I stand outside waving at the car pulling slowly out of our driveway. I force a smile, hoping it will cover up my tearing eyes, but I know it's not working. I run into the house, slam the door behind me, and begin crying. It's just occurred to me that I can't see my elder sister, Monsura, in the next four months.

    I ask myself why it is that I'm crying when I know she's doing something good for herself. I feel selfish for thinking about it but I'd be lying if I said I was happy for her choosing to study in a university in Boston. When my brother, Shafat, left for college, it was different. I still had one sibling at home to call me the stupidest person on a daily basis.

    I am reminded of the things we did together as kids. In our old two-bed-room apartment, our parents gave in to our constant begging and traded rooms with us for one night. It was like being part of the amusement park, using our parents' big bed as a trampoline (蹦床).It was during the first night that I witnessed a full moon. My sister and I believed my brother. He said that the moon was yellow because it was made from cheese. We made plans to visit the moon so we could melt a part of it and make cheese dip. But now I laugh at myself for being so innocent.

    Sitting in front of my computer, I listen to songs that remind me of my two best friends. I come to terms with the fact that there's no longer anyone here to laugh uncontrollably with me or to turn to at night when I have a nightmare.

    I'm shaken into reality by the sound of my cell phone ringing. Shafat is calling. I pick up and he immediately says “Thank you for such a great childhood.'' Those few words mean the world to me. We three-way call Monsura and spend the next hour reliving memory after memory, and by the end, I forget that I'm alone at home.

    For many reasons, I didn't choose to go to university like most of my family members, schoolmates and even best friends. I can't say that I didn't have moments of doubt about my decision. As the last term of school was coming to a close, I began to feel very anxious about the choice I made to be different and start an apprenticeship(学徒).

    Although my A-level results day was the one that I felt extremely proud of, I knew that the general feeling from most of my teachers was disappointment. I completed my application, did a series of ability tests and interviews, and at last nine months later—I began an apprenticeship with Sellafield Ltd.

    As soon as I started, I knew straight away that I made the right decision. From the people I met, to the on-the-job training that I was experiencing, I began to feel a real sense of purpose and could see a successful career in an industry that I found so interesting and challenging, paving the way in front of me. I never thought when I was in sixth grade that I would be working in the nuclear industry, but now I can't imagine working anywhere else.

    Since finishing my apprenticeship over two years ago, I've had countless opportunities to develop myself both academically and personally. I've bought my first home; I was chosen to be a part of the Government's Get In Go Far apprenticeship campaign, and offered an amazing and unique secondment(人员借调) with the Environment, Health, Safety and Quality department at Sellafield.

    I have no doubt that without my apprenticeship I wouldn't be in the position I am today, but equally I know that it was only the beginning for me.

    My apprenticeship inspired me to explore different career paths in the nuclear industry, and it gave me the confidence to know that I can succeed in shifting from one position to another.

It took multiple weddings for Christine Law to realize what she needed to do. In the summer of 2014, her schedule was packed with friends, marriage celebrations—flowers — filled occasions that got her thinking, “Where do all the flowers go after the party?” More often than not, they were thrown out. Law, then 27, was confident she could find a better use for them.

    By August, she had a plan: convince couples and companies hosting events to donate their flowers, which she would pick up and deliver within 48 hours to seniors across the city. She wanted to bring beauty into the lives of the elderly. She drew on her experience volunteering with non-profits in order to set up her own organization, which she called Floranthropie. Not having enough bouquets (花束) for all 150 people of a health center, Law asked the staff to provide a list of patients who needed cheering up most, “The first woman I approached thought it was a mistake, and that the flowers couldn't possibly be for her,” says Law. “I said they were a gift, and we talked for a half hour.”

    In addition to health centers, Floranthropie focuses on community groups devoted to the elderly. Theleme is a volunteer for Les Petits Fieres, an organization that aims to help the elderly who don't have a support system. The group receives a dozen or so bouquets from Floranthropie monthly, and then redistributes them. “Our motto is 'flowers before bread,” says Theleme. “We don't focus on primary care, but rather on nourishing (滋养) the spirit. Floranthropie helps that. It's amazing what a big difference a small bouquet can make.”

    In the beginning, most of Floranthropie's donations came through word of mouth. These days, Law receives messages from strangers via her organization's Facebook page and has connected with corporations and flower wholesalers. Law hopes to expand Floranthropie nationally, but at this point is happy to be able to oversee each delivery personally.

    Inspired by a 9-year-old cyclist, Lauren Turner, who can only use one hand, a group of University of Guelph students has won an international award for their invention－a bike brake lever (刹车手柄) that pulls both the front brake and the back brake at the same time.

    Lauren Tuner was able to ride her bike, but not as confidently and quickly as her friends.

    “She couldn't use the front brake. She only used the back brake, but the front brake makes you stop twice as fast,” says Micha Wallace, who, with Katie Bell, Anina Sakaguchi and Andrew Morries won second prize in the James Dyson Award for their single-handed bike brake lever.

    "Lauren Turner tried the device (装置) first and she used it all last summer. She had no problems. It helped her go faster because she felt more confident in her braking abilities. She felt safer." says Wallace.

    The invention was the fourth-year design project for the four students. They designed, tested and created a prototype (模型) within a four-month period.

    When Wallace heard about the James Dyson Award on the news, she and her co-inventors entered their project in the U.K.-based contest, which rewards students designers who create products that improve the way we live. The students collected the runner-up prize－£2,000 for them and £500 for their school.

    As well, they had a chance to meet James Dyson, a U.K. famous inventor. Praising the students for their invention, Dyson says the single-handed brake lever could improve safety for all cyclists. By using both brakes at once, you could prevent the possibility of flying over the handlebars and ending up with an injury.

    The students hope to sell it to a major company. It may be used in other devices that require two hands for operation.

    On a sunny, spring day, a group of children, four to seven years old, sit on their bicycles. They wear helmets to protect their heads and gloves to protect their hands. Their mothers, standing nearby, watch them closely. The children are ready to learn how to ride. Rachel Varn still remembers how she felt riding a bicycle for the first time. She says, "It is probably the biggest confidence booster (提升). It gives kids such a sense of independence and self-guidance." Now, her job is helping children experience that moment.

    Rachel Varn left her job of selling bicycles to become a trainer for bicycle riding last year. She founded Pedal Power Kids to teach bicycle education. Before starting a ride she teaches the children how to make sure the bicycles are in good condition for safe use. She calls it " the ABC quick check." "A" is for air. she explains, "We have to check out tires before we ride. "B" is for brakes. We want to make sure our brakes work before we find ourselves at the top of a hill about to go down. And "C" is for chain." She says the chain must be clean.

    The rest of the training is more fun. The children learn riding skills, from balance and pedaling to turning, starting and stopping. And they learn to keep their eyes up and look ahead while riding. Varn says many children struggle to do this. They look down at the pedals instead. She adds, " Obviously that doesn't allow them to see what's going on around them, and it doesn't allow them to turn properly either." Varn says watching where you are going helps you turn easier.

    Learning to ride a bicycle can open a whole new world to children. It gives them a sense of accomplishment and freedom. They become more sensitive to their surroundings and better able to make safe, smart decisions going from one place to another. Varn's goal is to get more children on two wheels. She says," That's really a great way for kids to be active and develop healthy habits. It helps reduce pollution and just keep families and communities connected."