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Neda Abbas
Mimico Co-operative Homes
Neda graduated from Runnymede Collegiate Institute last year. She belonged to the Black History Club was involved with the Pan-Canadian Conference of youth. She volunteered with Ten Thousand Villages and the Living Gift Program, as well as working part-time. Neda also trained as a sexual health educator with Planned Parenthood. Taking a year off before continuing her education, she became an HIV/AIDS peer educator and continued to work as a community volunteer with the Toronto Youth Cabinet, the United Way, and Kids Help Phone. Neda will attend Ryerson University.
Fardousa Abdi
Palisades Housing Co-operative
At Westview Centennial Secondary School, Fardousa helped with Culturama, a school-wide event that brought students of different cultural backgrounds together to perform a dance or ritual. She has also volunteered as a basketball coach and at the Tariq Summer Camp for young children. Currently she is involved with Creating A Space to Transform (CAST), a conflict resolution program that uses the arts as a context for debate and expression. Fardousa will attend York University.
Merrick Anderson
Hugh Garner Housing Co-operative
At Jarvis Collegiate Institute, Merrick has been captain of the boys’ tennis and curling teams and coach of the girls’ tennis and curling teams. He served as student council president and led the council in organizing, together with the Toronto Youth Cabinet, a well-publicized rally to support a Jarvis student who faced deportation to Lebanon. The student was granted a minister’s permit that allowed him to stay in Canada. In addition Merrick volunteers with the Canadian Stage Company and works part-time. He plans to attend the University of Toronto.
Angelica Batalla
Bleecker Street Co-operative Homes
Currently attending Monarch Park Collegiate Institute, Angelica was previously a student at Jarvis Collegiate Institute, where she was involved with the Ujaama Club and had a central role in the club’s most important educational event, the Black History Month Assembly. At her co-op, she participates in a newsletter, as a summer camp counsellor, and on the Diversity Committee. Angelica was also a core volunteer for Bleecker Street’s large mosaic project called Mosaic: A Community Tribute, and last year she raised funds for the “Winter Coats for Co-op Kids” campaign. She works part-time and will attend George Brown College.
Tanzilah Chowdhury
Riverdale Co-operative Houses
Tanzilah attends Monarch Park Collegiate Institute, where she is vice-president of finance on the student council. She has participated in the Brick-by-Brick campaign, where the school community contributes to the construction of a school in Kenya in partnership with Free the Children. She is also involved with her school’s Environmental Club, Model UN, and Radio Monarch. Tanzilah volunteers to help seniors in her co-op and played a key role in organizing a “Very Halal Christmas Dinner” for seniors in the community. She plans to attend the University of Toronto.
Ema Hazra
Kimroy Grove Co-operative Homes
Ema is working towards her Honours Bilingual Certificate at Agincourt Collegiate Institute. She has been an active member of the school council and senior editor of the school newspaper. Ema organized a school-wide White Ribbon Campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and provided information on safe dating. She has also tutored children in homework and middle school French. Ema volunteers with seniors at a hospital. She plans to attend McMaster University.
Anahita Jabbari
Windmill Line Co-operative Home
Anahita is completing her studies at Leaside High School. She took part in multicultural presentations put on by the Family Studies program and the Culture Club, and she co-ordinated fundraising activities for One Child and Covenant House. At her co-op, Anahita belongs to the Diversity Network. She gave free lessons to children on a piano her family donated to the community, and she organized a gymnastics program in the co-op after the local community centre’s program was cut. She works part-time as a gymnastics coach at two city recreation centres. Anahita plans to attend the University of Toronto.
Haminat Kehinde
Perth Avenue Housing Co-operative
At Central Commerce Collegiate, Haminat has been active with student council, Volunteer Ambassadors, Peer Helpers, and LINCSS (Locally, Internally, Nationally Concerned Students and Staff), the school’s social and global issues club. She has helped raise money for many organizations including the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Tsunami Relief, Covenant House, and United Way. Haminat held cooking classes for the children at Beatrice House, a shelter for abused women and children. She also works part-time. Haminat will attend George Brown College.
Yan Yen Loo
Atkinson Housing Co-operative
Yan Yen attends Harbord Collegiate Institute, where she is an extended French student. She has written for the student newspaper, played lead roles in a number of school clubs, and taken part in field hockey, softball, and track and field. Yan Yen has also tutored other students in math, science, and French. At her local community centre, she has volunteered in a Mom and Tots program, and she has worked as a counsellor at a day camp for French-speaking children. Yan Yen plans to attend Queen’s University.
Maria Mustafa
Atkinson Housing Co-operative
Maria is completing her studies at Ursula Franklin Academy. She has been editor-in-chief of the school yearbook and an editor of the school newspaper. She has volunteered with the Canadian Cancer Society, at Sick Children’s Hospital as an International Patient Program volunteer, and at Canadian Blood Services donor clinics. In her co-op, Maria has helped to organize community-wide events that promote her co-op’s diverse membership. Maria also works part-time. She plans to attend the University of Waterloo.
Hoda Ossoble
Richmond Hill Co-operative Homes
Hoda attends Thornlea Secondary School, where she participated in Black History Month Awareness Week, AIDS Awareness Week, and Hip Hop Away from Violence, a yearly concert that promotes diversity and equality. She belonged to Reaching for Success, a club that promotes educational success, and Amnesty International. Hoda completed a co-op placement with Epilepsy Ontario, where she researched and wrote papers on epilepsy awareness. She also helped organize the Epilepsy Ontario summer Spike and Wave Camp. Hoda plans to attend York University.
Kavitha Pillaiyinar
Tamil Co-operative Homes
At West Toronto Collegiate, Kavitha has belonged to the South Asian Club for the past four years and has helped organize many successful events, including cultural dances, fashion shows, and film nights. As part of West Toronto’s Empowered Student Partnership Program, she helped her school identify hardships that students in her community face, such as racial profiling and sexism. Kavitha has been trained as a mentor and works with younger students by helping them discuss the challenges they may face at school and in the community. She has also helped raise funds and awareness for the December 6 White Ribbon Campaign. Kavitha plans to attend the University of Toronto.
Anam Zaka
Atkinson Housing Co-operative
Anam attends Parkdale Collegiate Institute. As student council president, she has stressed the importance of diversity in organized events to help students in her school develop a sense of belonging. She has been a member of the basketball, softball, and badminton teams and of the art, drama, and key clubs. Anam has been very involved in her co-op, where she has tutored children in math and English and participated in the many cultural festivals held in her community. She has also volunteered at a teen drop-in centre. Anam plans to attend the University of Toronto.
Nemo Aafi
Riverdale Co-operative Homes
Throughout her years at West Toronto Collegiate, Nemo has participated in sports. She was on the basketball, volleyball, and soccer teams during her senior year. In addition she volunteered to help coach the girls’ basketball team at her former middle school three mornings a week. Taking a special interest in younger children, Nemo tutored a youngster in her neighbourhood and volunteered at a recreational centre’s summer camp. She also joined West Toronto’s Muslim Student Association Club. Nemo will attend York University and plans a career in social work.
Antoinette Morgan
Barsa Kelly/Cari-Can Co-operative Homes
Antoinette graduated from Lakeshore Collegiate Institute and has taken additional courses at Central Technical School. At Lakeshore she helped organize the Thirty Hour Famine and was an active member of Bandaid, a group that raises awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving. At the LAMP Community Health Centre, Antoinette has built leadership and organizational skills as a participant in the South Etobicoke Youth Assembly, joining its choir and attending workshops on community issues. She plans to study fitness and health promotion at Centennial College.
Mohamed Nur
Muriel Collins Co-op
Mohamed graduated from Monarch Park Collegiate Institute, where he was on the student council and belonged to several teams and clubs. In the African-Canadian Club, he helped to organize assemblies and other events. Outside of school he has helped coach sports teams for younger children at his local community centre, and he joined a youth/seniors discussion group on environmental issues. At his co-op, Mohamed has taken part for many years in the Black History Month variety show as a performer, organizer, and crew member. He will attend the University of Toronto, majoring in economics.
Joseph Saavedra
Bleecker Street Co-operative Homes
Jospeh completed his studies this year at Neil McNeil High School. Among many community activities, he has been an altar server at his church and organized a youth basketball team that plays in the Mississauga Philippine Athletic Association. Joseph has been an enthusiastic participant in Bleecker Street’s children’s activities and in community causes such as fundraising for a rape crisis centre. He has volunteered as a teacher’s assistant in a junior kindergarten class and plans to pursue his interest in early childhood education at either Ryerson University or George Brown College.
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