(Updated 12:30 p.m., Nov. 24)
Young achievers recognized during Orléans Outstanding Youth Awards
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

Sobeys franchise owner Allan Foget presents an Orleans Online Outstanding Youth Award to recipient Andrew Brown during the award ceremony on Sunday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

Thirty-five amazing young people from across the east end gathered at École secondaire catholique Béatrice-Desloges where they were the special guests at the 2009 Orléans Online Outstanding Youth Awards.

The accomplishments of this year's recipients were as varied as the young people themselves who ranged in age from eight to 17. The youngest was eight year-old Moiz Lakhani who was nominated for his efforts in promoting South Asian culture though music and dance.

During the past year Moiz has performed at a number of multicultural festivals and charity events. He also used his talent to raise money for the World Partnership Walk.

Siblings Catherine, 9, and Kimberly Higginson, 11, received an award for their work in launching Catherine's Pretty Ponytails Campaign in 2007. During the past two years, the sisters managed to collect 110 ponytails from friends and family members which were used to produce wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair during treatrment. The two girls also raised more than $21,000 for cancer treatment.

Seventeen-year-old Dorothy Krolak was selected as this year’s Crystal Award recipient by a panel of eight judges. The Grade 12 St. Peter High School student is heavily involved in a variety of activities including
mentoring Grade 7 and 8 students.

She is captain of the school’s cross-country team and has been an active member of the alpine ski team for the past three years. Academically, Dorothy was able to maintain a 92 per cent average last year..

Away from school, Dorothy is an active member of Divine Infant Parish’s youth program called “Edge” which reaches out to students in Grades 6-8 to help them become more involved in the church community.

 

Orleans youngster Lindsay White performs at the Orleans Online Outstanding Youth Awards on Sunday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

Other recipients included Ashley Backstrom, a 17-year-old Louis-Riel student who returned to the soccer pitch this past summer one year after she was diagnosed with acute leukemia; Tolu Makinde, a 16-year-old Grade 11 student at Colonel By, who won two gold medals at the Ontario Legion Track and Field Championships in the 100 and 200 metres; and !7-year-old Erik Gudbranson who captained Canada's U17 men's hockey team to a gold medal at last year's World Championships and is ranked eighth by the NHL's Central Scouting Service heading into next year's draft.

Fifteen-year-old Victoria-Marie Cusson from Collège catholique Samuel Genest received an award for a series of projects she's done which convert organic household waste into renewable energy. Her work has been recognized at the last three Expo-sciences pancanadienne, a national science fair for francophone students, where she placed second in 2007 and 2009 and first in 2008.

The Orléans Online Outstanding Youth Awards were first organized in 2003 as a way to celebrate the accomplishments of area youth. Organizers received 35 nominations this year from across the east end.

Each nomination was submitted to a seven member judging panel. Working independently, the judges went through the submissions and selected their top 12 candidates. The lists were then compiled and any nominee who received a minimum of four selections was bestowed with an award.

This year's awards were held at École secondaire catholique Beatrice-Desloges were the recipients and their family members were entertained by some extremely talented performers from the east end including 11-year-old piano prodigy Anita Pari; singers Kira Isabella and Lindsay White; and Jim Maxwell-Campagna from the Elite Martial Arts and Fitness Centre.

The full list of recipients includes Ashley Backstrom, Michael O'Connor, Dylan Armstrong, Rebecca Kalinger, Victoria-Marie Cusson, Andrew Brown, Catherine and Kimberly Higginson, Samantha Chan, Alexander Cosenza, Moiz Lakhani, Myriam Venasse, Caroline Chamberland, Ian Little, Lydia Barrett, Erin Phillipps, Cameron Slupeiks, Lindsay White, Daniel Lalonde, Samantha Clarke, Vicky Savard, Tolu Makinde, Erik Gudbranson, Karine Landry, Alistair Butt and Dorothy Krolak.

Ten other nominees received a Certificate of Distinction. They are Matthew Goddard, Anna-Marie Barahona, Maryse Gagnier, Steve Fabbro, Elizabeth Chamberland, Meagen Babe, Bernie Murdock, Erinn Carroll, Sara Ben Amor and Alexa Ehlebracht.

This year’s awards were made possible thanks to the support of a number of sponsors including gold level sponsors J.A. Laporte’s Flowers and Nursery, M.L. Bradley Ltd., the Rotary Club of Orléans, The Mortgage Centre and TMSI Sports Management.

The east end's political representatives were also out in full force, each of them having sponsored one of the wards that were presented. Last, but not least, the Navan Lions Club and Sobeys provided the food for the post-awards reception which was organized by Fallingbrook Community Association president Zybina Richards.

This year's Orléans Online Outstanding Youth Award recipients include Ashley Backstrom, Michael O'Connor, Dylan Armstrong, Rebecca Kalinger, Victoria-Marie Cusson, Andrew Brown, Catherine and Kimberly Higginson, Samantha Chan, Alexander Cosenza, Moiz Lakhani, Myriam Venasse, Caroline Chamberland, Ian Little, Lydia Barrett, Erin Phillipps, Cameron Slupeiks, Lindsay White, Daniel Lalonde, Samantha Clarke, Vicky Savard, Tolu Makinde, Erik Gudbranson, Karine Landry, Alistair Butt and Dorothy Krolak.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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