Brampton Student Wins 2003 EDge Directories Scholarship
By Emily Van Halem
Emily Van Halem, a graduating student of Mayfield Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario, has won the 2003 EDge Directories Scholarship. In her winning essay, entitled
Silence Isn't Always Golden, Emily outlined her dedication to improving and contributing to her community and Canada.
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| Emily Van Halem, EDge Directories Scholarship Winner |
EDge started the scholarship in the fall of 2002 to reward students who are making Canada a better place to live. For every
SchoolFinder.com Directory 2003 and
ScholarshipsCanada.com Directory 2003 sold to high schools and libraries across the country, a percentage of the sale was donated to the scholarship fund. Students entering an accredited post-secondary institution in Canada were eligible to apply. Over 80 applicants from all over the country sent in essays and applications for the scholarship.
Emily has already made an impact on her community and school. She was an active member of a newly formed group called Student Awareness of Social Injustice (SASI) at Mayfield Secondary and was the editor of the group's newspaper The Liberator. She and SASI attacked important issues including for-profit health care, human rights, environmental concerns and the war in Iraq. In addition, Emily has volunteered for the City of Brampton's Parks and Recreation Department as a counsellor at a local wilderness centre teaching children respect for the environment. She also raises money for Oxfam through her employer and teaches youth about global water conservation.
Emily has received a cheque for $658.00 from the EDge Directories Scholarship to help pay for her post-secondary education. She will be attending the University of Toronto in September 2003 to begin her studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. Emily is an Ontario Scholar and received a 90% average in her final year of high school. She also received the Eastern Star Scholarship and a B'nai Brith Human Rights Award Scholarship. She hopes to pursue a career that involves supporting the community and social causes and has an interest in studying architecture and environmental design.
Read her winning essay.
Apply for the scholarship!
Silence Isn't Always Golden
By Emily Van Halem
Humankind has been the instigator of vast changes throughout history. These changes have been both positive and negative, while some have been a reaction to the other. Nevertheless, every human has played a part in history. From the abolishment of slavery towards freedom to the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, humans have created, destroyed, and created once again as they saw fit.
As a citizen of both Canada and the world, it is my duty and has become my will to evoke future social, political, and environmental betterment worldwide, and what better place to start than in my own backyard? Throughout my extensive travels in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and Europe, I have been exposed to a broad spectrum of life 's realities including instances of poverty and environmental degradation. Although I have really only begun to identify and understand the intricate and often troubling ways in which the world works, I have felt compelled to take action. As such, my inner activist was born and my journey to connect today's reality to a realistic future ideal has begun.
My path of choice is education: I have chosen to share my experiences with the community and strive for fellow Canadians to gain a broader understanding of their place in this global village. Hopefully, my passion will spread to others and the movement for positive change will strengthen.
This past year I have been an active member of a new in-school group called Student Awareness of Social Injustice (SASI). This has been my primary forum to get "the message" out. The group deals with a variety of controversial issues in today's society on a local, national, and global scale.
In September, we ran an information campaign addressing Canada's unique and endangered healthcare system. Information tables set up on lunches provided students an in-depth view of the highly debated issue. Furthermore, we, as well as many non-SASI members participated in a local rally against for-profit healthcare. The community's efforts seem to have been successful, for the threat of a privatized healthcare system has since subsided.
This winter, our student rights campaign was dedicated to educating students of their rights as a minor, a student, and an employee. We, in conjunction with the administration, organized a school-wide assembly directed at such issues.
In an effort to do our part to step up to the Kyoto Protocol and counteract greenhouse gas emissions, SASI embarked on an environmental awareness/protection project which involved a "buy a cookie - plant a tree" fundraiser for which tree-shaped cookies went towards buying saplings. This spring, with the help of a science class and student volunteers throughout the school, we are planning a tree planting event in the nearby Niagara Escarpment area.
An important aspect to getting students informed is SASI's newspaper, the Liberator. I have taken on a major role in this project: My job as editor, writer, and layout designer have required that I put forth an immense amount of time and organization. Such a publication had never before been created and I felt that students would benefit from an environmental, social, and political issues-based paper. Because it is written by students, for students, the result was more appealing to the masses.
A combination of pieces were written to reflect issues predominant in both the school and in the media. Among the topics covered were the prospect of a privatized Canadian healthcare system, addressing both possible for and against views, and an editorial titled "Homophobia - the Acceptable Prejudice". The Liberator consistently tries to provide its audience with solutions to the diverse topics it addresses. An article about the Kyoto Protocol tackled the scientific implications of the mandate as well as how we can improve the environment on a personal level.
As the editor, I felt a strong need for public response and guest columns to encourage students to exercise their right to freedom of speech. Students use this as a forum to reply to previous articles or present their own views. I take tremendous pride in my work on the Liberator. Not only have I gained personal experience and succeeded in spreading awareness school-wide, but it has given me the opportunity to put into practice what I love most: design, writing, activism, and learning. The Student Awareness of Social Injustice group may just be part of the next rising tide of youthful activism Canada needs.
Most recently, I organized a non-profit vegan barbeque for students to give them an opportunity to try some of delicious meat-free meal alternatives. We served veggie burgers, falafels and hummus, soy-banana bread, and Tofutti "ice cream". The event was enhanced with a display addressing vegetarianism as an alternative to animal abuse, and environmental degradation, while practicing a healthy lifestyle. The school's response to our efforts was overwhelmingly positive. It's extremely rewarding to know people don't only appreciate your hard work, but are willing to change themselves as a result.
I feel very strongly about respecting and saving our climate for the reason that it is just that - our climate. Aside from in-school events, I take pride in spreading awareness to the community as well. Last year, I volunteered for the Parks and Recreation sector of the City of Brampton. I was involved in a youth outdoor recreation day camp at a local wilderness centre. There, I taught children aged 9-13 about respect for the environment through games, exercises, and trivia. By showing children to live harmoniously with their surroundings at a young age, I hope they will convey what knowledge was passed to them and set a precedent for others to follow.
In early June, I am participating at the Peel Children's Water Festival where I will be running an activity that teaches children about global water conservation through comparing first and third world water use in a hands-on way.
This May, I also was among the chief organizers at my school for the annual Walk Against Male Violence in Queen's Park. Such violence touches so many but for the most part, goes un-addressed. For those I recruited to attend the rally, their experience was no doubt an unforgettable one.
In my quest to spread knowledge and compassion to fellow Canadians, I try to make contributions at every chance I get - even at work. As a server in a busy restaurant, I felt that the staff as a whole was able to contribute to others in need. I set up what I call the "Africa Fund". This past year I had done extensive research on the social, economic, and political state of the continent, in particular the Congo, Nigeria, and South Africa. I posted an informative letter about my objective and about the recipient company, Oxfam International. The money I am currently raising is going to schooling for children, practical education about self-sufficiency within communities, and tools to help those in need back on their feet. As a prosperous society, sharing some of our means is the least we can do to exemplify what Canadians are all about. Actions and words go hand in hand: Criticisms lead to solutions - transforming it into a cycle of productivity; that is how things get done. Silence isn't always golden. That's why we have to be heard to make our mark, for a world unmarked is a world of silence and in my opinion, the world is much more exciting than that. For me, living is about making a difference, and playing a positive role. Education is the key to success. I have that key. I have that knowledge. I have the means to make a difference, and making a difference is truly the best award I will ever receive.