Audacity Donors: The Liu Family

For the Liu Family, supporting the Audacity Campaign was “about trust.”

When the family of four first joined Meadowridge, they were not just new to the school, but to the country. Then just 12 years old, Catherine Liu ’18 – the family’s eldest – remembers feeling homesick as she struggled to fit in. “Everything was new,” she shares of the move, “it had been a shock, for sure.”

Daofeng and Quming hoped their children would find some comfort at their new school, never expecting what happened instead. Meadowridge became “more than a school” for the family, Catherine explains, more than they ever expected. Uprooted and in a world full of all-things new, the school grounded the family. It became their community.

That first year, Daofeng and Quming watched their children flourish. They saw them make friends and go on field trips and get involved all around the school. That first year, and all the years thereafter, the proud parents saw their children grow into knowledgeable, well-rounded and caring young people. “And they don’t take that for granted,” says Catherine, “Meadowridge helped my brother and I become who we are today, and my parents are very grateful for that.”

The family grew to not just love the school, but trust it. 

After five years, Catherine was about to graduate and begin her studies at McGill. A new job opportunity, meanwhile, was bringing Daofeng, and Quming and Daniel back to China. Though the family was about to find themselves far from Meadowridge, they promised themselves that they’d stay connected to the special place they grew to love and trust. It’s been two years since then, and every trip home still includes a visit to Meadowridge.

This is a place that shaped me, not only as a student, but as a person,” Catherine nods, “and Meadowridge was not only a school for my family, but a community.

It was during one of these visits that the family made an amazing announcement. 

Quming, Catherine and Daniel were in town, home for the holidays and eager to see the school. It had been two years since their last visit, and the trio hoped to see some old friends and check out some of the changes they had heard about. After a warm welcome and some catching up, they headed off on a tour of the new High School Classroom Complex. 

Visiting the school and seeing the new spaces brought back many memories for Quming. She saw the students, excited and engaged, and remembered the experiences of her own children. She remembered the teachers and spaces and resources at Meadowridge which enabled Daniel and Catherine to learn, succeed, and grow. She wanted more students to have the same experience as them. Realizing this, she stopped the tour and asked straightaway how she could help. Though they were no longer parents at the school, Daofeng and Quming knew what Meadowridge had meant for their children, and they knew what it would mean for others.

The Liu Family is now one of the nine  families who have sponsored a space in the High School Classroom Complex.

Knowing how donors supported her own education while at Meadowridge, Catherine is proud that her family is helping in the same way. “I still remember coming back after the summer and there always being enhancements and improvements,” she recalls. She remembers the new gymnasium, the grad lounge (her class was the first to use the new furniture!), and the “many” technological resources which helped her learn. Catherine even remembers how her teachers’ professional development helped her in the Diploma Programme. “There are so many unique experiences and opportunities [at Meadowridge],” she explains. Experiences and opportunities – she is sure – which helped her gain entry into her first-choice university. For that, Catherine explains, the family is forever grateful.  

Grounded by trust and driven by care, the Liu Family’s generosity is the essence of the community they grew to love.