OCDSB Students and Alumni Recognized at RBC Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards

OCDSB Students and Alumni Recognized at RBC Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards
Posted on 11/23/2022
OCDSB Students and Alumni Recognized at RBC Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards

Eight current and former OCDSB students were honoured at the 25th Annual RBC Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards for their achievements in arts and culture, academic perseverance, service and caring, and more. Presented by RBC and hosted by Youth Ottawa, these awards recognize youth who are turning awareness into action and inspiring others to become agents of change. This year’s recipients were celebrated at an Award Gala at the Shenkman Arts Centre on October 26, 2022.


Here is a look at the OCDSB students and alumni who were recognized at the awards. To read more of their stories, please visit the Youth Ottawa website.


Academic Perseverance Award: Zeynep C., a graduate from Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School, learned English and completed high school while moving multiple times, earning several awards and scholarships along the way. Zeynep gives back to the community by tutoring and working on her organizations, Refugee Support Association and Passionate Minds.


Academic Perseverance Award: Nasra A. was a driving force behind Woodroffe High School’s “Black Voices group,” a student-led operation designed to remove barriers to success for marginalized youth. She overcame challenges to pursue postsecondary education and has made a difference through her community engagement, social justice, and philanthropy work.


Max Keeping Award for Personal Courage: Zainab A. is a dedicated student who is not afraid of hard work and overcoming setbacks. Despite the many challenges that she has faced, her outlook on life remains optimistic and compassionate. She has a kindness and faith that is calming to others and she exemplifies dignity, humility and resilience. 


Service and Caring Award: Dalia I., West Carleton Secondary School alumna, has supported a number of community causes, including leading a Relay for Life and coordinating an event that raised $103,000 for cancer research. She has been working with a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre to test the effectiveness of a particular drug for ovarian cancer.


Service and Caring Award: Rhea G., a graduate from Lisgar Collegiate Institute, volunteers with the Indigenous-led organization Legacy Hope Foundation. She assisted the exhibitions department by doing research and writing tasks, and submitted a project proposal to Canadian Heritage on behalf of a new exhibition on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.


Strength Through Diversity: Hafsa H. is a student at Merivale High School and co-founder of the school’s the Black Excellence Club. As United Nations Generation SDG Ambassador for Ottawa and Gatineau, Hafsa worked on outreach initiatives to share COVID-19 information with Black community members, senior citizens, and people with pre-existing conditions.


Take a Stand Award: Ayla M., a Cairine Wilson Secondary School student, was one of three youth recognized for their work on Youth4Youth Canada (Y4Y). This grassroots organization, founded and overseen by female Indigenous youth, aims to improve the lives of youth through arts, culture and health education. Y4Y initiatives have included the Talk Overdose project in response to the opioid crisis, and the Kisac project, which promotes connection to culture among Indigenous youth.


Take a Stand Award: Maleeka E., Colonel By Secondary School alumna, founded two non-profit organizations, YouthBeHeard and WiSTEM. She has raised more than $5,000 for various causes and inspired over 5.5 thousand people through her activities. Maleeka is also an active community volunteer, published writer, first aid provider, mentor, and a volunteer tutor for charity.


Congratulations to all of the OCDSB students and graduates who were recognized! Be sure to visit the awards webpage to read more about their achievements and meet all of the inspiring recipients.
Photo courtesy of Youth Ottawa
Photo courtesy of Youth Ottawa

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