I was actually capable to perform well under pressure even though I have had so much training over the years. My instincts were so dominant in the situation that without any second thoughts I reacted the way I did. This experience taught me to never doubt myself and made me feel stronger as a person.