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 TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership TD Canada Trust is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2007-2008 TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership valued at up to $60,000 each. From across the country, these young Canadians have made a meaningful and lasting difference in their communities. All of these extraordinary young people share one common belief - one person can indeed make a difference.  The 2007-2008 TD Canada Trust Scholarships were officially awarded on May 6th at a national ceremony in Ottawa by Tim Hockey, Group Head Personal Banking and Co-Chair TD Canada Trust. TD Canada Trust Scholarship Recipients
TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership 2008 Recipient Bios Marie Abbott Inspired at age 13 as a delegate at the Children’s World Congress on Child Labour in Italy, Marie has dedicated herself to taking action on global issues. During high school in Canada’s north, Marie helped create a Social Justice Club and raised $6,000 to build a school in Sierra Leone. She also collected funds to support a youth centre she visited in Tanzania as a winner of CIDA's butterfly 208 contest. As a member of Plan Canada’s Youth Advisory Council, she helped implement Hands of Hope, an awareness campaign about AIDS in Africa. As one of the student founders of the Pearson College Yamba Youth Initiative, Marie has raised awareness and money to aid girls’ education in Malawi, where she travelled last year. A recipient of the 2006 Top 20 Under 20 Award, Marie plans to pursue a career in international development and teaching.
Cody Alderson Following the example of his family who hosted international students, Cody applied his interest in multiculturalism and diversity to develop an International Buddy Program in his school. This program pairs international and Canadian students to help them adjust to life in Canada and spread greater cross-cultural knowledge. Cody has served two terms as co-president of students' council and is a member of the spirit, dance and grad class committees. Cody is also a grade representative on the school advisory council and has helped organize regional leadership conferences. In addition to helping at his church's Sunday School, Cody is a power skating coach for young children and enjoys hockey, running, curling and playing guitar. He hopes to pursue a career in international education.
Nicholas Arnold Nicholas has applied his talent as a filmmaker to educate, fundraise and perform outreach activities for social issues. Last fall, he premiered his feature-length film “The Vicious Circle” – the culmination of a five-year work-in-progress – to a sold out audience. Involving community actors and local celebrities, the film tackled the topics of bullying and hatred and inspired animated classroom discussions. He honed his craft by producing two previous documentaries, one of which raised funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. An avid supporter of The Canadian Cancer Society, Nicholas has produced and directed student-run shows, helping his school raise more than $20,000 in the fight against cancer. With his love of the arts and music, Nicholas is planning a career in filmmaking.
Manal Bou Khzam Manal has devoted herself to both her school and her community, where she has lead youth committees at the local public library. On campus, she founded the environmental club “Green Unit,” in which she staged successful awareness activities, and also served as a student ambassador and tour guide to support anxious new students at her CEGEP. With a special interest in health issues, Manal volunteers at several hospitals, and obtained the “STEP” program’s diploma from McGill University Health Center, and participated in the “Mini-med” program at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. She also found time to teach students with intellectual disabilities at her college. During her free time, Manal plays piano and practices pastel art. She plans to pursue studies in medicine.
Conrad Cheong Experience and self-determination led Conrad to become co-president of Riverdale Against Discrimination, a social justice club that empowers students by educating them about discrimination and inequality. The group spotlighted issues among students through events such as a white ribbon campaign and Keep the Beat for War Child Canada. Conrad also founded the Teen Advisory Association to help youth build self-confidence and develop leadership skills, through public speaking on local and global issues. Reflecting his love of sports, Conrad juggles volunteer coaching duties in archery and racquet sports, and he enlisted as the substitute badminton coach at a middle school that lost its original coach. He also tutors students through the Toronto Public Library’s Leading to Reading Homework Club. Conrad is interested in a career in paramedicine.
Kelta Coomber As founder of "Enraged and Underage" at her school to target homelessness, Kelta and her group have organized a range of activities including "Knitting Nights", a gingerbread house competition and a clothing drive for the Youth Emergency Shelter. She also donated her time at a number of area shelters and is active on the Edmonton Youth Council's committee on homelessness. In addition to her contributions to the school newspaper and students’ council, Kelta is a member of Green Ladies' Society, an environmental club, and has helped plan a fashion show featuring 100 per cent recycled goods. Kelta was chosen to attend the Global Young Leaders Conference in Eastern Europe in 2008 and plans to study political science.
Babakayode Fatoba Thanks to his hard work and persuasive skills, Babakayode has seen his idea of a soccer program for at-risk youth mushroom into a respected project to strengthen Toronto’s economically challenged Jane and Finch neighbourhood. Single-handedly recruiting team-members, the young soccer enthusiast subsidized players whose families could not afford the team fee. As word spread about this initiative, parents brought children of all ages to play, and team numbers multiplied. Babakayode has since signed-up sponsors including the Toronto Police department and the Belka Enrichment Program, allowing his club to evolve into a year-round sports camp. He was one out of a 100 youths chosen for the Youth In Policing Initiative(YIPI), focused on breaking down barriers between at-risk communities and the police department. Babakayode also takes part in school mentorship, Students In Action (SIA) leadership and after school homework programs when he is not busy with soccer or enjoying traditional or modern drumming. He is focused on pursuing a career in medicine.
Cassandra Fong Distressed by injustices such as racism and failures in the judicial process, Cassandra decided to investigate methods of discerning justice in a quantitative form. Over two years, she developed a lie detector with 100 per cent accuracy – a ten per cent improvement over existing polygraph technology. Her project helped her reach the finals in a national science fair competition, and the results are being considered by an academic journal, by educators and law enforcement officials. As President of her school’s Leo Club, she helped sponsor children under World Vision, raised funds to combat childhood blindness and build a school in Africa. A volunteer at an inner city school and in health, children’s welfare and animal protection causes, Cassandra also plays ultimate frisbee, snowboards, and is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Julie Harmgardt Julie was only four weeks old on her first camping trip to Killbear Provincial Park, and she has been back many times since. Drawing upon her love for her "summer community", she created a 250-page collection of stories as a fundraiser. Killbear, Thanks for the Memories has raised $8,800 to construct a day-use shelter and operate nature programs. Inspired by her close bond with her grandparents, Julie co-founded Teens Organizing Local Events for Seniors. The group bridges the multigenerational gap through entertainment, alleviating seniors' loneliness while helping teens learn from an often-forgotten generation. Julie's aim is to spark unity amongst Canada's youth with the creation of Canadian Connections. The program involves students in four provinces with plans for expansion. She serves as editor of the student paper, Athletic Council president, Student Senate representative, and chair of the Mayor's youth group. A recipient of the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award and the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers, Julie is considering a career in law or politics.
Thomas Howard Seeing how members of his small community support one another, Thomas began volunteering in environmental, social- justice and economic-development issues. As a founder of Youth for Environmental Awareness (YEA!), Thomas and his group partnered with local business to adopt reusable grocery bags, recycle catalogues and discourage pollution from idling vehicles. A board member on the province-wide Futures in Newfoundland and Labrador Youth (FINALY), he has lobbied for youth representation on regional economic development boards and organized leadership conferences. On the Dorset Youth Justice Committee, Thomas strives to find positive alternatives for young people in the criminal justice system to help them turn their lives around. A captain of the basketball team with an interest in drama, piano, ocean kayaking and camping, Thomas will study biochemistry and may pursue a medical degree.
Katelyn Jmaeff Since Katelyn founded Inspiring Youth for Change (IYC), the group has targeted many issues. Beginning as a conference for 800 youth to discuss environmental, peace and social justice issues, her group followed up by drafting a Vision of Youth for Tomorrow declaration, and presented it to government leaders in Ottawa. IYC continues to tackle many local and international causes, including a children’s mural project, rural bus shelter construction and a stop car idling campaign. Katelyn has helped build houses for Mexico’s poor, worked at an orphanage and was recognized by the United Nations for her humanitarian service. She also led a summer environmental camp for children and continues to mentor a junior IYC group. She is planning a career in Environmental and International Development fields.
Janny Ke Through her local and national science fair experiences, Janny has become passionate about science’s ability to solve problems. She actively promotes sustainability among elementary school students and founded the NOW! Organization to conduct outreach programs, such as the biennial “NOW What?” Conference for approximately 200 children. Leader of the B.C. EcoMentors chapter, Janny has coordinated and presented hands-on, science-based environmental events in primary schools. On top of in-school leadership and fundraising, and her role as a Vancouver Youth Parliament minister, Janny also enjoys playing piano concerts for seniors, composing, writing stories, chess and painting. She wants to bring an interdisciplinary approach to solving medical problems, leveraging her interest in engineering and immunology, as a physician-scientist.
Alexandre Labrie With his interest in uniting diverse people around a common goal, Alexandre began pursuing a political career at the age of 18 as a federal electoral candidate. To channel his strong convictions and ideas to improve the world around him, he created the Community Aid Committee while he studied at Champlain St. Lawrence College. This group has achieved considerable success fundraising and inspiring volunteers for many local charities. Alexandre has also volunteered with the Quebec Breakfast Club and United Way, to help make a practical, immediate and positive impact on community members with a wide variety of needs. He will study economics and international relations before seeking a law degree.
Derrick Lovell When a controversial plan arose to harvest a nearby old-growth forest, Derrick decided to tackle the lack of local understanding of environmental issues and appreciation for the area’s natural beauty. He co-founded a school environmental group, Water, Air and Trees (WAT), to educate and empower his peers and community, in part through shoreline clean-ups, an adopt-a-beach program and events to discuss ocean-related topics. Derrick encouraged youth volunteerism as a treasurer and co-president of Allied Youth and serves on the National Youth Council of the Primates World Relief and Development Fund, a national humanitarian organization. He is a public speaker on issues he witnessed during a tour of development projects in Mexico. In addition to his role as vice-president of his student council, Derrick is busy with volleyball, choir and church activities.
Jon Pameolik Although Jon has gained vast experience through national and international volunteer work, he remains grounded in supporting his traditional Inuit hamlet on the shores of Hudson Bay. Serving on his students’ council, the Arviat Youth Group and as a soccer coach, Jon applies his English and Inuktitut skills to help local elders and to tutor youth during and after school. As a volunteer with Northern Youth Abroad, a cross-cultural exchange program, Jon worked with children, teens and disabled adults in southern Ontario. The next summer, Jon travelled to Botswana’s Kalahari Desert where he laboured alongside tribal bush-men at a wildlife reserve. An enthusiastic player of hockey, soccer, baseball, and basketball, Jon wants to be an electrician, so he can work with his hands and reduce the trade skills shortage in his hometown.
Jonathan Scott Jonathan believes in the power of education and the strength of words to open horizons of hope. As a student trustee and spokesperson to the Ministry of Education, he advances youth causes ranging from eco-friendly schools to ensuring sweatshop-free school clothing. He is also editor of the first province-wide student newspaper to link Ontario’s youth. Jonathan founded and led the YNOT Youth Council to empower local youth to champion environmentalism and raise funds for recreation activities. He works with special needs children each summer at Ontario Pioneer Camp and represented Canada at the Global Young Leaders’ Conference. An award-winning writer and photographer, Jonathan is published in media outlets across Canada, and he plans to pursue a career in writing and teaching.
Audrey Sproule Noting a lack of healthy youth involvement in her community, Audrey co-founded the Badlands Youth Council to sponsor youth-initiated activities. She is also a representative on her town’s Recreation Board, to encourage culture, recreation and sport. Audrey’s volunteerism extends to her church, where she participates in musical aspects of the service, orchestrated the Christmas choir and directed the annual play. To stimulate greater youth involvement in her church, she revived the Sunday School, creating an enthusiastic group that she teaches weekly. Passionately studying and playing the violin, Audrey was selected for the 2007 National Youth Orchestra of Canada, is a leader in the South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra and performs with the Regina Symphony Orchestra. Audrey teaches music to local youth and would love to become a professional musician.
Diana Varvarici To help immigrants settle and adapt to their new lives in Canada, Diana started a volunteer translation service in 2005 to assist newcomers seeking employment. The service now involves 64 youth, covering 15 languages. Diana also organizes the annual Many Faces of Newtonbrook multicultural event that showcases international food, dance, art and culture. This community charity day involved more than 150 students and helped finance school construction in Sierra Leone. Diana’s creative talents led her to act and design costumes for charity musical productions and plan fashion shows to benefit breast cancer research. An award-winning public speaker on issues facing the deaf and blind, she also enjoys fashion design and tutoring young French students. Diana hopes to work for the United Nations and possibly open her own clothing boutique.
Devon Willis Devon has promoted environmentalism, human rights and animal rights by founding JACtivists (John Abbott College Activists). This multi-issue group has organized fundraising and awareness campaigns about the genocide in Darfur. JACtivists also strives to make the campus more sustainable, through campaigns to encourage recycling, carpooling and the use of compact fluorescent lighting. Devon frequently speaks to classes about student activism and a variety of current issues. She was recognized with an ACCC Student Leadership Award for her student union involvement and committee work. In secondary school, she founded a chapter of Amnesty International and was editor of the yearbook and student newspaper. She hopes to practice international and human rights law and enter Canadian politics.
Jane Wu Dedicated to the cause of equal opportunity, Jane initiated and organized the “Beauty and Brains” conference to promote non-traditional and high-power careers among young women. Bringing together and profiling female entrepreneurs and science and engineering professionals, “Beauty and Brains” has expanded to include other events to inspire female career development. Jane is Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Youth Council, a key voice for the youth population that provides input on many civic issues. She has also supported non-profit causes through the Calgary Youth Foundation and the United Way of Calgary and Area. An avid painter and youth advisor to the Chinese Painting Association, Jane has also organized charitable activities for young people, such as a “30-Hour Student Famine.” She hopes to pursue a career in entrepreneurship and international economic development.
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