2014/2015 TD Scholarship Winners

Zeinab Abugrga
Brookfield High Schoo
Ottawa, ON

As a first-generation Sudanese-Canadian, Zeinab struggled to maintain her African heritage while embracing Canadian culture. She founded a Youth Initiative to involve Sudanese young people and their parents in networking, sports and volunteering. She is also chair of the Youth Committee for the Sudanese Canadian Association of Ottawa.

Zeinab is also co-president of the Student Council and co-chair of her school board’s Council of Student Council Presidents. Zeinab would like to become a palliative care specialist to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families.

Sorcha Beirne
Fredericton High School
Fredericton, NB

Observing how feminist issues sparked strong opinions but few solutions, Sorcha founded Fredericton Youth Feminists, to turn ideas into movements for change. The group offers a safe space for feminist growth among high school and college age students and it fundraises for the Fredericton Sexual Assault and Crisis Centre. Sorcha has been a Voice of Women Canada delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She has led youth voter campaigns to urge her province to re-open a reproductive health clinic for access to abortion services. Sorcha plans to pursue Film Studies and work towards a career in Documentary Activism.

Fei Ya Chen
Collège André-Grasset
Montréal, QC

Fei Ya believes deeply in the power of creative expression to create dialogue and improve the lives of others. As a writer and editor-in-chief of a student blog/newspaper, she combined literature and art to engage students in humanitarian causes.

Fei Ya has played the flute for socially isolated hospital patients and senior citizens. She also led a program to help integrate immigrant children, through games, writing, history and culture. In her free time, she is president of her CEGEP co-op program, is a medical first responder with Ambulance Saint Jean, and is involved in a neuropsychology research project at the Université de Montréal. Fei Ya would like to study medicine, public health or international and human rights' law.

Clement Cheng
University of Toronto Schools
Markham, ON

After the 2012 garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, Clement wondered why his classmates continued to buy brands made in sweatshops despite their horror at the human tragedy. To remedy this social inaction, he co-founded ActOut, a social justice group that immerses students in experiential in-class learning.

With volunteers to research global issues, ActOut held simulations for hundreds of students, transforming classrooms into a sweatshop employing Indian migrants, or a Russian newsroom where journalists cover LGBTQ rights. The group has shared its innovative learning model with school boards and university officials to help more students become critical-thinking global citizens. Clement will be studying global health and peace, conflict and justice studies at the University of Toronto.

Jaxson Creasey
Belmont Secondary School
Victoria, BC

Born with a neuromuscular disorder that has restricted him to a wheelchair, Jaxson is grateful to organizations that supported him and his family. In appreciation, he founded the Give It Back campaign. Working with students and teachers, this group first raised funds for the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Now in its sixth year, Give It Back continues to support health-related charities, even though Jaxson now attends another school.

Jaxson is also involved in community and school athletics as a coach and manager for volleyball and basketball teams and youth soccer camps. He wants to turn his passion for sports into a career as a sports agent, after earning his business and law degrees.

Mahtab Dhaliwal
Henry Wise Wood High School
Calgary, AB

Inspired by the Hawaiian concept of ‘Ohana’ – an extended family that includes the whole community – Mahtab co-founded the Empowerment Club to tackle bullying at her high school. The club created the Ohana Café in a local church basement to offer support groups, self-esteem classes and healthy, affordable food to participants.

Noting the absence of local recycling services, Mahtab worked with friends to start the Saddletowne Community Recycling Drive, so residents could exchange or drop off recyclable items. Due to the tremendous response to the one-time event, the recycling drive is now a monthly activity. Mahtab hopes to study engineering physics and eventually pursue a career as a physicist.

Vanessa Djumo Tchokothé
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute
Toronto, ON

Having witnessed how youth are bombarded with stereotypes that can limit them socially and academically, Vanessa started the Colour Me TruthM group to help students overcome and confront stereotype-based harassment and racism. The group has evolved into her schools’ first-ever student-led equity group and it holds workshops and events to raise gender, race and cultural awareness.

Vanessa is also a youth facilitator of the Red Cross anti-bullying program, a mentor at the YWCA Toronto Girls Centre and a youth leader with the Teens Ending Abusive Relationships program at Victims Services Toronto. She is considering a career in corporate law.

Mélanie-Rose Frappier
Ecole Secondaire du Sacre Coeur
Sudbury, ON

“Start Now, start today,” is the advice Melanie-Rose offered at the 2014 We Day in Toronto and she has lived by that motto. Having volunteered as a YMCA squash instructor and a Terry Fox Committee fundraiser, she has become a respected youth leader in the Aboriginal Metis and Francophone communities. As the sole voice of students on an Aboriginal Advisory Education Committee, she played an integral role with her school board to introduce an Aboriginal studies course.

While serving as a Youth Ambassador of Canada in a U.S. Embassy exchange program, Mélanie-Rose created It’s Cool to be Healthy/C’est cool d’être en santé, an interactive program to show youth the benefits of exercise and nutrition. Mélanie-Rose is interested in a career as an orthopaedic surgeon.

Jonathan Grignon
Cegep de l’Abitibi-Temiscamingue -Campus Amos
Val-d’Or, QC

Jonathan is thankful that his family taught him strong values and today he helps other youth develop community spirit, respect and determination. After volunteering as a youth soccer coach for seven years, he founded the Vallée d’Or Soccer Academy, to provide low-cost soccer clinics to more than 100 youth from diverse backgrounds.

Jonathan also competes in marathons to serve as a role model and fundraise for Jeunesse à Coeur (Youth at Heart), an organization that imparts local youth with willpower and confidence to pursue their dreams. Jonathan plans to attend the University of Ottawa and earn a law degree.

Morgan Hanson-Oliveira
R.D. Parker Collegiate
Thompson, MB

Since grade three, when Morgan saw a video of a poor third world child, she has wanted to help others, around the world and around the corner. Morgan later became a youth fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes and joined her high school’s social justice group.

As co-president of H3: Hands, Hearts and Hope; Morgan has raised funds to build African schools and send care packages overseas. Her group also targeted homelessness and mental health in their own community, collecting food and warm clothing for local families. Committed to being a positive example for other Aboriginal youth, Morgan would like to pursue a career in paediatric endocrinology.

Olivia Helmer
Kwantlen Park Secondary School
Surrey, BC

To help isolated teens at her school form friendships and new interests, Olivia founded the REACH club. For kids who would normally eat lunch alone, the club enables them to eat together and plan meals and fundraisers that help them connect with others and gain confidence. Olivia approached city officials to provide her club with meeting space and she secured free sports passes so members can enjoy active social events and take part in leadership training activities.

Olivia also volunteers with her church’s Sunday school and is a member of Inspire, an all-girls club that mentors grade eight and nine girls. Olivia is interested in studying biology and French.

Anojen Jeyapalan
Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy
Markham, ON

Anojen believes that the best way to build confidence and empower youth is by helping them take an idea to reality. He launched StudentsCoding.com, a group that teaches youth with ideas to create an app in less than a day. Anojen attracted sponsors from Facebook and online coding schools, so he could hold a one-day class for 100 students. As he expands the program, Anojen observes that, “If youth can build an app in a day, imagine what they can do in a week or a year!”

Anojen is also president of his school’s environmental team and was a member of the Markham Youth Council, where he organized the Centennial Street Festival fundraiser. He would like to pursue a career as an engineer or computer programmer

Duva Karunakaran
Eric Hamber Secondary School
Vancouver, BC

Believing that sport is a powerful tool to teach life skills, Duva founded Kids for Kids to ensure that children who lack financial means or family support can play sports. The group held a show for war-affected Sri Lankan children, raising funds to buy sports equipment and establish scholarships for students who excel in sports and academics. The fundraiser will target different groups of local or international children each year.

Committed to amplifying the student voice, Duva is co-president of the Vancouver District Student Council, sits on an anti-bullying task force and is a soccer coach for Special Olympics. He would like to study medicine in the hopes of going into paediatrics or global health.

Jihyun (Gina) Kwon
Martingrove Collegiate Institute
Etobicoke, ON

Grateful for the support her family received through the United Way Toronto when they immigrated to Canada, Gina became an ambassador for Youth United, a youth council that inspires young people to improve their city.

After serving as the group’s social media chair to raise awareness of the less fortunate, Gina started a United Way club at her high school. The club has organized original fundraisers to show students how their involvement in social issues can have a lasting impact on others. Gina is also the head of the school newspaper and is active in music, Student Council and softball. She plans to study criminology at the University of Toronto.

Michael Lay
Vincent Massey Collegiate
Winnipeg, MB

After becoming president of his school’s Key Club, Michael transformed the group into a place where young leaders are born. Instead of mandating charity campaigns on club members, the group now empowers members to suggest and support causes that matter to them, ranging from children’s winter clothing drives to neonatal tetanus fundraisers.

Michael also restarted his school’s sustainable development committee’s project to help install clean energy solar panels. A budding trumpet player, he and a friend started a jazz ensemble for youth that performs in the community. Michael would like to pursue a career as an economist.

Annaliese Meyer
New Westminster Secondary School
New Westminster, BC

Understanding how it’s easy for young people to feel lost in the crowd, Annaliese created a free festival to connect youth through environmental causes. After considerable planning and enlisting support from city officials, environmental groups, bands and speakers, the most recent ecoFEST attracted local politicians and more than 500 attendees.

Annaliese is now expanding ecoFEST to connect environmentalism with popular student interests. Activities range from sustainable food cooking classes to mentorships for budding environmentalists. She is also an active visual artist. Annaliese is considering a career in ecotoxicology, hopefully pursuing research in Antarctica.

Gula Osman
Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute
Toronto, ON

Growing up in a violence-riddled neighbourhood, Gula often found hope in the local community centre and Pathways to Education program which offered a homework club, basketball and summer camps. To help other youth access a place to grow and focus on their futures, Gula founded The Lawrence Heights Violence Prevention Youth Association. The group hosts youth workshops and activities ranging from barbeques and gardening to subsidized outings to sports events.

Gula also represented the youth and immigrant populations in the city planning process to revitalize his neighbourhood. He is a dedicated member of the Eastern Commerce Collegiate basketball team and would like to study Business Technology Management at Ryerson University.

Maclite Tesfaye
St Clement’s School
Toronto, ON

Committed to fighting for the rights of girls, Maclite was surprised that her all-girls school had no group focused on gender inequality. She founded a school chapter of the Plan Canada, Because I am a Girl club, to empower every student to stand up for themselves and girls around the world.

Maclite has also volunteered at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, has tutored younger students and organized a March break camp for underprivileged children. She was also elected head of community service for her school. Maclite hopes to pursue a career in paediatric medicine.

Hailey Thomas
Prince Andrew High School
Dartmouth, NS

Shocked to discover that human trafficking of teenage girls occurred in her own province – and surprised that no local organizations targeted the crime – Hailey convinced school officials to let her organize a conference on the issue. After hosting the one-day event, which drew 1,000 participants and media attention, Hailey formed a human trafficking awareness group at school. She collaborates with other school groups and organizations to support awareness and prevention of human trafficking. Hailey is also a leader in her school Key Club, Student Council, and in groups that support LGBT youth and black culture. She would like to study criminology.

Lucas Walters
Clarenville High School
Clarenville, NL

Seeing that youth struggled with their sexual identity in his small, tight-knit town, Lucas formed SPEAK, Students Promoting Equality and Kinship, to serve as a gay-straight alliance and promote anti-bullying. The club has resonated with students, staff, parents and community members who recognize that it is creating a positive, inclusive atmosphere in the school and town.

Lucas is also a founding member of his school’s environment club, vice president of his Student Council and volunteers with a breakfast program. He would like to study psychology, and later medicine.