Youth Award recipients

Aqil has demonstrated perseverance in the face of systemic racism. He has managed to stand out despite facing barriers to access in sports, academia, and peer groups. Aqil is committed to giving back to his community, and his extensive volunteer record includes participation in Model United Nations, student council, Mathletes, Seycove sustainability club, and volunteering at the Mountain Highway Medical Clinic. Aqil is commended for his resiliency and service to his community.

Ashley has demonstrated strength and desire in her commitment to give back to the community. Ashley volunteers with North Shore Emergency Management, where she has assisted with several emergency evacuation efforts, including in Interior BC during wildfire season and flood evacuation efforts in Abbotsford. She has contributed her time to coaching sports teams and volunteering at Lions Gate Hospital during the pandemic. In September, she will start her training to become a nurse.

Cameron is being recognized for their personal growth, bravery, and inquisitive mind. Cameron has become a key member of the Gals N Pals program, a support group for non-binary, transgender, female-identifying individuals and their allies. Cameron continually gives back to their community, including supporting their peers and creating a safe and welcoming space for everyone. Cameron’s nominators recognize Cameron’s ability to accomplish anything that they set their heart on and doing so with kindness, passion, intention, and fearlessness.

Cameron is a gifted musician and a dedicated mentor, contributing over 100 hours of service to his school community. In 2021, Cameron wrote a piece of music to cope with mental health challenges he experienced during COVID. He performed the piece to an audience of almost 700 people, sharing his experience and advocating for mental health awareness. Cameron consistently shows up to support his community through music, including performances this year in North Vancouver and at the Whistler Con Brio festival.

Conrad has overcome significant challenges and emerged as a true leader and inspiration to others. He is an excellent and prolific artist, using his work to promote and celebrate his Indigenous heritage and promote positive change. Conrad is a leader and role model to his peers, actively engaging in mentorship projects and inspiring others to pursue their artistic dreams. He is being recognized for his impressive achievements, compassion, determination, resilience, and commitment to making a difference.

Emily has worked exceptionally hard to achieve academic success despite being challenged with a measurable learning disability, with grades including 98% in Anatomy and Physiology, 94% in English, and 100% in Metalwork. Emily also volunteers extensively in the school and community, including as the president of the Club for Christ at Argyle and as co-captain of the girls' rugby team. She is a lifeguard and swim instructor for North Van Rec and is active in her church leading youth groups and teaching Sunday School.  Her commitment to overcoming obstacles and making a positive impact in her community is truly inspiring.

Through her school and personal experiences, Gabrielle has developed amazing leadership skills, confidence, kindness, and compassion. This was demonstrated during a traumatic incident at Cypress Mountain in February, where Gabrielle rushed to the aid of a friend who needed immediate medical attention and even accompanied her to the hospital, providing comfort and support. Gabrielle showed her strengths as a youth leader in a crisis situation and provided an incredible example of friendship and community.

Jase is a warm and caring individual who welcomes and includes everyone around him. Despite the challenges of moving to a new city and school, Jase has overcome obstacles and found his place at Seycove Secondary. He has demonstrated dedication and passion in his pursuit of beat-boxing, including competing in the BC Beat Boxing Championships. He balances being a dedicated student, member of the golf and badminton teams, and his job. At the Choices program at Seycove, they call him “Mayor”, as a testament to being such a great ambassador for the program.

Since joining Argyle Secondary in Grade 8, Jason has been tirelessly committed to being the best person he can be. Jason excels academically and athletically, while also dedicating himself to community service. He established a math club which has become a safe space for students of all levels and has even achieved national recognition. Jason provides free tutoring for those who cannot afford it. He consistently demonstrates compassion, selflessness, and commitment to uplifting and empowering others.

Jason is a deeply caring and strong willed individual who is committed to building a better future for himself and those around him. Jason is a true advocate for underserved and underrepresented communities. He advocates for people who use drugs and educates others on harm reduction resources available in the Greater Vancouver Area. Jason actively supports an advocacy group for students of color at Mountainside Secondary School. Beyond being an advocate, Jason is a talented writer and excels academically in Philosophy, Social Justice, and English courses.

Justin has shown remarkable progress in improving his social skills and managing stress and anxiety in school. He has made incredible strides at his school’s IB program and his personal project focused on improving his social skills and trying new things. Justin serves as a Peer Coach for Chill & Chat, where he supports neurodiverse teens' in social, conversation, and executive function skills. He demonstrates respect, patience, empathy, and a sense of humor. Justin is recognized for his continuous growth and dedication to helping others.

Lachlan has demonstrated great personal strides and resiliency in his recovery from a traumatic illness. After returning to school, Lachlan has worked very hard to relearn academic subjects, increase his physical strength, and recover socially and emotionally. He continues to demonstrate grace and a strong work ethic working with his speech language pathologist, physiotherapist, and tutor. Lachlan has shown great patience, a sense of humor, and a strong desire to do well in overcoming immense obstacles.

Leon is a talented violinist who has been playing since Grade 6. Despite struggling with virtual lessons during the pandemic and feeling anxious about performing, Leon persevered and improved his skills with the help of a student tutor and practicing everyday. His dedication resulted in improving his music grades and he has been invited to join the Handsworth Virtuosi Strings. Leon has demonstrated great perseverance and dedication in his commitment to playing music.

Max has demonstrated perseverance and hard work in overcoming significant obstacles. In April 2019, he sustained a serious brain injury and was hospitalized at BC Children's Hospital. Despite the challenges, Max maintained a positive attitude and worked hard during his recovery in the BC Centre for Ability's Community Brain Injury Program. His nominators are inspired by his work ethic and academic achievements in Grade 12, where he has maintained an A average and taken a challenging course load.

In moving to Canada from Afghanistan in grade 7, Sanam overcame great personal and cultural barriers to thrive in school and her personal life. Since starting at Mountainside Secondary, she has worked hard to maintain her home, part-time job, fitness schedule, and important community connections. Sanam is on track to graduate this year in June 2023. After graduation, Sanam hopes to work as a makeup artist in the beauty and film industry. Sanam is a shining example of what can happen when you don’t give up.

Shoalan is a student who has made great personal strides to overcome a traumatic brain injury. He suffered a stroke during his grade 10 year and has worked hard to regain his speech and mobility through various therapies. He returned to school and his athletic pursuits, including playing on the Argyle Football Team. Shoalan is on track to graduate this spring with his graduate class. He is recognized by his nominators for his resiliency and determination.

Sophia has shown remarkable personal and academic growth in the past few years. She has overcome many societal and personal barriers and is now more outgoing and self-advocating. Sophia is demonstrating her academic strides, including in writing, reading and math, and takes great pride in her accomplishments and friendships. Sophia aspires to become a peer mentor for her friends upon entering high school.

Berend has been member of Handsworth Secondary’s First Responders Club since Grade 10, where he uses his acquired first aid and life-saving skills to treat students that have suffered from falls, cuts, and joint dislocations. In one instance, Berend assisted a student dealing with respiratory problems, where he administered oxygen, asked primary and secondary questions, and ultimately contacted Emergency Medical Services. Berend demonstrates empathy, trust, and responsibility while providing a tremendous service to his school and fellow students.

Dominika has contributed over 274 volunteer hours throughout the community in the past three years. Among her many involvements, she volunteers as a manager for her school’s football team, helps organize events for Argyle’s Environmental Club, participates in Argyle’s Creativity for Change Club, and participated in Foundry’s Let’s Talk Shop workshop. Dominika is a bright and caring student who has a big heart for giving back to her school and wider community. 

Eliana is a student at Seycove Secondary School with over 175 hours of volunteer service. She gives back to her school community through her volunteering with Seycove Student Council, Seycove Grad Council, and coaching basketball for camps and gym classes. She also volunteers at Cheakumus Centre as an outdoor school councillor. Eliana is a hardworking, determined, and generous person who is inspired to teach others the importance of giving back to the community.

Kai has dedicated over 200 service hours to his school community, including volunteering for Windsor Secondary School’s Grad Council and the Youth Leadership Advisory regarding mental health initiatives. Along with another student, Kai spearheaded the decolonization of the school’s mascot to become the Windsor Wolves. The Windsor Wolves honours the important role of the Takaya (wolf) in Tsleil-Waututh Nation. Kai has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to his school and community.

Kasia is an executive members of her school’s Community Action Team for Arts and Culture where she has contributed over 120 hours of service. Kasia volunteers for and is connected to various organizations for gender equity, poverty, and homelessness. She actively volunteers with the North Shore Harvest Project and connected her school with the One Girl Can program, where she led the fundraising to sponsor a Kenyan student to complete high school and university. Kasia has demonstrated commitment to serving her local community while also giving back globally. 

Noah is the chair of his school’s Community Action Team for Arts and Culture, where he has dedicated over 100 hours to cultural awareness campaigns to celebrate and learn about cultures from around the world. As part of his community engagement, Noah has conducted extensive research to learn about the violence that was perpetuated against Japanese-Canadians during World War II. Noah has been sharing this history and teaching others about Japanese internment camps at his school by inviting guest speakers, sharing at assemblies, and speaking to other classes.

Rhonwyn has dedicated over 500+ hours to supporting seniors and persons with disabilities in the District of North Vancouver. During the pandemic, her support helped vulnerable members of the community to stay safe and deal with social isolation. Since COVID protocols have relaxed, Rhonwyn has  continued to help community members safely return to their activities. In her service to the community and support for community members, Rhonwyn always demonstrating tact, grace, and a smile on her face. 

Tristan has been a valuable member of Handsworth Secondary School’s rugby community since 2018, including contributing 200 hours of volunteer time. In grade 11, Tristan took on the challenge of coaching the grade 8 boys rugby team, where he earned the respect of players and parents, and acted as a representative for the rugby program and the school. Tristan’s commitment has helped the rugby community to prosper at Handsworth, and the program would not be nearly the success it is today without his support.

Over the last two years Tyler has contributed over 200 hours to the Mount Seymour and Deep Cove community through his involvement with Parkgate Community Centre and Seycove Secondary. As COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Tyler stepped up to help get the Saturday Night Teen Basketball Drop-In restarted at Parkgate and similar intramural sports initiatives at Seycove. Tyler has been dedicated to volunteering at the Parkgate Preteen Dances, where he provides a comforting and welcoming presence. Tyler has many passions and is all about involving and connecting others to enhance the lives of youth.

Griffin is a key member of the Parkgate Youth Community where he has been a Youth Drop in Worker since 2022. He has been instrumental in the success and expansion of the Youth Dungeons and Dragons Program, where he serves as Dungeon Master. Griffin has created a safe space for youth to explore social scenarios and conflict resolution, positively impacting their ability to build friendships, make decisions, and understand the impact of their actions on others. Griffin's ability to foster a community that values everyone's differences is a true example of supporting youth.

Seymour Heights Play-Based Programs has been providing valuable work experience for youth at Windsor Secondary since 2002. They provide hands-on learning opportunities in the childcare industry, and students can expect to be fully involved in day-to-day lessons, routines, operations, and planning. The organization goes above and beyond to be flexible and accommodate student needs. Michelle Reid, the lead teacher and manager, is a thoughtful and accommodating mentor that helps students gain valuable job skills and knowledge.

Hamid is being nominated for his support of students at Windsor Secondary and providing them with work experience opportunities at Code Ninja. At Code Ninja, students get the opportunity to teach kids to code and build video games. Hamid provides training to the work experience students and some have been offered employment at the end of the work experience program. Hamid is a strong advocate and supporter of skills development for young workers and learners.

Seymour Salmonid Society, and the manager Marc Guimond, provide valuable experience for youth, where they get to learn about the salmon life cycle both on site at streams and rivers and at the hatchery. Students from Windsor Secondary always come away with positive comments, new knowledge, and an appreciation for sustainability practices and working outdoors. Marc Guimond is an amazing lead, consistently providing timely responses and positive feedback.

Kim, the owner of Techniks Hair Studio, provides valuable work experience to Windsor Secondary students. Kim has taken three Work Experience students under her wing in the past two years. Kim and her staff create a positive work environment that allows students to gain valuable experience and confidence for future employment prospects.

Cleveland Elementary’s Extraordinary Grade 5 Student Helpers set an excellent example of volunteerism and leadership within their school community. Each student volunteers at least 7 hours a week to a variety of programs, from setting up the gym and leading sports programs such as the Spring Olympics, to running the school recycling program, and the Backpack Buddies program. By volunteering their time, supporting younger students, and organizing events, this group has gone out of their way to make their school community a better learning environment.

This group of 20 students includes:

• Alexa Edgar
• Alexander Stewart
• Avisa Aminpoor Komachaly
• Behnoud Ranjbari
• Callum Wheeler
• Ethan Melling
• Emma Memari Pour
• Jack Madden
• Jackson Hamilton
• Jaime Johnston 
• Kalysha Salim Ebrahim 
• Kamran Shokri
• Kayla Yager
• Keys Britch
• Leo Zirnhelt
• Liam Drummond
• Remi Zurbuchen
• Sam Watson
• Thomas Winstanley
• Tristan Stansfield