# June 2025 newsletter

Canonical URL: https://gabrieldalton.com/writing/newsletter/june-2025
Date sent: 2025-07-01T16:33:05.909Z
Author: Gabriel Dalton
Original Substack URL: https://gabrieldalton.substack.com/p/gabriel-daltons-june-newsletter

[All newsletter issues](https://gabrieldalton.com/writing/newsletter)

01 Jul 2025 3-Min Read

Spoke in front of 250+ people, graduated from TKS, completed Grade 11, travelling through Europe (Ireland, UK \[England & Wales\], and Croatia), and launched a new website project.

## Hey friends 👋,

Can you believe that 2025 is nearly **50%** completed? June has been a whirlwind. From centre‑stage moments to plane‑hopping adventures, here’s a rapid‑fire update on what’s been happening and what’s around the corner.

## **What I’ve Been Up To 📈**

- **Web Summit Vancouver:** I penned a reflection on my experience at the inaugural Vancouver Web Summit event. [Read it →](https://gabrieldalton.medium.com/my-experience-at-the-inaugural-web-summit-vancouver-youth-voices-at-a-global-tech-gathering-48afd91db7fc)
- **Speaking at TransLink:** I wrote about what it was like to speak to the TransLink Board of Directors on March 26, 2025. [Catch the story →](https://gabrieldalton.medium.com/speaking-at-the-translink-board-meeting-march-26th-2025-gabriel-dalton-05bad8b6bf90)
- **Chef‑for‑a‑Night:** Swapped screens for saucepans in a YMCA cooking class. Outcome: a killer lasagna and a tasty reminder that work‑life balance matters.
- **Market Watch:** Gold’s wild ride continues — a **78 % leap** since last June (from $2,651 → $4,711 CAD/oz). [HODL](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hodl.asp), anyone?
- **Hello from Wales:** Writing this from a cottage near [Monmouth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monmouth), where even the road signs are bilingual and the sheep rule the hills.
- **Privacy Matters:** Applied to join the **Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s Youth Advisory Council**. Fingers crossed 🤞. [Learn more →](https://www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/information-and-advice-for-individuals/privacy-and-young-people/yac/yac-tor/)

## **Achievements & Highlights 🏆**

- **TKS Vancouver Showcase:** Moderated and spoke on the student panel — *250 + people* in the audience!

  ![Gabriel speaks into a microphone beside another panellist at the TKS Vancouver Showcase.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/june-2025/777c14d0cec3d675.webp)

  ![Four students sit on stage beneath a “Student Panel” slide at the TKS Vancouver Showcase.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/june-2025/4e1831cf77965135.webp)
- **Site Launch:** The new **Denman Place Mall** website is live (soft‑launch, tweaks in progress). Take a peek → [https://denmanmall.com](https://denmanmall.com)
- **First Time in Iceland:** Waterfalls, lava fields, and midnight sun.

  ![An aeroplane wing passes over Iceland’s coastline during the approach to Keflavík International Airport.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/june-2025/3091312ebd98502f.webp)

  *Landing at Keflavík International Airport (KEF)*
- **Grade 11 ✔️:** Bring on Grade 12.
- **TKS Graduate:** Wrapped up *The Knowledge Society’s* 10‑month program. Huge thanks to mentors **Pranav Menon** & **Jennah Dohms**.

  ![Gabriel and Pranav Menon hold Gabriel’s TKS completion certificate beside the stage letters.](https://gabrieldalton.com/img/newsletter/june-2025/0881dd0ede908e1e.webp)

  *Officially graduated! Pranav presenting my TKS certificate.*

## Quotes 💬

> “Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers… the ones who see things differently… because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” —**Steve Jobs**

## **Shoutouts 👏**

- **Jennah Dohms & Pranav Menon** — for guiding us through TKS.
- Big thanks to **John Westwood (Microsoft)** and **Chris Hobbs (TTT Studios)** for keynoting the TKS Showcase and showing us that real learning goes far beyond traditional classrooms.

## **What’s Next? 🚀**

- Wrapping up my Europe tour (UK \[England & Wales\] *→ Ireland → Croatia*) before heading home for a July birthday 🎂.
- Finalizing internship opportunities with **PlasticBank** and **Tree‑Nation**.
- I’m currently drafting a deep-dive reflection on my TKS journey (it’s already 20 minutes long!). Stay tuned; I’ll share it in my next monthly update.
- Summer reset, then Grade 12 in September.

Best,
**Gabriel Dalton**

P.S. Want more behind-the-scenes? Check out my [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrieldalton/) or [Medium](https://gabrieldalton.medium.com/) for deeper dives.

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