2015/2016 TD Scholarship Winners

Rabia Ahmed
Monarch Park Collegiate
Toronto, ON

In response to ethnic and religious conflict she saw both globally and locally, Rabia started a Multi-Faith Club at her school, so students could openly discuss discrimination, inequality and racism. Inspired to achieve peaceful co-existence of diverse cultures, she has organized fundraising and information projects for marginalized communities, from Canada’s Aboriginal peoples to African children. These efforts included a Habitat for Humanity build in Scarborough and a Days for Girls event to support girls’ education in rural Africa. Also active as a youth advisory group leader at her local library, and as a hospital volunteer with palliative care patients, Rabia hopes to pursue a career in medical radiation sciences.

Shelby Angalik
John Arnalukjuak High School
Arviat, NU

Growing up in isolated Nunavut where economic and social issues weigh heavily, Shelby discovered a love for theatre arts and its ability to help youth build confidence and life skills. To target low literacy rates in the north, she created a reading program for children under 10, in both English and Inuktitut. Following the loss of a paid school librarian, she volunteered to maintain the library. She also organized an orientation program to help grade eight students transition to high school, with grade 12 peers who plan team-building and social events. A participant in many sports, she was the flag-bearer for team Nunavut at the Arctic Winter Games in Greenland in March. Shelby plans to pursue a career as a librarian.

Annie Berger
Champlain College Saint-Lambert
Brossard, QC

After attending the YMCA youth summit in 2014, Annie joined the year-round organizing committee to help plan the annual conference that promotes community involvement for youth from challenged socio-economic backgrounds. At school, she is a student union representative for the Champlain Student Association and she founded an online newspaper for students to share opinions on current events. Annie also participates in political simulations and leadership conferences with La Federation de la Jeunesse Canadienne-Francaise and the Le Jeune Conseil de Montreal. Involved in sauvetage sportif lifesaving sports and a Ballet Jazz group, Annie hopes to study law and management.

Noa Bridson
Pearson United World College
Stayner, ON

While Noa felt privileged to have lived and volunteered overseas at a young age, on return to Canada she perceived that her fellow students lacked awareness of global issues. She started a school environmental club to engage youth in these topics and empower them to take action. At Pearson College, she continued to support sustainability causes by co-founding Eco-Justice. The group advocates for divestment based on environmental grounds and initiates outings to connect youth from various backgrounds to the outdoors. Noa is a sea kayaking instructor and serves as a leader of a community interfaith group. She plans to attend the University of British Columbia and study environment and sustainability.

Rachel Creighton
Digby Regional High School
Digby, NS

Following the suicide of a student at another high school, Rachel founded the Digby High School Mental Health Support Group to help others overcome the stigma of mental health issues. After much research and planning, she recruited a retired mental health and addictions counsellor to facilitate the bi-weekly group. She is also active as a student representative on the community health board, serves as Student Council Prime Minister, and is a soccer player and coach. Rachel is proud of her recent presentation of a motivational TEDx Talk and her volunteer mission to Ecuador. She will attend Western University to pursue a career as an immunologist.

Joanna El-Mikati
Frank Hurt Secondary School
Surrey, BC

Influenced by the culture of helping others she observed as a child in Lebanon, Joanna founded her school’s Community Connections Committee to link a local retirement home, elementary schools and community groups through cross-generational activities. Based on the group’s success, she participated in a documentary to share the concept with other youth organizers. In addition to starting a weekly neighbourhood clean-up and co-founding a community garden, Joanna is the head editor and designer of her school yearbook, a member of a competitive dance team, and the wardrobe manager of her school theatre company. Inspired by her father, Joanna hopes to attain a career in law and attend the University of British Columbia.

Isabel Gagne
Harvest City Christian Academy
Regina, SK

After noticing how students from low-income homes played volleyball without proper footwear, Isabel created “Shoe Drive to the Net,” collecting donated shoes for inner-city schools. In addition to serving as President of the Student Leadership Council, she started her school’s first Cultural Diversity Day, to help students develop pride in their cultures, including her own Metis heritage. Outside of school, Isabel began a teen mentorship program, called Been There 2 and Made it Through. She has also supported Junior Achievement, clothing and food drives, and a humanitarian trip to Pelican Narrows in northern Saskatchewan. Isabel plays volleyball and basketball and coaches elementary school basketball. She will study commerce at McGill University.

Dardan Isufi (F)
Dawson College
Granby, QC

Dardan’s enthusiasm for politics and the environment is infectious. In secondary school, he founded an Earth Day Committee and helped organize a Celebrating Earth event for local youth. At Dawson College, he honed his political skills by arranging a Francophone delegation to take part in a parliamentary simulation at the National Assembly, and he is a member of the youth parliaments of Canada and Quebec. Elected as Director of Internal Affairs at his college, he handles administrative matters, resolves student academic problems and plans awareness campaigns. He is also dedicated to protecting global human rights as a board member of the Francophone branch of Amnesty International. Dardan aims to attend McGill University and study political science.

HyunGu Kang
University of Toronto Schools
Toronto, ON

Impressed by Amnesty International’s focus on developing grassroots leaders, HyunGu started a youth chapter in her school. She also volunteered to re-energize Amnesty’s city-wide youth network, by organizing a Youth Leadership Council, human rights conference and magazine. After successfully mobilizing youth campaigns for prisoners of conscience around the world, HyunGu plans to expand her program model nationally and internationally. Among her other activities, she helped Volunteer Toronto audit youth programs of non-profit groups, she spearheaded the Youth Innovators and Youth Expo projects, and guided newly arrived Francophone youth on summer camp trips at the Centre Francophone de Toronto. HyunGu will be studying Environmental Science at the University of British Columbia, and hopes to work in sustainable resource development and indigenous rights.

Lauren MacDonald
Grande Prairie Composite High School
Grande Prairie, AB

When Lauren learned about a shortage at the local college foodbank, and the impact of hunger on students’ education, she recruited friends to forgo trick or treating to collect food donations. After attending a Free The Children We Day conference, she decided to make her ‘We Scare Hunger’ food drive an annual school event, and later expanded the program to other schools. Lauren is also Treasurer of her Student Council and an executive member of the Kiva Group, to provide micro-loans in developing countries. She is Team Captain of her school’s First Responders club and involved in the Aboriginal Youth Leadership Council. Lauren will study medical sciences at the University of Western Ontario.

Jacob McGonigal
Kirkland Lake District Composite School
Kirkland Lake, ON

Upon realizing that a preventable disease like malaria was causing a humanitarian crisis in Africa, Jacob co-chaired a fundraising campaign to prevent the disease’s spread in Zimbabwe. Rallying support in his small high school, his committee raised enough funds to purchase 2,400 insecticide-treated bed nets to protect families from malaria-infected mosquitoes. In addition to serving as Student’s Council President, Jacob speaks out on issues facing the province’s educational system, as a student trustee for the District School Board of Ontario North East and on the Minister of Education’s Students Advisory Council. Jacob plans to study commerce, with the goal of building a career in investor relations.

Muneeb Muzaffar
Orchard Park Secondary School
Stoney Creek, ON

To redirect youth from negative influences such as gang activity, gun violence and drugs, Muneeb created and co-led a Youth Focus Group. With the belief that small steps can change a community, his group organized a basketball tournament and food drive and hosted a leadership workshop series to help young people discover their strengths and seek post-secondary education. He is currently playing a role in developing a community garden to feed those in need and also leads school athletics teams, leadership and academics clubs. Muneeb plans to study commerce at Queen’s University, become a Chief Financial Officer and start his own foundation to support youth.

Kikachukwu Otiono
Colonel By Secondary School
Ottawa, ON

After volunteering for her school’s annual Black History Month showcase, Kika became Co-President of the organizing club to raise awareness of the struggles and successes of Black Canadians. She expanded the group’s mandate to help students appreciate diversity and encouraged younger students to get involved. As Youth Editor of Black Ottawa Scene, Kika created a Youth in Action page in the online newsletter so Black youth can share their experiences. An alumnus of the SHAD program for youth leaders and change makers, Kika plans to become a paediatric neurosurgeon and investigate the relationship between neurological disorders and identity.

Olivia Parsons
Holy Heart of Mary High School
St John’s, NL

While volunteering to raise awareness of mental health issues, Olivia noted the harmful impact of social pressures on women. Feeling strongly that feminism, art and the support of other females can build women’s resiliency, Olivia started GLOW (Generating Leadership Opportunities for Women). Through monthly GLOW meetings and an online private forum, girls can meet women leaders, find mentors and connect with other local organizations. Olivia is also Co-President of Student Council, a volunteer with the YWCA and she is active in performing arts. She will attend Ryerson University to study creative industries.

Carlos Pena
Leamington District Secondary School
Leamington, ON

After a harmful algae bloom on Lake Erie caused beach closures and unsafe drinking water, Carlos led his school’s EcoTeam in a community campaign to raise awareness and work with scientists, politicians and citizens to find solutions. Carlos has lobbied Town Council to protect residents’ environmental health and he speaks at conferences and rallies to urge others to become environmental advocates. Active as Deputy Prime Minister of Student Parliament, and as a School Board Student Trustee, Carlos drew upon his background as an immigrant from Honduras to develop an ambassador program to assist new Canadian students. Carlos will attend the University of Ottawa and study political science with a minor in biology.

Angelica Poversky
Robert Alexander McMath Secondary School
Richmond, BC

Reflecting her passion for connecting youth, the outdoors and art, Angelica founded Arts in the Park, a popular outdoors arts festival showcasing local youth. Committed to helping young people find their place in the community, Angelica has coordinated writing programs for youth and an art exhibition. As a radio-show host, journalist and spoken word artist, she has been a voice at The Vancouver School Board Sustainability Conference, CHIMO Violence Against Women Conference and National Culture Days. At school, she founded the Outdoors Club and is active in the poetry and weightlifting groups. Angelica will study creative expression and society, and environmental ethics, at the University of Toronto.

Lauren Powell
Britannia Community School
Vancouver, BC

Much of Lauren’s community involvement is based on the idea of role models helping youth, and is inspired by the teachers, coaches and others who guided her. She founded the “Girls Got Game” program to connect inner-city girls in grades six and seven with sports, activities and mentors. She serves as Secretary-Treasurer of the Leo Club, which enables students to counsel other youth, and she is part of the school Link Crew to welcome freshmen students. Lauren plays basketball, competes in track and field and serves on a community centre youth committee. She plans to study applied biology at the University of British Columbia towards a career as a marine biologist or zoologist.

Qendresa Sahiti
Halifax West High School
Halifax, NS

Concerned by her school’s disregard for its environmental footprint, including its litter-covered grounds, Qendresa started the Halifax West Environmental Club and partnered with a local trails association to hold tree plantings and nature walks. Quendresa organizes leadership conferences on the regional cabinet of the Nova Scotia Secondary School Students Association, and is Secretary of the provincial inclusion committee, to involve students with disabilities. She is also a student ambassador for the Nova Scotia International Students Program to welcome other newcomer youth. She plans to study neuroscience at Dalhousie University and research mental health diagnosis and Alzheimer’s disease in the future.

Mamadou Wade
Citadel High School
Halifax, NS

Believing that you must build beautiful environments to build beautiful minds, Mamadou helped in establishing a youth-run community garden in Halifax’s North End inner city. They grow herbs and sell salad dressing at a local farmers’ market in support of at-risk youth programs and their scholarship fund offered by the Hope Blooms organization. Mamadou and his brother produce raw juices, with proceeds going to toy and food drives. They appeared on CBC’s Dragon’s Den to seek funds for a greenhouse to expand their growing season. Mamadou is a volunteer mentor with St. George’s YouthNet, he writes for an online student newspaper and plays soccer. He hopes to study business at the University of Toronto, and later explore the world of politics.

Anudari Zorigtbaatar
Cégep de l’Outaouais
Gatineau, QC

Anudari has led projects to improve the lives of young people in her school, her local community and overseas. At the age of 14, she held a successful fundraiser to build a playroom at a hospital in Mongolia, her birthplace, to raise the spirits of hospitalized children. She also planned a one-day event for 100 female students to improve their self-esteem and body image. She followed up by creating AXION, a group of 15 Cegep students who hold workshops for secondary school students, who in turn promote self-confidence and healthy lifestyles among their peers. Anudari is also active in Student Council. She would like to medicine at McGill University.