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TD Canada Trust's top scholarship program gives millions to help educate Canada's future leaders

6 minute read
By TD Bank Group
• May 15, 2007
TD Canada Trust Scholarship for Community Leadership program recognizes 20 outstanding Canadian youth with awards worth $60,000 each, with a contribution of more than $11 million to date TORONTO, May 15 /CNW/ - Researching a cure for cancer, addressing social concerns such as bullying and the environment, fighting child poverty and exploitation, and developing age-appropriate sexual health workshops for youth are just a few of the accomplishments of 20 distinguished high-school and Cégep students awarded the TD Canada Trust Scholarship for Community Leadership this year. The scholarship program, one of Canada's most prestigious, celebrates community leadership and academic excellence. Many of Canada's brightest, most committed students were recognized at a ceremony today in Ottawa for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to communities across Canada and globally. Selected by a panel of prominent Canadian Senators, business professionals and past award recipients, the 2007 scholarship winners receive full post-secondary tuition, $5,000 a year toward living expenses and an offer of summer employment at TD Canada Trust for up to four years - a total value of up to $60,000 each. "At TD Canada Trust, one of the things that amazes us every year is how many young people are leading important, at times transformative, activities in their communities and they're doing it with dedication, passion and hard work," says Tim Hockey, Co-Chair, TD Canada Trust. "This year, TD received 3,800 applications from impressive youth across the country. TD is privileged to work with the 20 talented individuals who were chosen as scholarship recipients and help provide a solid financial foundation for them to pursue their dreams in a post-secondary environment and ultimately continue to make a positive impact in their communities. We are proud to be making a difference together." TD Canada Trust will donate more than $1 million to the scholarship recipients, part of its commitment to youth education that will total more than $2.5 million in 2007. Demonstrating a passion for issues of local, national and global concern, as well as academic excellence, the 2007 scholarship recipients were selected from more than 3,800 applicants and hail from across Canada including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. "I am extremely proud that my accomplishments are being recognized by TD Bank. For me, giving back to my community and helping others is the most important gift I can give to those around me, said Kayla Cornale, 2007 Scholarship Recipient. "Receiving the TD Canada Trust Scholarship for Community Leadership will allow me to pursue my post-secondary education, while giving me the freedom to concentrate on the things that I am most passionate about, including my community involvement." "When I evaluate the extraordinary achievements of the individuals who have been awarded the TD Canada Trust Scholarship for Community Leadership this year, Canada's future looks very promising indeed," said Senator Donald Oliver. "The young people in this distinguished group represent a cross-section of Canadian youth who are dedicated to making a difference in their own communities and abroad. The achievements they have attained to date, are hopefully just the beginning." A complete list of recipients can be found at www.tdcanadatrust.com/scholarship. Some of this year's exceptional achievements include: Ted Paranjothy of Winnipeg, MB, who volunteers on experimental cancer research projects, seeks to develop non-toxic alternatives to chemotherapy at the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology. Ted co-authored two articles in the biomedical journals, Cancer Therapy and Biology (2006) and Drug Resistance Updates (2007). He received a provisional patent on an anticancer agent with the ability to induce cell death in leukemia, breast, lung, and prostate cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Amena Ali, of Montreal, QC, who believing education is the key to a successful future and inspired by a visit to India in 2004, started the Abhilasha Project. Helping raise funds for the Abhilasha School for the blind and handicapped in India, the group is currently planning fundraising activities to reach their goal of $10,000 in the next year. Caitlin Ohama-Darcus of Vancouver, BC, who expressing her passion for the environment, designed and implemented "Passport to Sustainability." The program educates students from kindergarten to grade 6 on ways they and their families can act in environmentally responsible ways. She founded an environment club and developed ways to make her school's recycling programs sustainable. Emily Cordeaux of Toronto, ON, who through her involvement with the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) and Plan Canada's Youth Advisory Council, designed and implemented a sexual health workshop for students, called "Sex It Up. "As a youth delegate at the XVI International AIDS Conference, she learned how other countries were promoting messages on safer sex. Florind Polo of Toronto, ON, as part of his extensive involvement in Amnesty International, Florind organized a national youth committee in Eastern Europe to advocate for human rights and the proper treatment of children in schools. Sonya Heleno of Shelburne, NS, who, as co-founder of a program designed to help children in developing countries, established Kits for Kids throughout elementary and secondary schools, as well as the entire community of Shelburne. Selected from more than 3,800 applications, regional judging panels interviewed a shortlist of 63 finalists to choose the 2007 winners, led by the scholarship program's Executive Director Dr. Jane Thompson. The 2007 judges included Dr. Jane R. Thompson, Executive Director, TD Canada Trust Scholarships; Bryan Tisdall, President and CEO of Science World; Joanne Cuthbertson, Chancellor, University of Calgary; Ruth Ramsden-Wood, President, United Way, Calgary and Area; Senator, the Honourable Donald H. Oliver, QC; Dr. Miriam Rossi, Chair, Board of Trustees, Harry Jerome Scholarship Fund; Charlotte Teeple, Executive Director, Canadian Children's Book Centre; Diane Veilleux, Executive Director, UQAM Foundation, Manon Vennat, Principal, Manon Vennat & Associates; Senator, the Honourable Ethel Cochrane; Dr. Bonnie Neuman, Vice President, Student Services, Dalhousie University; and former TD Scholarship winners Vanessa Gilbert (2005), Naheed Dosani (2004), Janet Chow (2003), Jordan Milne (2000), Dionne Pohler (2000), Sherrie Lambe (1997). About the TD Canada Trust Scholarship for Community Leadership Program The TD Canada Trust Scholarship for Community Leadership is open to all students in their final year of high school, and who will be attending post-secondary school during the following year. Applications for 2007 will be available this fall at TD Canada Trust branches, high school and CEGEP guidance offices and online at www.tdcanadatrust.com/scholarship. About TD's Community Giving TD Bank Financial Group focuses its community giving on children's health, literacy and education and the environment. The major flagship programs within these areas are: TD Children's Hospital Fund, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, TD Canadian Children's Book Week, TD Canada Trust Scholarships for Community Leadership, and the TD Summer Reading Club. In addition, through the support of our customers and employees, TD is involved with a host of national, regional and local programs in support of diversity, arts and culture and other causes. In 2006, TD donated $33 million to more than 1,600 charities and not-for-profit organizations across Canada. /NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release will be available later on the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca. Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/ For further information: GCI Group on behalf of TDBFG, Elynn Wareham, (416) 486-5910, ewareham@gcigroup.com; Matt Roth, (416) 486-5911, mroth@gcigroup.com; Sarah Van Lange, (416) 486-5918, svanlange@gcigroup.com; On-site at scholarship event in Ottawa: (416) 697-5414, ewareham@gcigroup.com; TD Bank Financial Group contact: Christa Poole, (416) 308-0177

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